Jay-Z — The Blueprint

Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter is awaiting two criminal trials, one for possession of a firearm and one for assault, and is one of the most dissed rappers of the time, living a period of contrasts with many colleagues, including Nas, Prodigy, Jadakiss and Fat Joe. The entire album is recorded in the span of two weeks, nine tracks are recorded in two days. The music is made by the new team of producers recently recruited by Jay-Z and used on his previous album, consisting of Just Blaze, Kanye West and Bink. Eminem is the only guest on the entire project.

The first track is "The Ruler's Back", produced by Bink, the choice is a tribute to Slick Rick. The rhythm is rejected by Black Rob and Loon of Puff Daddy's Bad Boy roster. Sample from Jackie Moore's "If", thundering bass, obsessive guitar riffs, dusty hi-hats, soft midtempo drum, splendid horns, keyboards in background. The soundscape is essential and relaxing, Jay-Z enters and attacks it with a velvet flow. The next tune is "Takeover". Sample from The Doors' "Five to One", powerful bass, hard lively drum, heavy, tight, robust and bouncy production by Kanye West to diss Nas and Mobb Deep. Hova sets the track alight with four hardcore verses. It's the official beginning to the biggest feud in rap since the East-West feud.

For "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" Kanye West slow down a sample of The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back", robust bass line, midtempo drum, lively strings, honest rap by Jay-Z that pays homage to the -izzle language invented by E-40 and popularized by Snoop Dogg. In the track Hova narrates the beginning as a drug dealer, his struggles with the music industry and his childhood in the Marcy Houses projects. Extracted as the first single of the record, it becomes the first Jay-Z single to enters the top ten of the Hot 100, one of the best sellers of the season.

"Girls, Girls, Girls" could be the greatest soundscape of "The Blueprint". The genius of Just Blaze behind the keyboards. Heavenly sample from Tom Brock's "There's Nothing in This World That Can Stop Me from Loving You", midtempo drum, phat bass line, guitar riff, splendid keyboards in background, dope strings, vocal loop that takes the rhythm. The beat is rejected by Ghostface Killah. Jay-Z delivers like cashmere over this silky soundscape, describing women who are present in his lascivious lifestyle in one of his vicious cuts. Biz Markie on the hook, Q-Tip and Slick Rick join the others two for the outro. Chosen as a second single, it achieves a good success.

The following song is one of the first recorded for the LP. Originally born for NORE, then for MC Lyte, in the end the producers Trackmasterz choose to give the beat to Jay-Z. The track opens with a French intro delivered by Shaka Zulu’s wife. This is the second track produced by the Trackmasters on a Jay-Z album since "Vol. 1" (1997), and the duo delivers one of the record’s bounciest beats. It stands completely apart from the rest of the album — by design — placed in the middle of the CD to disrupt the flow and the chipmunk soul aesthetic that defines the project as a whole. From the very first seconds, it’s clear this beat was tailor-made for Noreaga; it’s a quintessential Noreaga track. It’s yet another derivative take on the "Superthug" sound — another imitation of that signature Neptunes style.

Even though the credits list Poke & Tone on the keyboards, it sounds exactly like a Neptunes production from that era; the distinction hardly matters. The drums are louder and more chaotic than anything heard in the preceding fifteen minutes, accompanied by jarring synths, a driving bassline, and a recurring, arbitrary Middle Eastern-inspired riff. Meanwhile, Carter spits lavish bars, leaning into themes of high fashion and women to carry the track to its conclusion. The hook is a bit lackluster, seemingly nodding to his friend Snoop Dogg, to whom he owes a certain debt. Regardless, the song is undeniably infectious, making it a fitting choice as the album’s third single. The Trackmasters would go on to produce almost the entirety of the two collab LPs by Jay-Z and R. Kelly; however, this also marked the last time they ever provided a beat for Hova as a soloist.

