First review

Well I'ma try smt new for yall : a music review, so here's the first one, JAY-Z Blueprint 3.
Tell me what you think, and don't forget to post comments, that's what keeps a blog alive.

1/ What we talkin’ about

I’ve been down with those lyrics since the Vegas freestyle, but I couldn't expect a better production. One great song to begin an album with. “I don’t run rap no more, I run the map…”

Instrumental 8/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 9/10

2/ Thank you

Confusing. The horn samples always seem to perfectly suit the voice/persona/charisma of Jay but I can’t stand that fuckin’ clap ! Come on NO ID ! It’s blueprint for god sake ! Jay second verse sucks, but the third one (without snares !) is lyrically sharp, so mmm…

Instrumental 7/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 8/10

3/ DOA

Hi haters ! You will never hear a track like this in your life again ! You will never here gimmicks like that in your life again ! You will never make a video like that again ! This shit violent ! That saxo back is killin’ me ! I love this shit right here ! Verse 2 and 3 could have been better though…

Instrumental 9/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 9/10

4/ Run this town

Ok, remove Kanye’s verse, the stupid Nanananana shit from the chorus, you could even get rid of Rihanna, and then you’ll get a great hiphop track ! Because jay’s verses are really catchy ! “All black everything…”. Great production by Kanye though !

Instrumental 8/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 7/10

5/ Empire State of mind

Best song in the album period. I’ve been playing this in my car for the last days. Alicia’s singing breaks through the sky-scrappers and spreads worldwide. All you can do is love NY even more after this song. Jay is the Sinatra of the hiphop world.

Instrumental 8/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 10/10

6/ Real as it gets

Someone on the net blogged that Jay bought a song from Jeezy’s last album. Couldn’t be more real… as it gets. Some random hustler’s anthem with a easy/catchy/lazy ? production… Could suit an OST, but not a follow-up to a classic.

Instrumental 7/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 7/10

7/ On to the next one

I’m on to the next song. Fuck Swizz beat and fuck jay even more for fuckin’ with him. Can wait to see how much he paid for this beat.

Instrumental 3/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 5/10

8/ Off that

I don’t agree with all the hatin surrounding Timbo’s latest production. This is a regular bounce track by timbo. And the running theme of BP3 “I already did everything and I’m not quiting kiddo” is really enhanced in this track. Plus that “ay ay” add lib from tim is really addictive. Plus second verse is crazy !

Instrumental 8/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 8/10

9/ A star is born

I don’t feel this shit at all even if the lyrics are kind of resuming hiphop history as seen by Jay. But the “everyday a star is born” on the chorus is just annoying. Good verse by J. Cole though. Kanye time to upgrade your game, son.

Instrumental 6/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 7/10

10/ Venus vs. Mars

Probably one of the best tracks in the album. Love it for the originality of both the beat and the construction of the verses and the flow. Try a lapdance with your chick on this.

“ Me I’m from the apple which means I’m MAC, she’s a PC she lives on my lap…”

Instrumental 8/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 9/10

11/ Already Home

Finally some old, banging, classic old school Kanye beat. This song is good from the beat to the chorus to Jay’s exceptional second verse. This is a song for a blueprint sequel. Finally.

Instrumental 9/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 9/10

12/ Haters

WTF number 1 : Beat is wack, a "808&headaches" left over. Jay, you should learn to refuse a bad song when you see one. Kanye can’t rhyme.

Instrumental 5/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 5/10

13/ Reminder

WTF number 2 : awful chorus means unlistenable song. Production isn’t that good neither.

Instrumental 6/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 4/10

14/ So ambitious

The average Neptune’s song for a jay album. I can work with it. Nothing exceptional, but lyrics are welcome.

Instrumental 7/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 8/10

15/ Forever young

If Jay wasn’t hooked with B, I’d probably say he turned gay… WTF is this song ? Next time you should sample a Boy George song ! Come on jay ? Plus the half rapped/half sang flow is really BS. Aaaargh Jay, if you want to experiment, how about a Illmind or a jake one or a krysis beat ?

Instrumental 6/10 – Lyrics/Vibe 5/10

Over all :

Instrumental : 7/10

Lyrics/Vibe : 7/10

Conclusion : Disappointing is not the right term. Jay is the greatest, no doubt about it. You can listen to BP3 all along even if it's painfull sometimes to go through the whole song. The first 5 tracks are well adjusted, coherent, relevant but once you start with "real as it gets", it becomes everything but... a blueprint. you get lost.

BP 1 was a classic, BP 2 could have been a single CD and be a classic too, but BP3 is just a random new era/pop contaminated hiphop album, that has the luck to be supported by a true and real MC. If it was given to one average newcomer (DRAKE, Gucci Mane or who the fuck ever), I wouldn't listen to the shit at all.

And yeah, Jay ain't too old to rap, GAME...