mcheadcase's Full Review: American Gangster [PA] by Jay-Z
The subject of drug dealing is nothing new to Hip-Hop, and it's certainly nothing new to Jay-Z. Before he was rapping for a living, he was selling drugs in Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, New York. His first album, 1996's "Reasonable Doubt", was an honest reflection of his presumed life as a hustler, taking a cinematic storytelling approach to his past and exaggerating it to the point that he was painted as a street kingpin. It's been almost twelve years since then, and he's gone beyond that in terms of content and subject matter, but in the nine albums he's released, all of them have referenced his drug-dealing past in one way or another. So what makes his tenth album "American Gangster", inspired by the Ridley Scott film of the same name, any different? And more importantly, what makes this album such a special event for everyone in the rap game, including Jigga himself?
When Jay-Z announced that he was coming out of 'retirement' in 2006, nobody was really surprised. Sure, he'd be releasing his first new album in three years, but after hundreds of guest spots on other rappers' albums that happened in between those years, it was like he never left in the first place. This new album, "Kingdom Come", was supposed to be his triumphant return to the rap game, but it was anything but. It was supposed to be his 'grown up' album, but with the same concepts he's covered in the past, lyricism that didn't compare to previous releases, and gangsta mannerisms that contradicted his 'grown man' persona, it was simply the run-of-the-mill same old average Jay-Z shit. But his newest album, "American Gangster" was supposed to be different. The story goes that Jay caught an advance preview to Ridley Scott film of the same name, which was based on the life of famed drug dealer Frank Lucas, who was played by Denzel Washington. Jay saw so many parallels between Lucas' life and his own former life as a dealer that he decided to write and record a new album, a supposed concept album that details the rise and fall of a hustler -- in a sense, its what could've happened to Jay if he never left that lifestyle. Now when I first heard this premise, I was extremely skeptical. After complaining in interviews that "Kingdom Come" was 'too sophisticated' for listeners (ha, yeah right!), it sounded like this 'concept album' was simply a cop-out for him to start rapping about drug dealing again. But as time went on, I could tell this was different from his previous releases. He didn't promote it the way he normally promoted his albums -- from pulling the albums off Itunes to only doing a few concerts in small venues, you could see that this album means just as much to him as it does to his fans. He probably knew that the album wasn't going to appeal to a wide audience, so it's something he did for the Hip-Hop crowd. After caching so much flack in the past, you can see that Jay-Z, despite being a successful, well-established Hip-Hop icon, is still concerned with how his material is received -- which is why he made this album for us.
Now, even though Jay-Z might have intended this to be a 'concept album', the actual concept is looser than people think. Yes, the album does tell the criminal rise and fall that we've seen so many times, from the rise to success to the celebration of the success to the inevitable downfall. But in between, we find Jigga throwing in a few tracks that deviate from the narrative, as well as two 'bonus tracks' after the narrative's conclusion. While the film "American Gangster" served as an inspiration, the tie in works aesthetically more than thematically. Sure, Jay name drops Frank Lucas and adds a few bits of Denzel dialogue, but it doesn't really go farther than that. Instead of trying to write from Lucas' perspective, Jay uses the film's story and time to create his own elaborate legend, which somewhat combines Lucas and himself to build his own mythology. Production-wise, "American Gangster" encompasses the vibe of the 70s with plenty of soul sampling beats, courtesy of cats like No ID, Jermaine Dupri, and Diddy and his reformed Hitmen. Ironically, "American Gangster" sonically sounds more like a true sequel to "The Blueprint" then the actual sequel ("Blueprint 2: the Gift and the Curse") did. The album's first two tracks are what set the tone for the entire album. Starting off with "Pray", Jay tells an adrenaline-pumping tale of a youngster who is raised in the drug game. He's an outsider looking in, telling us what kind of life he sees over a mellow backdrop of strings and a church-like choir. It's a dramatic flash of life that can only be believed if you've experienced yourself. From there we move to "American Dreamin'"; a silky Marvin Gaye sample provides the backdrop as Jay recalls his early days as a dealer, scheming with his friends to run the streets in their own way. Despite the topic, the song is one big lyrical quotable, with punchlines like "We need it now, we need a town / we need a place to pitch, we need a mound" and "Need a 'Personal Jesus', I'm in 'Depeche Mode'" that help it stand out. With these two tracks, you can tell that this isn't gonna be another "Kingdom Come".
