The Blueprint was a rarity in music. You could press play and let it ride, no skipping. Unfortunately, the BluePrint 3 will get you reacquainted with the button resting to the right of play.
Now, we’ve all come to expect to hear a certain topic repeatedly thrown at us on any Jay album, which is well…Jay. B3 continues the trend with Mr. Carter touting a lifestyle of euro-fashion, exotic cars and vacations in areas of the world only our fingers could visit when we touch it on a map. That’s fine. We know Jay and expect this. But 13 years of tales of a Marcy-bred hustler thrusted into opulence is no longer an original approach, just stale formula.
What We Talkin’ Bout escorts us into B3 with Jay offering a peek into his new “grown up” world through contemplative lyrics placed over what sounds like a synthesized version of the opening credit music to Scarface. The album slowly disintegrates from this point into trite self-exaltations stuffed with forgettable hooks and radio-ready beats more suitable for the safe Black Eyed Peas crowd.
B3 has one or two bright spots. Chicago producer No I.D. gives a solid showing with D.O.A., dropping Jay’s carefully crafted condemnation of AutoTune (Voice Correction System) into a delicious gumbo of hypnotic horns, lazy drums and electric guitar. Certainly the pairing with Alicia Keyes for Empire State of Mind is an infectious effort sure to have you waiting impatiently in your cube for the weekend.
Flaws aside, Jay Z’ latest work will sell. He’ll make more money. He’ll buy more cars. He’ll find another remote island to vacation.
Let’s hope he doesn’t come back to tell us about it.
Filed under: Sounds , blueprint 3, hip hop, jay-z, rap, review
