Jay-Z has finally released the track listing for his upcoming album, Blueprint 3. Collaboration regulars like Pharrell and Kanye will be featured on the album, but also RocNation's first artist J.Cole, UK's own Mr. Hudson, Cudi, Alicia Keys, and Drake (who apparently was supposed to be on "Run This Town"). Anyway look out for the video of "Run This Town" which is scheduled to premiere tomorrow.
If you're twitching, here's a preview:
LMBO. "if you're twitching" hahahaha.
ReplyDeleteYou know lately people have been saying that Jay-Z should have really retired after the Black Album. That his return is like Jordan's return to the Wizards, "he's still the best but he can't play like he used to, he can't dunk no more". I don't necessarily share that opinion, but its interesting. Should Jay-Z have really retired after the Black Album (which was the business might I add) and let the the new rappers (Cudi, Drake, Wale) fight for the crown in years to come? Discuss.
I've heard that so many times, and I disagree. Simply because he wouldn't have been able to carry the same weight he does now. Yea, maybe he's not as "raw" as he used to be. But he doesn't need to, he's a grown, married man whose life has changed extremely. American Ganagsta went so hard, he never hit something up like that before, an album that wasn't meant for the radio. And also, he and Kanye (who I would say should be carrying the torch once people get over his arrogance) have been able to get those collaborations with different genres. While Weezy is trying to get his rock on Hova's been doing it since the Blueprint 2 and Collision Course. Where he's at now, there's no way he could've jumped the gun in one album transition.
ReplyDeleteI think his guest spots since The Black Album have been much more memorable than any of his own solo hits. Is it possible that our generation no longer controls what is popular/appreciated, which is why that opinion is so prevalent?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think it wouldn't hurt for him to sit back and let his wife do all the performing. She's still young and finds ways to remain relevant... although one can only wonder for how much longer.
I agree with you ChiChi in the sense that Jay-Z has produced, in my opinion, greatness way after the Black Album. I mean who can forget Kingdom Come's "Lost Ones" and American Gangsta "I Know", "Roc Boys", "Hello Brooklyn" and "Blue Magic".
ReplyDeleteAs you mentioned, Jay-Z has been transcending and creating new movements for Hip Hop: Collision Course was a great example of that.
However, I don't want Jay-Z to fall off like that "everything that goes up, must come down" saying. Though he probably still has creativity flowing through him, I feel like he should be investing that in other rappers and take more of a producer role. I mean, when I listen to Run This Town, I find myself fast forwarding to Kanye's verse and then I remember "Whoa, this Jay-Z's joint. How he gonna let Kanye outshine him like that?"
I know his days of "Renegade", "Can I Live", "Ain't No N****", "Can I get A", "Hard Knock Life", "Money, Cash, Hoes", "Hey Papi", "Big Pimpin" LOL are over, but I don't want him to become one of those "featured rappers" like T-Pain or Gucci.
I'm feelin like its time for him to let himself become the icon that we all view him as. He is the President, but even the president has to step down at some point no matter how good he is...
I'm pretty sure he's on his way to doing that. It's crazy though, because you can't get yourself out of it, when you're in love with the game as much as Hova is. And honestly, I respect that so much. Everybody else moves on forgets about hip-hop, (ex. Diddy) or ruins it while they're getting older trying to be young (ex. Master P). I don't think Hova's going to be dropping any more albums, this is his ultimate. He's not going to retire from the game completely, he'll just be the coach on the sidelines, putting in his two cents every step of the way.
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