Unfettered by the idea that his hand-to-hand plan did not succeed, Shawn Corey cordially accepts the defeat handed to him by you robbers & pillagers.
Personally, I still have listened yet, even though it’s available both as a stream & (leaked) download. Yesterday, I was too busy & when I did have time, I had other material to listen to. Last night, as I was prepping my morning listening material, I thought I loaded it onto my iPod…only to get in the vehicle this morning, trying to cue it up and realizing by a strange twist of fate that the album wasn’t on there.
*sigh*
So, that said, what are your initial thoughts on BP3 after one sustaining listening session? What should I expect from the most anticipated* Hip-Hop album release this year?
* — By you. I’m waiting on the opus that will be Superbad.
Previously Posted — Video: Rhapsody & Jay-Z Recreate His Album Artwork | “I’m Young Memphis, Used To Play The Apprentice…” | Hip-Hop’s Growing Trend: Camp Leaks
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Shit is weak. Major letdown given all the hype. Gave it 2 spins yesterday and was unimpressed. Jay comes off like a 40-something year old man going thru a mid-life crisis on wax, and the lyrical content is repetitive, creativity virtually non-existent. Aside from a handful of solid cuts (the joint with Cudi comes to mind) this is a skip-skip-skip until you get to the song you like album.
*sits down and waits for jigga stans to proclaim this a great album*
One of the things that appealed to me about Jay over the years was that it all seemed so natural to him, like he never had to force a song to be dope, it just happened. But, on this album, it feels so forced, like he’s reaching for hits almost. Didn’t work IMO.
Hmm…so are we saying that while making all these business deals, jetsetting & public appearances, Jay may have lost touch?
Rap just isn’t like Rock. It’s gonna be hard to be an old rapper, performing the same songs & routines in Las Vegas.
said it before and i’ll say it again… it was a solid album… is it a classic not by a long shot but again something that i find to be good music…
had he left that shit with drake and that other cat off of the album i think it would have been much better… and i won’t even discuss that track they claim is not on the album… i really think he should do a album called the greatest story every told and do nothing to stories like he did with “Meet the Parents” It’s been proven his target audience doesn’t get the material he’s talking about today… so give them the material they like in the form of stories… if he takes this idea and it goes diamond i’m suing just so yall know.
@Gotty he hasn’t lost his touch… he’s lost touch with his fan base. and i won’t say he lost touch but he grew up and moved past drug raps and packing gats… however his fan base wants that… he’s not giving them that… BUT his flow is still flawless just different content.
He just sounds insecure and it’s as if he’s bragging to solidify a legacy that’s already intact. It also doesn’t help that he can’t craft a hook on his own anymore.
That said, it’s a cohesive work and he sounds energized throughout. 2 or 3 tracks are just poop (Mr. Hudson has no place on a rap album and the Jeezy track belongs on a Jeezy album). It’s actually a great pop rap album. If Puff dropped some shit like this, it would be a stone cold classic. But this is Jay-Z, so he gets 3.5 mics
He just sounds insecure and it’s as if he’s bragging to solidify a legacy that’s already intact
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Co-sign. It’s like he’s trying to prove a point. It’s a dope album with a lot of replay value but it’s not that classic Hov that I was hoping for when he stamped the Blueprint name on it.
Nonetheless, you’ll enjoy it Gotty…as long as you go into it with an open mind.
It wasnt classic but a solid 4 outta 5
After listening to it a couple of times, I don’t think it’s a classic, but I don’t think it’s a dud either. People are silly, good music doesn’t automatically mean something has to be a classic. Some songs are awesome, some are ok, and some are just off (the one with Swizz Beatz comes to mind). I’d still listen to this over damn near every other rap record that’s come out this year. It’s an OK album… but isn’t that about half of Jay’s career anyway? No artist can drop a classic album every time out, regardless of genre.
yeah..I think it’s solid….to many “skip songs” to be a classic…..a think there are a few bangers!!
I still need time, but damn if it doesn’t seem like Hov isn’t giving in to the 50/Game/Budden complex and trying to rehash as much beef as possible on this album.
That backhanded slap at Rae and Ghost on “A Star is Born?”
Necessary?
The songs I like (“Thank You”, for one), I REALLY, REALLY like… but there’s quite a bit of poop on there too.
This album has been Hype-Up too damn much to meet anyone expectation so it’s hard to really judge it in any kind of way but here is mine…
Jay Z or anyone will not considered this cd a classic. It’s something you can listen but not the whole cd from front to back. AG was a theme cd and it had that raw sound to it that this one is lacking.
There a couple of bangers but nothing that will blow your mind away. I will give it some more spins so it can grow on me but I dont think it will.
I will buy the cd but just to support him and Hip Hop and will get the Kid Cudi (has it leak?), to do the same.
I strongly disagree with the previous post…it’s refreshing to hear Rap without the dreaded auto-tune. I consider this to be one his best albums…maybe not beat-wise…but lyrically-wise he crushes and destroys Jigga style. I still consider The Black Album to be his magnum opus but this could be his summa cum laude….easily. smoke and enjoy…it’s worth every minute.
