In summer 2013 Jay Z released an album, Magna Carta Holy Grail and went on tour with Justin Timberlake. To honor these events we share with you our 5 favorite Jay Z CDs.
Black Album Originally thought to be his “retirement album,” this 2003 release was full of engaging tracks. It features production by Kanye West, Rick Rubin and The Neptunes. The impressive list of producers as well as an urgency felt in the lyrics makes this our favorite of Jay’s discography. Reasonable Doubt The inclusion of S-dot’s first album will probably appease the hip-hop purists. Many would say the MC has never topped the rawness of his first CD. Regardless of what you think about what he has accomplished post Reasonable Doubt, it is an amazing piece of work. Jay-Z: Unplugged When Jay teamed up with MTV it gave new meaning to each classic song performed from the MC’s back catalog. It was unique to put a rapper into the unplugged concept and with the help of The Roots—Jay made something special. It may not be an official Jay Z album, but it is too good to leave out. The Blueprint This is the CD that introduced Jigga to the masses and crossed him over to a broader fan base. The record had the bad luck of being released on September 11th, 2001. Despite its poor timing, The Blueprint lifted Hov to another level of fame and artistry. American Gangster Jigga Man took inspiration from real life gangster Frank Lucas for this release. The stories told on this album were supposedly based on actual events as well as the film, American Gangster. Barack Obama actually mentioned being a fan of this CD; it’s hard to get more legit than that.
Jay Z’s Best!
Jay Z ‘s 12th album, Magna Carter Holy Grail, had a unique release strategy. It was available first to Samsung phone users; this tactic allowed the CD to become platinum before it was ever officially released. The release of the album may be different than anything Jay has attempted, but the music is pretty similar to recent work by the rapper. It features the usual Jay collaborators—Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. This usual group of suspects make the
album sound as if we have heard it all before. The familiarity isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when you are of the stature of Jay Z, rehashing old success does not cut it. Magna Carter has some memorable tracks but more often than not it’s a pretty routine and standard outing by Jay Z. Sadly, Magna Carter Holy Grail will probably be better remembered for how fans got their hands on the album rather than how good the music is.
NUMbeR TWeLeVe
The ReSUMe
Justin Timberlake has had an eventful year so far; he went on tour with Jay Z and released The 20/20 Experience. Timberlake is one of the most recognizable males in show business. We could focus on his successful music career or his diverse movie roles—but when we put Justin’s life under a microscope, we found we are most fascinated by his relationships. Justin is currently married to the beautiful actress Jessica Biel, but he has an impressive dating
history prior to Mrs. Timberlake. Justin has been linked to Kate Hudson, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz and Scarlett Johansson in the past. It’s hard to imagine many male celebrities being able to top a dating list that notable. When you analyze Timberlake’s life it’s easy to understand why so many “real men” find reasons to hate him. A talented and rich pop star that has seemingly dated every guy’s laundry list of dream women—the hate is to be expected.
No. 028 THE STNDRD LIFESTYLE - THE ARTIST ISSUE
Resized 9.00004 by 11.0 to 9.0 by 10.875 and Adjusted to 98.8% Vertical and 100% Horizontal
117_TSM_Issue4_Full.indd 28
8/5/13 9:43 AM