The Standpoint

It was only a matter of time before Jay Z would return to his creative good that brought him the first two Blueprint albums, given the fact that his last two albums were disasters. It is the final installment in The Blueprint trilogy, preceded by the critically acclaimed The Blueprint (2001) and it’s follow-up The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse (2002). The Blueprint 3, Jay’s 11^th studio album, promises to be a return to the blockbuster era of Jay Z’s career.

Jay Z delivers well-crafted rhyme schemes and slick one-liners in his celebration of contemporary hip hop, with cameos from various A-listers that serve to beef up the album.

The album jumpstarts with a track called, “What We Talkin’ About?” featuring- the Empire of the Sun, Jay Z spits, “I don’t run rap no more; I run the map.” It’s a typical top-of-the-world boast that Jay has been spitting since the late 90’s. “Thank You” sounds more like a Dr. Dre produced song of 2004, is a fan-thanking song. Next on the list is the lead single, “D.O.A (Death of Auto-tune)”,. in which Jay’s hate for “tight jeans” comes out naturally and the rapper calls out his colleagues who he believes have strayed from rap into R&B, advising them to “get back to rap, you T-Painin’ too much.”

Kanye West and Rihanna show up for “Run This Town” a relentless and boastful track, produced by Kanye himself. “Run This Town” doesn’t contain any explicit barbs directed at other artists, it essentially serves the purpose of glorifying the star-powered trio of Jay, Rihanna and Kanye West. “Empire State of Mind”, is a compelling ode to the city of New York, featuring big vocals from Alicia Keys. I don’t even live in New York and it makes me wanna throw on my “all-black everything” Yankees fitted with pseudo-hometown pride. It’s triumphant. It’s catchy. It’s full of pride. It’s got an uplifting message. Bottom line: it’s an anthem. Frank Sinatra, move ova, make room for Hova. Five tracks in, this is by far the best offering on The Blueprint 3.

Young Jeezy manages to steal Jay’s thunder on “Real As It Gets,” a killer record delivered in a swath of drums and a peppering of horns.

“On to the Next One” featuring Swizz Beats, Jay begins the track with these hater-addressing bars- “Hov on that new sh*t, n****s like ‘How come?’/ N****s want my old shit? Buy my old album/ N****s stuck on stupid, I gotta keep it movin’/”. Okay, hold up. Isn’t that a self-admittedly “dumb down” your music over time to “double [your] dollars”? Explanation needed.

“Venus vs. Mars” (Produced by Timbaland, Jerome Harmon). There’s something enticing about this one. Regardless of the track’s low-key groove, it’s got potential to receive its fair share of spins in the club. Jay’s lyrics are simple but catchy: “Shorty like ‘Pac; me, Big Poppa Screamin’ ‘Hit ‘Em Up’, I’m screaming ‘Who Shot Ya?’… Shorty like Pepsi; me, I’m the Coke man/ Body like a Coke bottle, I crush it like a Coke can/”. My only grievance is that that both Jay and Timbaland can do much, much better than this.

Among other highlights: Jay and Kanye’s lyrical sparring on the self-explanatory “Haters”; memorable guest appearances from J. Cole and British crooner Mr. Hudson on “A Star Is Born” and “Forever” respectively; and “Reminder,” which addresses the rapper’s longevity and success in rap music.

Yeah, this album is not quite a follow up of the earlier two albums of the trilogy. Any artist releasing his 11^th studio album faces a challenge. Do you change your style to stay up with the changing trends or not? It’s a tough decision. The Blueprint 3 attempts to bridge the gap between the old and new school. It’s a mix, a compromise. Like any musical compromise it lacks conviction, with many tracks sounding forced and dull.

I’ll give it 3 on 5!