The album continues in this direction, as we start to see the signs of success from the drug dealing lifestyle. When the first single "Roc Boys" hits, you can't help but smile, with its majestic horns signifying that its time to party gracing your ears. Jay-Z treats the track like a award show speech, as he reads off a list of everybody who's made his success possible, from his drug connection to the corrupt cops who turn a blind eye to him dealing to the customers who buy the product. And even with its topic, it's still has that accessible feel, as Jay proclaims "This is black superhero music right here, baby!". The blaxploitation sampling congo-laced "Sweet" continues this feel good vibe, as he refuses to apologize for what he does. While it's not exactly removed from the concept, "I Know" takes the drug-dealing tales in a somewhat different direction. Taking a page from 50 Cent's book, the track finds Jay personifying himself as heroin, speaking as he's in a relationship with a junkie. It's a clever track, but the Neptunes' glittery keyboard-laced production just doesn't fit the concept. If Jay was making another song like "Change Clothes" or some kind of poppy single, it would've fit, but it just seems so out of place for a topic like this. It's still a pretty good track though. The triumphant climax of the story comes with "Success", laced with an organ riff that recalls the Motown era more than anything. Aside from the fact that Jay bit the opening lines ("I used to give a fuck, now I could give a fuck less / what do I think of success? It sucks / too much stress, I guess I blew up quick") from Eminem's "I'm Back", Jay is lyrically on point, as he brags about how successful he's been in the game. Though Jay is just as dope as he's ever been, he is one-upped lyrically by his formal rival Nas, who spits quotables like these: "Old cribs I sold, y'all drive by like monuments / Google Earth 'Nas', I got flats in other continents!". The narrative's final chapter comes with "Fallin'", where Jay describes the hustler's inevitable fall from grace. Jermaine Dupri supplies the somber beat, laced with rapid strings and surging piano keys, which just mesmerizes you completely and brings the album to a depressing end. It's truly the most fitting way to close out the narrative.
Even with the narrative being the overall point, the album is full of lyrical standouts even if they don't relate to the narrative at all. "No Hook" turns out to be the "U Don't Know" of this album, as he uses some of his most intricate rhyme patterns ever to touch on many different topics. He spits one long verse, with the only break or hook being the contradicting line "And I don't need no hook for this shit!". He moves from topic to topic quite fluidly, from his reconciliation with his father, who passed away shortly afterwards ("Poor me, dad was gone, finally got my dad back / liver bad, he didn't live long, it snatched my dad back") to surviving the hustler lifestyle ("'Stay outta trouble!' momma said, as momma sighed / her fear her youngest son be a victim of homicide / but I gotta get you outta here momma, or I'mma ... die / ... inside") to how he's different from other rappers, mentioning Ludacris in particular (the nod to Luda is perhaps in response to Luda's nod to him in his song "Tell it Like it Is"): "Don't compare me to other rappers / compare me to trappers, I'm more Frank Lucas than Ludacris / and Luda's my dude, I ain't tryin to diss / like Frank Lucas is cool, but I ain't tryin to snitch". Another quotable would be "Party Life", a certified 70s slow jam, where Jay brags about the good life. It's not the best song on the album cause of Jay's somewhat lazy delivery and poorly written second verse, but it still stands out with clever punchlines like "I sport fly shit, I should win the ESPY" and the oft-quoted "Your boy's 'Off the Wall', these other niggas is Tito!". We also have "Say Hello", where Jay defends his position in the game over a cinematic beat, laced with dramatic strings and triumphant horns. His delivery is a little better here, and still manages to stand out, as he gives a few words to one of the most prominent black figures in America in the final verse: "And if Al Sharpton is speaking for me / somebody get him the word and tell him I don't approve / tell him I'll remove the curses / if he tell me our schools gon' be perfect / when Jena 6 don't exist / tell him THAT'S when I'll stop sayin' 'bitch' -- BITCH!!!"
