In the midst of a sudden rebirth of "Beatlemania" and a continuous Michael Jackson frenzy, another legendary artist returns to cement his legacy in the world of music.
On Tuesday, Sept. 8, hip-hop legend, mogul and entrepreneur, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter released his long awaited finale to his "Blueprint" series, The Blueprint 3, under his new record label, Roc Nation.
The hype for "Blueprint 3" was partially due to the success of its predecessor, The Blueprint, which was released on Sept. 11, 2001.
The album was revolutionary because it was one of the first to implement the heavy usage of soul music samples in its songs. This album also helped to launch the careers of hip-hop producers Just Blaze and Kanye West.
Not to mention, it also featured Jay-Z's classic "diss" record, "Takeover," directed at Queensbridge MC, Nas.
Contextually, "Blueprint 3" is not simply a continuation of the series. It is rather a step toward the future of hip-hop with fresh concepts and unique subject matter.
This step toward the future is evident in the song, "Off That" featuring one of hip-hop's fastest rising stars, Drake. In "Off That," Jay-Z and Drake dismiss many fads and trends commonly associated with hip-hop culture such as oversized clothes, rims, and even the concept of people becoming rappers simply to chase fame.
This Timbaland-produced track is definitely a must-hear song with an infectious, up-tempo beat.
Jay-Z delivers with his witty lyrics, however, some fans may be disappointed that Drake's role is reduced to simply performing the chorus. However, the song is still great both conceptually and lyrically.
"Venus vs Mars" is another standout, Timbaland-produced track in which Jay-Z talks about the remarkable differences between himself and a love interest.
Jay-Z once again delivers with his clever wordplay with lines such as the ones from the third verse, stating, "I thought shorty was the truth/ found out she was a cheater/ we were supposed to takeover/ I caught her bumpin' "Ether"/ I thought shorty liked Mike/ found out she liked Prince/ I thought she was Adrien/ It's been rocky ever since." This story of conflicting love interest is sure to entertain many listeners.
One of the most unique tracks of the album is, "A Star is Born", featuring Roc Nation newcomer J. Cole. In this song, Jay-Z chronicles the rises of some of hip-hop's biggest stars. The lyrics mention artists such as Mase, Diddy, 50 Cent, Emine and even the current rising star, Drake.
However, one song which really didn't seem to fit in was "Real as it Gets," featuring Young Jeezy. It seemed more like a Young Jeezy track featuring Jay-Z rather than the other way around.
The song seems conceptually shallow and appears to be a desperate attempt to cater more to the new-school of hip-hop fans, a demographic whose idea of a classic album is 2007's "souljaboytellem.com."
But on a positive note, Jay-Z makes up for it with hard-hitting tracks like "Reminder", in which Jay-Z refreshes the memory of hip-hop fans and reminds them of his remarkable feats such as outselling legendary musicians and having ten number-one albums on the Billboard charts. Needless to say, the "Blueprint 3" may potentially be one of the best albums of the year.
With three months left in 2009, I seriously doubt anyone competing with the creativity and lyricism of this album.
The only person who would have a chance of coming close would be Kanye West because the man obviously has a knack for musical ingenuity and creativity.
Other than that, '09 belongs to 'Hova.
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