I’ll say this: Off That and Reminder sound a lot better to me within the album than individually.
I think it’s an above average hip hop album but definitely in the bottom half of Jay’s releases.
Whats the consensus on “On to the Next One”? I can’t call it. One listen I LOVE it, next it kinda sucks.
i enjoy the album. while i understand our need to compare jay’s albums to his previous…u gotta also compare it to what else is currently out there. there’s some trash on here “already home” and “forever young” come to mind. but there are some very, very good tracks on here “thank you”& “venus & mars”.
and trackstar…i enjoy that swizz track. it is what i thought it could be. an annoying beat made hot by jay. u cats act like when “money, cash, hoes” came out…that swizz was bethoven on the track! he wasn’t. his formula is basic formulaic shit done on a keyboard for jay. he does it again…and i likes.
I await Only Built for Cuban Linx II.
This Blueprint 3 is a futile attempt to stay relevant in the game. Dude needs to give up rapping and run businesses and make babies. No disrespect but run the board room yo. Dude can have more impact that way at this stage in his career.
Everybody wants to know what he has to say just not on wax.
Its an ok album but it is not top notch. It will sell because the rest of these major label dudes are trash.
Anticipating Boosie’s album over OB4CLII = Fail.
BP3 is a good album lyrically, but sonically the beats are half-assed overall. I’ll be spinning it a couple more times bc Jay has a lot to say, despite what a lot of people think.
It’s still better than 75% of the albums to drop in the last 2-3 years since Jay is an elite MC, there’s no denying that.
Shit just dropped yesterday and you guys have already formulated such polar opinions on it????
I sincerely wonder if more of the ablums that we have grown to love from the past would have survived the test of time if they were released in the blogger/internuts age? It feels as if people need confirmation from others to justify their own opinion on a given body of work.
Thank you TSS.
Damn some of you are making it sound like Jay put out another Kingdom Come. True, high expectations makes for a critical audience but be real – the album is s o l i d.
I actually liked the Swizz track (which is surprising for me). Already Home was the shit in my humble opinion. Even Timbo’s stuff worked in the context of the album. The only song that I consider approaching booty is Young Forever.
P.S. I still wanna hear Nas on Empire State of Mind. Remix? Everyone has dreams…
The internets amaze me…..
I’ll just put it like this. If you are wondering if this album is any good or not, people are defending Jay and the album instead of hating on Jay and the album. Not a good look for Jay and the album
This might’ve been said before, but Jay’s releases are like when J’s (Jordans) release…nobody likes ‘em at first, then they grow on you…
INITIAL listen? I give it a 4…
I’m wondering WHY isn’t Nas on this OR OB4CL2…? meh
It’s a Blueprint to create music more accessible while maintaining your core audience’s expectations.
Every song has the potential to be a single.
At least I think that’s the aim of what he’s doing.
I enjoyed it. It’s what I expected. Sometimes it’s just refreshing to hear a familiar voice over music you can groove to.
it left me kinda meh….
if it were a student essay i’d give it a 80. nice try, looks like a lot of hard work went in to it, but not even close to A level material.
If there was ever an album that needed a 3.5 on TSS this is it. 3 wouldnt even be bad. People keep saying this is better than anything out and such, guess what? Jay has been better than nearly everything out for a while, whats new in that? The man got worse. Usually when Jay rhymes this bad, not to say its some horrid rapping, the beats are good enough to save him but thats not even the case with this album. You have to understand 4 out of 5 is near “classic” this, this is nowhere near that.
There is only one Blueprint. And KRS made it.
Fucking corny naming your album Blueprint 3.
I still haven’t listened yet to the album but I can tell you it’s trash considering the short retention span Jay-Z’s clubmusic has..
NEXT!
blueprint three…when its good its really good when its bad its terrible.
ive smoked to it twice and i like more then i dislike. the comments about him “reaching” and rapping in a mid life chrisis are all on point…he comes off real whiney at times.
my highlight was when he said “oh ,they call me a camel?” that shit was sweet to hear him acknowledge that.
im gonna give it 3.75 out of five.
Lets be honest – this is his worst album & honestly one of the biggest letdowns in hip hop history. The album is WEAK. Everything about the album is subpar.
^
Did Jay push your grandma down a flight of stairs or something man? Shit sounds personal…
Track and a few others are right about the leaks: they don’t sound bad in the context of listening to the WHOLE album.
Live with the album for a little bit, and evaluate it on its own merits…it ain’t that bad, lol
Track and a few others are right about the leaks: they don’t sound bad in the context of listening to the WHOLE album.
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That should’ve been known for the getgo. Niggas critiquing skills is weak.
Jay-Z grew up, but his fans just seem like they still aren’t ready to.