But one major lyrical standout on the album is the out-of-pocket "Ignorant Shit". For those that don't know, it was originally recorded back in 2003 for "The Black Album", but it was left off the album when all was said and done. Eventually, the song was released on a DJ Don Demarco mixtape, with Demarco screaming the standard DJ crap over it. A supposed 'no DJ' version leaked some time later, but it was simply chopped-up; somebody removed some of the best parts to get rid of Don DeMarco's incessant ramblings. To this day, a 'no DJ' version of the original track is still unavailable. Anyway, the track was revisited for "American Gangster" and underwent a few changes: the final version had a new third verse, as well as a brief appearance from Beanie Sigel (the original version contained the line "And the first thing I'mma do is free Sigel", which was a reference to Sigel's at-the-time incarceration -- the album version has Sigel coming in immediately after that line). But one question remains: why would Jigga revisit something he recorded four years ago for this supposed concept album? Some believe it was because of the overall positive reaction from the fans when the track first leaked, but I think it was something more.
The track was originally penned as a rebuttal to the critics for the negative responses to "Blueprint 2", and my guess is when he received similar flack over "Kingdom Come", he felt the same way as he did when he recorded the song and decided to re-work it for this album. I mean, Jay's spoken intro, which was on the original track, ironically mirrors what he's said to magazines about "Kingdom Come" being 'too sophisticated' for listeners: "Y'all niggas got me really confused out there! I make "Big Pimpin" or "Give it to Me", one of those, they held me as the greatest writer of the 21st century. I make some thought provoking shit, y'all question whether he fallin' off!". Coincidence? I think not! Anyway, the track itself is truly memorable, and for many different reasons. For the production, Just Blaze once again shows why he's one of the best producers out today, as takes an often sampled Isley Brothers song and flips it fresh with a bumping bass line to create a high-gloss club ready beat. Over this glittery beat, Jay-Z goes off on a tirade against the foolish gangsta rappers who act ignorant on record. It's the same kind of topic covered by many other rappers (especially underground rappers), but nobody does it quite like Jigga. At one point, he reveals that not everything rappers say is the gospel truth, and cleverly does this with his own contradiction: Actually, believe half of what you see / none of what you hear, even if it's spit by me / and with that said, I will kill niggas dead". When he finishes with the idiot rappers, he turns his aim to the media, referencing the Don Imus incident, Britney Spears flashing her you-know-what, and defending Hip-Hop by stating "Scarface the movie did more than Scarface the rapper to me". This type of statement is also nothing new to Hip-Hop, its been done by many other rappers as well, but you can't help but nod your head in agreement when he says "Let's stop the bullshittin' / till we all are without sin, let's quit the pulpittin'" The song is filled with all the wit, insight, and clever jabs that Shawn Carter is capable of when provoked, and that's what makes the song stand out so much.