It's true that Just Blaze has only been away for three minutes, however his immediate return behind the keys after [listening] a beat à la The Neptunes is a welcome delight. The producer proves to have the Midas touch on what is widely considered one of the best hip-hop albums of the decade — and for good reason. "U Don't Know" also ranks among the best tracks of the entire era. The beat, which also found its way into the hands of Jadakiss, is a masterpiece and it serves as a brilliant example of both the signature sound established by the Roc-a-Fella label in the early 2000s and the subgenre that would come to be known as «chipmunk soul». Once again, the sequencing of the tracks proves crucial: this new style arrives to sweep away the preceding one, the «jiggy era», a sound pioneered by Puff Daddy and his Hitmen production team — who, tellingly, had largely defined the sound of Jay-Z’s albums starting with his 1997 sophomore release, "Vol. 1" — as well as by the Trackmasters, who produced the preceding track.

The track began as a diss directed at Nas, but was later reimagined. Lyrically, it starts off sounding like something destined for the violent streets of his neighborhood, only to transform into a major flex, showcasing a successful, multi-industry business model. Epic strings, a chipmunk soul sample from Bobby Byrd’s "I'm Not to Blame", the return of those strings, gritty, dusty, dry drum, the production is simply splendid. Jay-Z flies over it, dropping bars with some of his freshest, silkiest flows and taming the rhythm with a delivery that is calm, sharp, clean, and dope.

I’m not the biggest Timbaland fan, but he does a solid job here with "Hola' Hovito". The rhythm is effective, featuring tight samples, scattered horns, and crisp, lively drums. The beat bounces, with seemingly random sounds that threaten to pull the music in a different direction — tugging at it, almost — but Jay-Z keeps it on track with a steady delivery. The lyrics here are far more serious than what came before, following the tone set by the previous track, and he ultimately compares himself to both Sinatra and Biggie Smalls. A situation similar to what had happened just minutes earlier with the Trackmasterz occurs here. Timbaland, too, had established a signature sound that became iconic in hip-hop and he appears on this record in one of the least-liked tracks — disliked by me, and evidently by most fans as well — only to be swept aside by [the fresh rhythms of] West, Just Blaze, and Bink.

Kanye West is a strong contender for the title of best hip-hop producer of the decade, thanks in part to tracks like "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)". In keeping with what became something of a tradition for the beats on this album, the instrumental for this eighth track was originally intended for another artist — in this case, Beanie Sigel, one of Shawn Carter’s designed heirs at Roc-a-Fella. The musical backdrop was slated for Sigel’s album "The Reason", released that same year; indeed, that LP shares a similar music DNA with the record at hand, featuring many of the same producers and a sound largely steered by Just Blaze. Regardless, Jay-Z claimed the beat and knocked out the track in five minutes.

Immediate sample from a timeless classic: Bobby Bland’s "Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City." Soft hi-hats, a sparse, stuttering drum, triumphant strings, bridge featuring a distinctive little trumpet, powerful bassline that cuts through the track, shimmering keyboards, and gorgeous licks. Then a hard, dry, relentless drum beat kicks in, matching the razor-sharp bars of Jay-Z. He unleashes some of his best flows, reflecting on how everyone else seems to hate him, waiting for him to fall from the top — just as happened to the artists who came before him. But he has no intention of stepping down [from the peak] after he planted his flag at the summit, looking down on everyone. He searches for love, yet finds only unconditional hatred. He even takes a jab at his former friend, Jaz-O, who had recently turned down a lucrative $300,000 contract with Roc-a-Fella. Confident, determined, energetic, and fluid delivery, Hova is at his absolute finest. The bridge leading into the chorus is spectacular, the sample is left untouched — it’s immaculate, perfect. It’s truly one of Jay-Z’s finest tracks, with sensational work by Kanye West behind the keyboards. Jay wanted this to be the album’s lead single, and it’s hard to argue with that, it’s fantastic.

For the next track, the artist reflects on his own life, from the poverty of his childhood to his success in the music industry, all while remaining true to himself. The production is timeless, Kanye West is once again behind the keyboards, operating at one of the peaks of his artistic career: he samples David Ruffin’s "Common Man" to craft yet another sensational track for an impeccable album. The sample is born with the track, chipmunk soul as usual, complemented by sparse percussion and hi-hats that act as a crutch for a deliberately limping, syncopated drum pattern. A gorgeous bassline hums in the background, accented by stunning keyboards work and faint, distant strings. Jay-Z glides effortlessly across a musical landscape that is simply delightful, ethereal, and heavenly, an incredibly well-crafted piece of complex production.

