WalterSobchak
17 Nov 2003, 04:59 PM
I'm sure that those who have anti-rap leanings will love this album even more for the pomp surrounding such a "career ender," but I'll entertain you anyway. :)
To be honest I haven't listened to a whole Jay-Z album since Vol. 3, so I have no idea what's been going on since besides MTV snippets. This album drops every producer possible, so many that they left off a track produced by Dre.
Since everyone seems to like Speakboxxx/Love Below, I'll say that if you like Big Boi you'll probably find somthing on here you'll really dig. After that it's kind of a domino effect. Good album.
1) opener/interlude/whatever
2) samples his mom talking about him... still catchy as hell.
3) opens with a gladiator (the movie) sample. ewww, that's enough right there.
4) sounds like they are sampling a jamacian version of "The Price is Right." This isn't neccesarily a bad thing, I suppose. Starting to remember why I like Jay-Z's flow.
5) supposedly the single, panned by pitchfork and myself, the Neptunes are tired I suppose.
6) produced by Timbaland and it sounds like it. sounds like something a Ludicrous (sp?) would do...blah.
7) sounds like Vol. 2 Jay-Z. Good stuff.
8) produced by eminem, that should be ebough to annoy you, it was for me. it sounds like he took the night rider theme song and used it for his keyboard sample; he then preceeded to push about three keys for an entire song... unfortunate cause Jay-Z sounds really good here.
9) Rick Rubin reverts to late 80s'earliy 90s angry rap beats. I highly coubt my computer speakers do this track justice. The lyrics follow suit.
10) interlude or good track? "I'm like Che Guevera with bling on." Now we're getting somewhere.
11) supposedly Madonna was supposed to do the backup vocals, the track is called "Justify My Thug." would have been better is she had, eh...
12) crappy Jamaica sample thing makes it sound fresh but short-lived.
13) another Neptunes track, better than the first.
14) last one is probably the best. got a Dick Dale feeling sample that is kept low and mellow. I'd recommend this track as a good one to get a taste of the album by. this is the song that will stay on winamp for me the longest.
To be honest I haven't listened to a whole Jay-Z album since Vol. 3, so I have no idea what's been going on since besides MTV snippets. This album drops every producer possible, so many that they left off a track produced by Dre.
Since everyone seems to like Speakboxxx/Love Below, I'll say that if you like Big Boi you'll probably find somthing on here you'll really dig. After that it's kind of a domino effect. Good album.
1) opener/interlude/whatever
2) samples his mom talking about him... still catchy as hell.
3) opens with a gladiator (the movie) sample. ewww, that's enough right there.
4) sounds like they are sampling a jamacian version of "The Price is Right." This isn't neccesarily a bad thing, I suppose. Starting to remember why I like Jay-Z's flow.
5) supposedly the single, panned by pitchfork and myself, the Neptunes are tired I suppose.
6) produced by Timbaland and it sounds like it. sounds like something a Ludicrous (sp?) would do...blah.
7) sounds like Vol. 2 Jay-Z. Good stuff.
8) produced by eminem, that should be ebough to annoy you, it was for me. it sounds like he took the night rider theme song and used it for his keyboard sample; he then preceeded to push about three keys for an entire song... unfortunate cause Jay-Z sounds really good here.
9) Rick Rubin reverts to late 80s'earliy 90s angry rap beats. I highly coubt my computer speakers do this track justice. The lyrics follow suit.
10) interlude or good track? "I'm like Che Guevera with bling on." Now we're getting somewhere.
11) supposedly Madonna was supposed to do the backup vocals, the track is called "Justify My Thug." would have been better is she had, eh...
12) crappy Jamaica sample thing makes it sound fresh but short-lived.
13) another Neptunes track, better than the first.
14) last one is probably the best. got a Dick Dale feeling sample that is kept low and mellow. I'd recommend this track as a good one to get a taste of the album by. this is the song that will stay on winamp for me the longest.