But as I mentioned before, after the 'appropriate' final track "Fallin'", there are two bonus tracks that are removed completely from the albums overall concept but still stand out. First is the original street single, "Blue Magic". The Neptunes produce this one as well, and it definitely turns out to be a better attempt than "I Know". The supply an dope organ-laced old school style beat where Jay-Z talks about selling drugs. While it's nothing really new aside from anything else on the record, it also doubles as a tribute to the 80s, as he says himself: "Niggas wanna bring the 80s back / that’s okay with me, that's where they made me at!". Among references to Ronald Regan and Oliver North, the track also contains a homage from Jay to the greatest emcee of all time, Rakim: he borrows his flow from "My Melody", and even name checks him in the second verse. While a lot of fans seemed to have dismiss it, it's actually a pretty damn good song, though it doesn't fit the concept of the album, hence why it was labeled a 'bonus track' (though with a little tweaking, it probably could've fit somewhere before "Roc Boys"). But even better is the second bonus track, the title track "American Gangster" -- in short, it's the album's best track and it stands among the greatest songs Jay-Z's EVER recorded. I know I said the same thing about "Beach Chair", the closing track of "Kingdom Come", but this track outdoes it in every single way. Nowadays, there truly aren't that many rap songs that display the burst of second-by-second inspiration or the vivacious combination of production and flow that you hear here. Just Blaze takes a classic Curtis Mayfield song and turns it into a triumphant backdrop (a la "Touch the Sky") for Jay-Z to truly end the album with. He discusses his problems, but states that it'll never destroy him: "Here we go, and I'm not domino / when it 'All Falls Down', I'm like Kanye's Jaw". While it doesn't fit within the narrative, it does function as an epilogue to it, and somewhat shows the moral: you can knock someone down as many times as you wish, but someway, somehow, they'll always get back up to fight. There's just not enough I can say about this song, it's perfect.
Over the years, people have wondered if Jay-Z would ever return to his "Reasonable Doubt" days and rhyme the way he used to. Some people believed that even if he did return to those days, he was so far removed from his old life that he couldn't even make music like that anymore. With "American Gangster", however, he has proved us wrong. While "Reasonable Doubt" will probably be Jay's defining moment forever, "American Gangster" comes pretty damn close to matching it -- it certainly marks his comeback more effectively than "Kingdom Come" did. Like RD, the album is full of enjoyable tracks, with only one flagrant misstep: "Hello Brooklyn 2.0", the Beastie Boys-sampling ode to his hometown, backed by thumping 808 drum kicks. It sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the rest, as Jay really does nothing to get us to care about it enough. And Lil Wanye's sorry attempt at a singsong rap style (stop it Wayne, you're not Andre 3000) really doesn't do anything, except prove that he still sucks and is far removed from 'the Best Rapper alive'. But aside from that one blemish, "American Gangster" remains triumphant, and the more you listen to it, the more powerful it becomes. He takes the themes and concepts of "Reasonable Doubt" and the production style of "The Blueprint" and combines them to make one excellent effort that easily his best since his debut (yes kids, AG is better than The Blueprint). And even though it takes the title of the Frank Lucas biopic, the songs are not about Lucas nor are they about Jay himself. Like the greatest of storytellers, Jay-Z blends fiction and reality to enhance his legacy, basing the album on a character that mirrors his own legend. Above everything else, "American Gangster" is a captivating, thought-provoking, entertaining listening experience, showing the kind of substance and depth that is missing from most rap music nowadays. Needless to say, it's one of the best Hip-Hop albums of the year, so get a hold of it any way you can.
FINAL RATING: 5 Stars
Track listing:
1. Intro (NOT RATED)
2. Pray (5 Stars)
3. American Dreamin' (5 Stars)
4. Hello Brooklyn 2.0 feat. Lil Wayne (3 Stars)
5. No Hook (5 Stars)
6. Roc Boys (And the Winner Is...) (5 Stars)
7. Sweet (4 1/2 Stars)
8. I Know (4 Stars)
9. Party Life (4 Stars)
10. Ignorant Shit feat. Beanie Sigel (5 Stars)
11. Say Hello (4 1/2 Stars)
12. Success feat. Nas (5 Stars)
13. Fallin' (5 Stars)
14. Blue Magic (5 Stars)
15. American Gangster (5 Stars)
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
![American Gangster [PA] by Jay-Z](http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/5c/90/6a/2045167739-177x150-0-0.jpg)
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.