Then comes the ballad, we’re nearing the end of the LP. It’s always a tricky type of track, especially in hip-hop; it’s not exactly the kind of song you’d typically want on your hip-hop album. And Jay-Z didn’t want it, either. The mastermind behind it all was Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua, who came up with the hook and convinced the MC to jump on the track. Just Blaze took the helm on production. He hadn’t missed a beat yet, and he didn’t disappoint here, naturally, that goes without saying. Another tradition within an album that is, in itself, a tradition, lies in the fact that the beat is built from the very first second around a chipmunk soul sample.

This time, once again, the source material is a classic: Bobby Glenn’s "Sounds Like a Love Song", a real gem. Much like the song as a whole, the sample itself is beautiful, ethereal, and heavenly, it starts and it’s left untouched for the first twenty seconds. Then, Just Blaze proceeds to chop it into a hundred pieces, crafting one of the best soundscapes of the year for Jay-Z: heavy bassline that lingers in the distance, gritty drums caked in rust and dust, piano loop that feels like it descended straight from the heaven, and delicate arpeggios. Throughout it all, the soulful sample continues to breathe in the background, fueling Jay-Z’s careful, precise, and focused delivery, ultimately making the ballad feel even more epic. Chosen as the fourth single, the track became one of the artist’s many hits and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Male Rap Solo Performance, though it ultimately losing to Nelly.

About forty minutes into the record, Bink returns to produce a track: "All I Need". It features sparse drums, a rough and almost ghostly bassline, and above-average samples. The soul sample sounds a bit cheap compared to the rest. The emcee tears through the rhythm, yet the track fails to leave a lasting impression; the author seems more concerned with keeping his crew, and its many members, in the spotlight than anything else. As a result, the song suffers, sandwiched as it is between two classic tracks.

Towards the end of what is now a certified classic album by Jay-Z, the project’s only guest artist makes an appearance. The track is "Renegade", featuring Eminem, who also produced the beat. The production stands out immediately from the rest of the record; it bears the unmistakable hallmarks of an Eminem beat, stripped-back and devoid of samples. The percussion is sparse, almost metallic, skeletal, and minimal, moving in a syncopated way, the strings quiver in the background, accompanied by a driving bassline and ghostly vocal samples. A faint piano lingers in the distance, sounding timid, tremulous, shaky, and fearful. Jay-Z kicks off the track with an extra-verse, delivering his lines with a robust flow; yet, as the seconds tick by, you can sense the rhythm itself waiting anxiously, like a pet anticipating its master’s return, for Eminem to arrive. The violins move stealthily and obliquely, as if emerging from the bushes to stab you in the dark from behind.

Eminem steps in and delivers an opening verse that is widely considered one of the greatest in the history of hip-hop, instantly dominating the track. Following a hook from both artists, Jay-Z contributes an excellent third verse, then Slim Shady annihilates the entire piece with what is widely considered his best verse ever. Both of the Detroit rapper’s contributions are lauded for the sheer volume and quality of their internal and multi-syllabic rhymes, as well as their use of figures of speech, double entendres, assonance, masterful poetic technique, and delivery of the lyrics. Notably, in the first verse, the artist maintains the same metrical scheme throughout the entire stanza. Jay-Z’s performance is also highly praised, as he successfully stays true to his own signature lyrical and rapping style, churning out gems that can only be fully appreciated through more careful listening. The beat is given room to breathe for the final forty seconds, a well-deserved choice.

By featuring Eminem on his new album, Jay-Z takes the opportunity to respond to critics who accused him of forgetting his ghetto roots due to his newfound wealth. He also aims to show that his guest artist may not have had such a negative influence on children — contrary to the popular narrative that emerged following the massive success of Eminem’s recent albums and the intense controversy they sparked in the media and among the self-righteous.

The track was originally created by Eminem and Royce da 5'9" for their duo, Bad Meets Evil, during the recording sessions for Royce’s debut album, "Rock City" (2002), which was released by Columbia Records. Royce was ultimately forced to drop the song: Interscope Records, the label to which Eminem was signed, informed Royce that it would only be permitted one collaboration with their artist, leaving him to choose between "Renegade" and the album's title track. Royce decided to keep the title track, releasing it as the lead single, while "Renegade" was removed from the tracklist and remained unreleased for some time. Later, by mutual agreement between Eminem and Royce, Royce’s verses were removed, and the collaboration with Jay-Z was arranged instead. The track gained worldwide recognition and is considered one of the best collaborations in the history of the genre.

