Thursday, August 6, 2009

Jay-Z - The Black Album (November 14, 2003)

Jay-Z - The Black Album

Jay-Z has considered retirement for a while. He was planning on dropping Reasonable Doubt and leaving the hip-hop game.

But that all changed when Notorious B.I.G. died. Shortly after that, Jay decided to come back. And he made a career for himself as one of the best ever in hip-hop. Having gone platinum more times than any artist should, Jay decided to call it quits. And such, he began working on his retirement album, The Black Album.

The Black Album was originally set to feature 12 tracks with 12 different producers (such as DJ Premier) and it was supposed to be a return to Reasonable Doubt. It would be a record "for the streets."

However, that's not how The Black Album turned out. Would it have been better that way? Who knows. Is it still good in it's own? Let's find out...

1. Interlude
Produced by Just Blaze

This is just really a Just Blaze produced intro. And as such, you'll probably skip it, like I do.

2. December 4th
Produced by Just Blaze

Jay-Z brings along his mother, Gloria Carter, to narrate a song about Jay's life, from birth to his leaving. This song was also Jay's "swan song," being that it was the last song performed at the Fade to Black concert. The beat, while not Just Blaze's best, is pretty good. And Jay-Z's lyrics are on point, making this a pretty damn good song.
If you can't respect that, your whole perspective is wack, maybe you'll love me when I fade to black...
3. What More Can I Say
Produced by The Buchannans
I have no idea who The Buchannans are, but their beat is pretty meh. The beginning features a sample from Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe. This song was the opening song to the Fade to Black concert. And the concert sucks. Jay-Z's lyrics are decent, making this a meh track. He also tosses in a sly 50 Cent diss and a backhanded compliment to Busta Rhymes near the end of the track.

4. Encore
Produced by Kanye West

Kanye provides production and some additional vocals (alongside John Legend), while Jay just rips the fucking track to shreds. HOVA. HOVA. HOVA.

5. Change Clothes
Produced by The Neptunes

The first single. I've never been a fan of Pharrell's hooks, and this isn't an exception. Jay sounds decent, well, as decent as he can over a radio ready track. However, I typically find myself skipping right on to...

6. Dirt Off Your Shoulder
Produced by Timbaland

The best damn song on the album. While I don't fancy myself a fan of Jay/Timbo collaborations, Timbo's beat sounds pretty damn good, and Jay-Z just kills the beat.

7. Threat
Produced by 9th Wonder & Jay-Z

Jay-Z really only gets production credits for finding the R. Kelly sample, but whatever. 9th Wonder, then of Little Brother, provides an awesome beat which Jay-Z owns. Not to mention Jay sounds like he'd kill you for giving him one too many ice cubes in his drink. So don't do that. For the record, he likes five ice cubes, doggie.

8. Moment of Clarity
Produced by Eminem & Luis Resto

Eminem drops by and decides not to murder Jay on his own shit. However, his productions sounds like every other beat he's done. And as such, it starts to sound boring, even though Jay's lyrics are pretty good.

9. 99 Problems
Produced by Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin takes a break in producing great Johnny Cash CDs and decides to provide Jay-Z with one of the best beats on the album, which he proceeds to rip, making this the second best song on the album.

10. Public Service Announcement (Interlude)
Produced by Just Blaze
Sponsored by Just Blaze and the good folks at Roc-A-Fella Records. This song is the best song out of all the Jay/Just Blaze collaborations that we've gotten along the years, right behind it are "U Don't Know" and "December 4th."


11. Justify My Thug
Produced by DJ Quik
I don't think I've heard much DJ Quik production... and this song doesn't make me want to run out and pick up anything with his name on it. Hell, it makes me want to throw any disc I see with his name on it against the wall. Because this is the worst track on the album.

12. Lucifer
Produced by Kanye West
Kanye drops by and hands Jay another good beat, and for that, he gets a shout out. "Kanyeezy, you did it again! You a genius!" Jay sounds good, and while this isn't as good as "Encore," it looks a lot better than it is, when you think that "Justify My Thug" preceeded the song.

13. Allure

Produced by The Neptunes
The Neptunes drop back and again to piss me off with a pretty bad song. Damn you, Pharrell and Chad!

14. My 1st Song
Produced by Aqua & Joe "3H" Weinberger
So for what could be Hov's final song, he enlists some no namers such as Aqua and Joe Weinberger? This is a good song, but in no way should this be the final track of Hova's career (it's not, we all know he's dropped 2 albums since then, working on the 3rd). Should be replaced with December 4th, you know... since the final line... yeah...

Conclusion: You already have this. Don't be playing that. If you don't.. what the hell, man? Go pick this shit up!

Also By Jay-Z
Reasonable Doubt (June 25, 1996)
The Blueprint (September 11, 2001)

Coming Up Next
Well, I'm not 100% sure, but I can say it's an album with Hova getting some guest credits. Get to speculatin'.

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