There you have it. All of Jay-Z’s albums reviewed. As a complete catalog, Jay-Z has reached a level that is incomparable with any other hip-hop artist. Regardless of how much I like or dislike his albums, it is obvious that he has never actually made a bad album, yet alone mediocre one. His career has arguably spawned at least 3 classic albums, and his influence is unbelievable. I never considered myself a Jay-Z fan before studying his discography, but now I can say that I have a newfound respect for him. His career is amazing, and his work cements him amongst the best rappers of all time.
#12. Magna Carta Holy Grail- Alright, this is the one I hate. But honestly, the album’s not that bad. Once again, when comparing it to the rest of his discography, it’s easy to be hypercritical about it. In fact, Magna Carta contains one of Jay-Z’s best intros along with The Dynasty Intro and Hova Song. The thing that bothers me about this album is Jay’s flow and energy. Half of the album comes off as half-ass. But like he said, “Your best shit ain’t better than my worst shit.” But truthfully, this isn’t his worst album. I would prefer this album to some of his other work any day. It is however another inconsistent endeavor from Jay. The ending of the album is very boring and not pleasant to the ears either. All in all, the album does not live up to the epic title it portrays. This is the least relatable I’ve ever seen Hov, and it bothers me. Regardless the album is actually really good for the most part, and I’m just mad more people liked this than Yeezus.
Favorite tracks: Oceans, Crown, Beach is Better, & Picasso Baby
#11. The Blueprint 3- This has got to be Jay-Z’s most replayable album. Some may say that he dumbed it down a lot for this effort. However, it would be a lie to say that the album isn’t extremely entertaining. Lyricism takes the backseat to the production, but the project benefits from it. Jay-Z storytelling is perhaps the most admirable addition to the album. It is also probably the most creative project that he has released since post retirement; Hov experiments a lot on this one. Another positive note for this album is Jay’s use of features. The features on The Blueprint 3 include Kanye West, Mr. Hudson, Pharrell, Kid Cudi, Drake, J. Cole, Alicia Keys, Luke Steele, Young Jeezy, and Swizz Beats. One could argue that the features carried the album, but I think the features were just perfectly orchestrated. The album is extremely balanced and cohesive, and that stands out within Jay-Z’s discography. It may not be up to lyrical standards or contain compelling subject matter, but The Blueprint 3 is a bonafide hit.
Favorite Tracks: Run This Town, Already Home, Hate, Venus Vs. Mars, & A Star Is Born
#10. American Gangster- This was a snooze fest in my opinion. Jay’s lyricism has yet to falter, but the album just feels forced and unnecessary. The album was super soulful, and I’m not really a fan of that sound that much. Stylistically the album is repetitive and nothing new from the Marcy MC. Towards the end of the project, the music gets more entertaining, but the album’s conclusion isn’t satisfying either. Although the quality of the project wasn’t low, it was simply not an entertaining endeavor from Jay-Z.
Favorite Tracks: Success, No Hook, I Know, Ignorant Shit, & Fallin
#9. Kingdom Come- Making a comeback must be really challenging. After the first couple of songs, I just knew the album would be a flop. However, the album began to pick up pace and gain strong momentum from the third track on. The album is surprisingly strong. Following a 3-year retirement, Jay’s lyrical chops were still fine-tuned, and his touch was still there. The album does have flaws, but nothing that really turns the listener away from the music. Kingdom Come also churns out hits, although not that many. Regardless, the album is pretty entertaining, and has pretty good replay. Subject matter varies, proving Jay to still be the complex MC we love, but times in this album feel either corny or empty. In the end, the album delivers on the promise that Hov is back and here to stay.
Favorite Tracks: Beach Chair, 44 Fours, Dig A Hole, Lost One, & Show Me What You Got
#8. The Black Album: I feel a lot of bias towards this one; I can actually remember when this album came out. That being said, I do think it was a cleverly made LP. The seamless combination of smash hits and effortless lyricism proved that Jay-Z honestly had a knack for making rap music. On a low note, the album is not coherent. The combination of songs chosen just doesn’t seem to represent or promote a single train of thought. Perhaps, most of the songs were timeless and he didn’t want to abandon them on a hard drive. Or perhaps the album was slightly rushed. Regardless, this album contains quality material. The Black Album is an iconic piece of work that successfully captures a moment in time and the emotions that come with it. While that extra “umph” may have been missing, Jay-Z did create another classic album.
Favorite Tracks: My First Song, Encore, Public Service Announcement, Moment of Clarity, & 99 Problems
#7. The Blueprint 2- Hov’s first try at a double disc album was ambitious, but it was one of his most inconsistent albums. Double disc albums are the ultimate test for an MC because they are ridiculously hard to pull off. Disc 2 was an overall better half, but lyricism was a heavy focus for the album as a whole. The lyrics were for the most party extremely impressive, but there were a lot of heavy misses. Sprinkled all throughout Disc 1 and some of Disc 2 are easily skippable tracks, and that’s unacceptable to have on a double disc album. Unlike its predecessor, The Blueprint 2 was chuck load of features. Although the features didn’t outshine Jay, they were either disctracting, boring, or overbearing. In fact the Blueprint 2 would have been better as a single disc endeavor, shaving all of the weak material that hinders the project from being great.
Favorite Tracks: Meet The Parents, Some People Hate, Blueprint2, A Dream, & 2 Many Hoes
4 Spins
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