The title track closes the album. For his third and final beat, Bink crafts a magnificent boom bap production: sparse and stripped-back drum, the rhythm is "wintry", it's bare, calm, and slow, you can almost feel the snow and the cold within the track. Bink’s work here borders on perfection, perhaps even transcends it, incorporating a light chipmunk soul sample that ties the entire album together, which is fitting, given that this is the title track. Against this quiet, icy musical backdrop, Jay-Z reflects on his childhood, paying tribute to those who helped him become who he's today, while also mentioning those who didn't, all in a single verse.

"Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)" is a hidden track, the guys couldn't finish it in time to include it on the album's official tracklist. The musical carpet, crafted by Just Blaze, is gritty, tight, and minimal, featuring samples from The Whole Darn Family’s "Seven Minutes of Funk" and Stanley Clarke’s "Got to Find My Own Place", with the rapper providing a lyrical exercise centered on a sports theme. The second hidden track is "Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)". It features a soul sample from The Persuaders’ "Trying Girls Out", robust drum with crisp hi-hats, and an eccentric keyboard loop that weaves its way through the song. Personally, it’s not one of my favorite examples of Kanye West work behind the keys. Jay-Z delivers a solid performance, and the hook is provided courtesy of an uncredited Michael Jackson.

This is Jay-Z’s sixth studio album. By the time of its release, the artist had become an unstoppable pop star, following a string of four commercially successful albums, plus a classic [debut] that only began to gain critical acclaim after a 1999 reissue. Recorded in record time, the album was released on September 11, 2001. "The Blueprint" set a new standard for how hip-hop albums were constructed: it took the aesthetic of 1970s soul sampling and turned it into an iconic sound, establishing a trend that would persist in hip-hop for years, this is also due to the album's strong commercial success — which, given the timing of its release, remained somewhat modest (achieving double-platinum status a year after it came out) when compared to the performance of his previous works.

The album's producers, in fact, rose to fame. While for the Trackmasters their involvement served merely as the final cherry on top of an already stellar career, the excellent music featured on Shawn Carter’s sixth CD brought previously unknown names — Kanye West, Bink, and Just Blaze — into the spotlight. In particular, only West would eventually manage to shed the "chipmunk soul producer" label; the other two beatmakers remained so closely tied to the style — partly due to the sheer volume and high quality of the beats they subsequently crafted for similar-sounding albums — that the term became almost synonymous with their own names.

Lyrically, the artist presents themes and subject matter that range widely, from autobiographical snippets to reflections on his standing in the rap game, from radio-friendly anthems to romantic ballads, from boastful choices to ruthless diss tracks. He once again proclaims himself the new King of New York and the rightful heir to The Notorious B.I.G. — a title he had already laid claim to back in 1997 on "The City Is Mine". Despite the immense quality poured into this hour of hip-hop, most fans focus primarily on the diss tracks. Having been targeted during feuds with rivals like Nas, Prodigy, and Jadakiss, Hova unleashes one of the most powerful and memorable counterattacks: "Takeover". It's widely considered one of the greatest diss tracks in hip-hop history, and arguably one of the best, and earliest, of the 2000s. At the time, the track was so potent that many fans believed it might effectively end the careers of both Nas and Mobb Deep, that were already on a downward trajectory after dominating the 1990s. While Mobb Deep’s response ("Crawlin'") went largely unnoticed as the group continued its decline, Nas’ reply ("Ether") revitalized his career, propelling him back to the forefront of the hip-hop scene after a long period in which he seemed to have lost his way.

Thanks to its superlative lyricism and brilliant music, the album is packed with fresh bars, irresistible rhythms, excellent rapping, and dope cuts; it feels flawless, even though, unfortunately, it isn't quite. In terms of delivery, Jay-Z is close to be at his absolute best. Overall, the album has a few minor missteps, but they don't overshadow its many moments of brilliance. It's one of his most accessible records. Highly acclaimed by critics upon its release, it's now considered one of the best albums of the decade, listening to it is essential for any fan of the genre.

Rating: 9.5/10.