paulyoungotti's Full Review: The Black Album [PA] by Jay-Z
Jay-Z. The name by itself is bound to form all kinds of divides within the Hip Hop community. Quite simply, everyone has an opinion on one of rap’s biggest ever selling artists. The same goes for the various Epinions Hip Hop heads. My stance is a strange one; while I respect what Jay can do, most of the time I feel he just doesn’t do it. To be quite honest I feel Jay has never, ever come EVEN close to his classic 1996 debut “Reasonable Doubt” (check my review). Many people thought 2001’s “The Blueprint” was at least as good as RD; but I disagree strongly as it’s nothing more than a solid 4 mics. The bottom line is that Jay-Z has never fulfilled the promise he showed way back then in terms of good quality hop hop.
With this in mind, in 2003 the shock announcement of the year was, yes, that Shaun Carter aka Jay-Z was going to retire after the release of his eighth and final album; the intriguingly named “The Black Album”. Details of the album remained shrouded in mystery up until recently, as names and snippets began to slip out, but the big question is whether Jay would just hang around for one last pay day or go out with a bang. If he wanted to, he could just drop yet another half arsed album (*coughs*Blueprint 2*coughs*), watch the sales stack up regardless, and disappear into the sunset happy. Luckily, this isn’t quite the case…
Where Jay-Z was full of pledges about coming up in the rap game on “Reasonable Doubt”, it’s funnily enough not surprising that his focus switches completely round during “The Black Album”. The whole album is full of references to his career; what he’s achieved, his impending retirement and his money stacks. He also created his Roc-a-Fella empire; of which twin producers Kanye West and Just Blaze are an integral staple, and they form the backdrop for this album’s sound. The latter laces the perfect backdrop for the autobiographical "4th December"; triumphant trumpet blasts and furiously swirling swings creating a stunning song, only made better by Jay’s confident flow and lyrics that show for once he’s trying not to be lyrically lazy. This soulful style is a sound brought back into popularity by the Roc, as West demonstrates on standout songs like“Public Service Announcement ” and “Encore” - the production on this album is top rate. Listen to The Blueprint or Beanie Sigel's The Reason and you'll know the Roc sound - its sped-up vocal loops, big and dramatic samples - and it fits Jay's style perfectly.
But with his fame and fortune the biggest problem Jay-Z has had is with his lyrics, he's often dropped lazy stuff and been saved by his flashy beats. Case in point: The Blueprint, flat out lazy lyrically (his flaws were masked by the excellent production). And yes, Jay shows signs of this during The Black Album. I dislike the Neptunes, and their syrupy, disharmonic attempt at post-"2001" G-Funk on lead single “Change Clothes & Go” is ugly; but when Jay spits lines like “nobody gon’ Wesley Snipe me” it gets uglier. However, for the most part Jay is on point. While the complexity of his punchlines has deteriorated over the years, he still tosses out smart, arrogant rhymes which'll leave you with a smile (or grimace) on your face. “What More Can I Say” was the first cut I heard off this album; a really sick, smooth Buchanons (who?) beat plays second fiddle to Jay's defiant braggadocio: “"No I ain’t been shot a bunch of times / or make up sh*t in a whole bunch of lines / and no I ain’t animated like say Busta Rhymes / with the real sh*t you get when you bust down my lines / add that to the fact I’ve went plat a bunch of number of times / times that by my influence on pop culture / I supposed to be number one on everybody’s lists / let’s see what happens when I no longer exist”. When he gets going like this, there's few more charismatic, fluid emcees around.
Surprisingly, Jay decided to include more lyrical variety, something he doesn't have to do in his wealthy position - but not that much depth. He gets quite a lot more into the politics of the rap game during The Black Album, take. “Moment of Clarity”. We all know what Eminem's Dr. Dre-ripoff hit or miss production style is like, luckily here it's hit, and Jay spits his most impressive lyrics of the album over an unfussy and driving beat, hitting back at those who (correctly) denounced him for selling out: If skills sold / truth be told / I’d probably be / lyrically, Talib Kweli / truthfully, I wanna rhyme like Common Sense / but I ain’t been rhymin’ like Common since / when ya sense got that much in common / and you been hustlin’ since your inception / f**k perception you go with what makes sense.”. Another nice line: "And I can't help the poor if I'm one of them / so I got rich and gave back, that's a win-win". Jay has got his variety back, as his imaginative storytelling on the rockish, "Takeover" inspired Rick Rubin produced "99 Questions", and the flamboyant attritional warfare of "Lucifer" - a D'Evils sequel of vague sorts. But still, I need a Regrets style track to make me completely satisfied this is the ultimate Jay-Z signoff album.
On a side note, the Biggie Smalls reference count shoots (once again) through the roof during The Black Album. Jay, get off his nuts
Unfortunately it would appear the Dr. Dre cut rumoured to make the album didn't make the final cut, neither did the DJ Premier beat that Jay reportedly rejected. It’s a shame, as their contributions would be preferable to the overrated Timbaland’s ugly beat and chorus on “Dirt off Your Shoulder”. And I’m a huge DJ Quik fan but he unfortunately drops a pretty mundane beat for the Madonna-sampling “Justify my Thug”. But to be quite honest to savage this album for these two three star songs would be harsh - along with Change Clothes & Go this is the only time the production fails.
The copious number of unfair Reasonable Dount comparisons might make you think I don't like The Black Album, but I do, it's Jay-Z's best all-round album in years. I just think it could have been a real standout with a bit more tweaking. Will I be sorry to see him go? I'm not gonna kill myself over it, put it that way, as Jay's done as much bad as he's done good to the rap game. Still, with The Black Album he leaves us with good memories...
...until you put Vol 2: Hard Knock Life in, that is :)
4 stars
Track Listing
1. Interlude
2. December 4th (*****)
3. What More Can I Say? (*****)
4. Encore (**** ½)
5. Change Clothes & Go (**)
6. Dirt off Your Shoulder (***)
7. Threat (****)
8. Moment of Clarity (**** ½)
9. 99 Problems (****)
10. Public Service Announcement (**** ½)
11. Justify my Thug (***)
12. Lucifer (**** ½)
13. Allure (***)
14. My 1st Song (*****)
The Black Album, Jay-Z s tenth and final solo disc, features tracks by Pharrell and Dr. Dre. Cross promotional tie-ins to the disc include the simulta...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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