The Haute Critique

Following in the footsteps (a little too closely at times) of the great Hip Hop storytelling heavyweights and fellow NY natives Slick Rick and Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z the Renegade has been obsessed with being the Ruler since before he could write. To the core, the streets of Brooklyn trained Jigga to be a hustler, meaning he’ll make it to the top, no matter the expense. This versatile hustle is crucial to Hov’s leadership because a leader is one who must continually change the path and form of the vehicle which they command. Since his debut, young Hov has had Reasonable Doubt about the direction of Hip Hop, but he knows all too well how to play the game. So, Jay set up The Blueprint for us to follow and now, Hip Hop plays according to the rules written (or rather dictated) by the “New King of New York.”

Since the new millennium, we’ve seen a major shortage of conscious and even creative lyricism, lost to the simplicity of R&B and Pop. But the Camel has survived this growing drought and now, in our time of need, Hov has returned to resurrect Hip Hop through verbal brutality and lyrical superiority. Preaching progression and reinvention, the third installment of The Blueprint is drawn up with the usual Jigga direction, motivation, and commitment that could spark a revolution and enough fire to spark an L. Although, some Hip Hop heads might not like the wrap Jay has this revolution dressed in, since at least half of the album suggests we’re rollin to the club.

The Roc Nation founder sparks this reconstructive blaze the same way any revolutionary would, by questioning the current order and standards; asking “What We Talkin About?” Denouncing fraudulence, gossip, and underestimation, Jay pleads for lyrical sophistication. ‘‘What We Talkin About?’ being the opening track on the album, it’s meant to introduce the themes throughout, showcasing brutal honesty and insistent growth. The epic futuristic production by Kanye West and NO ID sets the stage for a revolutionary masterpiece.

Jay-Z then mercilessly begins his wreckage with the single ‘D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)’, where he declares war upon everything from “ringtone raps” to catchy hooks. Jigga always believed that the battle, the “beef”, the competition was the heart of Hip Hop, which clearly explains why he takes such a bold stance against his peers, including a member of his own circle, Mr. West. Although, Kanye clearly had just as big of a hand in drawing up the third Blueprint as he did in the first, so no worries there, as long the money’s rollin in. What I love about this song, other than its production and its blatant stance against Auto-Tune, is that Jay calls for artists to return substance and re-establish Hip Hop’s place in mainstream music through words instead of melodies. But when you tear down so many concepts that superstars today have built their following upon, it’s difficult to find someone competent to rebuild, much less ‘Run This Town’ of Hip Hop

Hov takes the flag and claims the land as property of Roc Nation. Along with fellow generals, Rihanna and Kanye West, Jay-Z marches in and announces the union’s platform. The production as a whole seems to suggest a Roc Nation call to arms. Taking a stand against the lies, the Roc intends to fight for true emotion in Hip Hop rather than buying into commercial manipulation. It’s time we get our hands dirty. “Get y’all black tees on, all black everything.” The production, along with the ‘California Love’-esque apocalyptic video gives the song a powerful presence.

Mr. Carter knows how vital an asset a loyal crew is in the music industry, which is why he usually works with artists that are in his inner circle at the time. As a result, The Blueprint 3 is filled with friends from Def Jam; giving Jeezy almost an entire song, ‘Real As It Gets’ and Rihanna a feature on the hit single, former Roc-a-fella teammate; Kanye West ,as well as new G.O.O.D. Music star Kid Cudi (making his debut this week), and introducing on the song ‘A Star Is Born’; NC native and newest artist signed to Jay-Z’s new 360° entertainment company Roc Nation, J. Cole.

‘D.O.A.’ was used to bring in fans who were tired of the Pop-ish hooks and ‘Run This Town’ was used to show those new fans that Jay-Z knows how to handle the revolution. Then, we start to flip through the album and, before even half of the blunt is ash, realize that it’s not so much a revolution against the Dance/Club music as much as it is a compromise between the growing trend of Techno in Hip Hop and the “classic” sans-melody Hip Hop. By the time we get to songs like “Off That” and “On To The Next One”, we still get the feel of a progressive drive in the lyrics but all production turns Electronic and falls a little flat. Jay starts simply making club music, luckily without trying to sing any hooks himself. He makes the intelligent move instead and allows instead up-and-coming Dance/Techno/R&B artists like Mr.Hudson to sing them. This is an important lesson for anyone in music; stick to what you’re good at and leave the rest to the professionals. Although, it weakens the cause against the use of Auto-Tune and Dance/Club hooks as a crutch in future Pop Hip Hop. As the imposed Blueprint, I feel like it’s missing the direction for future generations away from the easy way out rather than descriptions of easy street. At least we get some decent work from decent new (Drake) and a couple of old (Pharrell) artists, but the second half of the album could’ve used a little bit more substance.

Speaking of substance, we hear a lot more marijuana references from Jay-Z this time around, which is interesting because normally he steers clear of the Blazin Path, at least when working, in order to focus. There’s a clear step towards the “high life”; the more successful that Hovie gets, the more he’s able to relax and roll up. I figure I might as well do the same. Usually, when listening to an album from high on Cloud 9, I can get into the head of the artist and feel the words as if they’re coming from my own soul. When I arrive in the sky at midnight on September 11, 2009, I feel like Jay-Z, without even hitting the blunt, is already chilling the re, ready and waiting to spit all 8 million stories. At this point, Hov’s persona has literally breached the atmosphere and I’m up here just visiting to hear him speak. Sometimes, Jay gets so descriptive and in-depth with his stories that I drift off and begin to see the world through the eyes of a rising Hip Hop mogul; looking down at the world, trying to give the people a game plan.

Overall, The Blueprint 3 seeks to disassemble the standards of success in music today and reconstruct the approach to Hip Hop tomorrow. Hov builds the structure for the future upon honor, gratitude, and forward movement, all in the name of Hip Hop. It’s a live fire of potential revolution that I think could catch on, depending how deep people have gotten into this Auto-Tune trend. What most need to realize if they speak out against this album for being too similar to the style The Blueprint 3 seems to be condemning, is that he’s not attempting to discredit the trend completely, but rather give it a new direction. This album should give hope to up-and-coming artists, because it shows the Hip Hop can still have a place in popular music. Until the next generation of Hip Hop grasps the new Blueprint, Hov will be kickin back with his queen, Beyonce, cigar in hand, watchin over his empire.

“High-end” tracks:

‘Thank You’ : A feel-good party song you can bob your head to with a blunt in your mouth.

‘Off That’ : A futuristic soar through Jay’s ambition.

‘Venus vs. Mars’ : The punch-lines alone make it worth the listen.

‘Already Home’ : A personal favorite about success and being a grateful member of “the high life”.

‘Young Forever’ : Young Hov paints a picture of a dream-like paradise through living in the moment.

Buy The Blueprint 3 on Amazon.com!

Peace
- Fully

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