Solid album… 4 out of 5 cigs.
as Wale’ intimated, “blame the fans”. We ask for growth of some kind, and when it happens, we complain that someone’s out of touch. If he gave ya’ll the Black Album 2 or RD 2, we’d be all up in arms screaming “he’s talking about the same…”. We don’t allow our artists to grow, so they’re forced to regurgitate that same stuff that is slowly forcing the artform to take a step back. So what is it PPL, status quo or growth?
i have a question for all the people saying give it a while or live with it for a bit. you’re staying with an aunt overnight while your parents hit the club. you know you’re going home either that night or the next morning. auntie makes some food that tastes like a bag full of fried assholes. are you going to hope it grows on you by the time you are halfway through the plate or are you gonna fake a tummy ache and hold out till breakfast?
i don’t need a bag full of fried assholes to grow on me. i know that ish tastes like ass, i’m not going to give it another go in hopes that it grows on me.
Also, the same way us fans hyped BP3 will be in for the same let down with Cuban Linx 2. It’s just the world we live in…overly critical plus the albums are so readily accessible (rapidshare, megaupload, etc.).
LMAO @ fried assholes
The overall album is solid, more than likely im going to buy it sounds better then 80% of what is out. Im hoping Kid Cudi debut doesn’t let me down.
The leaked tracks led me to almost bury this album before I even gave it a listen, which would have been silly as it’s actually pretty good.
You can see the obvious growth and change of direction which I suppose can be attributed in part to his age and his increasing cultural status – in and outside of the hip-hop world.
If you’re a guy pushing 40, do you want to be doing the same things you did as a 25 year old? – probably not, and to further that idea, if you’re an unimaginably successful 40 year old with links to the president, friendships with billionaire businessmen, a stunning celebrity wife, a string of successful businesses, an unparalleled rap career…..how can you realistically talk about guns and drugs and all that other played out rap shit with any legitimacy?
and why would you want to?
This album sucks. The only reason people like it is because it’s a Jay-Z album. If Gorilla Zoe did this album every one would say it sucked. Stop being a stan – this thing is a dud. His worst album, easily. If this is what grown man rap sounds like, I aint listening.
This album sucks. The only reason people like it is because it’s a Jay-Z album. If Gorilla Zoe did this album every one would say it sucked. Stop being a stan – this thing is a dud. His worst album, easily. If this is what grown man rap sounds like, I aint listening.
Jay-z is no longer interesting.
^Man, somebody pissed in your cheerios.
that shit is hot garbage in the sun. banana peels, maggots, diapers, corn cobs, flies, used q-tips, chicken bones.
he might as well have done an all autotune album because these electronica beats are faggy as hell. american gangster was damn good; but this shit sounb like a kanye album.
ok i’m done.
Maan, co-sign waiting for Boosie’s Superbad >>>>> BP3 x 100,000.
Also I kind of like the idea of some super rich billionaire getting out of their giant bat-mansion into their maybach and calling their platinum album making girlfriend in the morning and being like: “…awwww those internet kids leaked me damn album…”
Again, co-sign waiting on Boosie’s new one.
Also this:
Attitude – Bitches Aint Shit feat Diamond (link below) > BP3 2
http://videos.onsmash.com/v/c4Q45zB46bC1fAdC
it’s good, it’s not great. 3.5 – 4 cancer sticks out of 5.
Good? Please. This album sucks. Stop drinking the Jay-Z Kool-Aid. His worst album hands down. IMO Jay-z old man rap sucks. Where is the street tracks? “So Ghetto”??? This album blows. Too many Stans and not enough fans.
Music is music people. Bob Dylan is as old as Jesus and can make good music. Dont believe for a 2nd that because your over 40 you forget how to rap. Bottomline is this album SUCKS. Period. The music SUCKS.
If this is “better then 80% of what’s out” what does that say for hip-hop?
Dude can grow all he wants. It aint being out of touch — its simply making a bad album. Period……
I like the Album but it’s not for everybody simply because Jay tried to make it for everybody. He’s Better than me because I wouldn’t give fuck about you retarded earred niggas
Also I wouldn’t place all my Hip-Hop hopes and dreams OBFCL2 because them niggas know how to make extra-averages albums too
I’m stunned that more people aren’t loving this. I’ve played it through 7 times now and I still want to give it another spin. Empire State of Mind is one of the best tracks in his career. If this doesn’t please you guys I really don’t know what will.
Now, I can bet money, the same people that is saying the BP3 album is garbage is the same people bumping the Carter III…which was more than bullshit. For the simple fact, “Lollipop” was his jumpoff single. SMFH.
I am upset that ‘Jockin’ Jay-Z’ or ‘Jockin” is not on the album at all because the shit was hella raw. The BP3 is waaayyy better than anything Lil’ Wayne has ever produced, recorded, and or put a weak ass verse on a featured song.
You lame ass niggaz is trippin and definitely don’t know the true meaning of HIP HOP…AND I’M ONLY 18. GTFOH.
real talk i haven’t posted on this site for a minute, but it’s funny how you can spot the real heads on this site. Teef is a real head, im sure he had pre-concived opioins about the album but he put them aside
and listened to it and then decided what to think about it. Joe on the other hand was just going to hate it no matter what. Anyway my thoughts on the album is that he made a whole album of radio singles, and if you’ve listened to the radio lately their better than anything on there…I was really pissed about that at first but this is the man that gave us American Gangster and that didn’t have almost anything for the radio after about five listens to the album i give it a solid 4 out of 5