When Jay-Z opens The Blueprint dropping rhymes about "runnin' this rap sh*t," it's not so much arrogance as it is a matter of fact. And by the time he brutally dismisses two of his most formidable opponents, Mobb Deep and Nas, less than ten minutes into the album, there's little doubt that Jay-Z's status as the top MC in the game is justified. But that's just one song. There are 12 other songs on The Blueprint -- and they're all stunning, to the point where the album seems almost flawless. Bes   [ read more ]

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International superstar and multi-media mogul, Jay-Z, confirms the most highly speculated album in recent music history - the eagerly anticipated The Blueprint III. The follow-up to Jay-Z's instant classic Blueprint and the critically acclaimed Blueprint II, Blueprint III is the final installment in the Blueprint series. Says Jay-Z: "This project is all about pushing the envelope. Being an independent artist, I have an incredible freedom to utilize my unique ex   [ read more ]

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After the death of friend and compatriot the Notorious B.I.G. in early 1997, Jay-Z made his claim for the title of best rapper on the East Coast (or anywhere) with his sophomore shot, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Though the productions are just a bit flashier and more commercial than on his debut, Jay-Z remained the tough street rapper, and even improved a bit on his flow, already one of the best in the world of hip-hop. Still showing his roots in the Marcy projects (he's surrounded by a group of kids in    [ read more ]

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Insound Staff Pick - 2009! Separate from the official motion picture soundtrack, this collection of all-new original material is a musical journey and lyrical interpretation of snapshots from the upcoming motion picture American Gangster. The conceptual, full body of genius work from the new album balances the line between pure entertainment and real life. JAY-Z draws upon past experiences, speaking to the harsh reality of the drug trade still taking place in our nation's cities. While not glo   [ read more ]

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For years Shawn Carter has been the best rapper and the most popular, a man who can strut the player lifestyle with one track and become the eloquent hip-hop everyman with the next, an artist for whom modesty is often a sin, and yet, one who still sounds sincere when he's discussing his humble origins or his recurring doubts. As he has in the past, Jay-Z balances the boasting with extensive meditations on his life and his career. -All Music Guide

CD $15.99

Other people also bought:

Low  Trust, Make Believe  Shock of Being, Built to Spill  You In Reverse

If The Black Album is Jay-Z's last, as he publicly stated it will be, it illustrates an artist going out in top form. For years Shawn Carter has been the best rapper and the most popular, a man who can strut the player lifestyle with one track and become the eloquent hip-hop everyman with the next, an artist for whom modesty is often a sin, and yet, one who still sounds sincere when he's discussing his humble origins or his recurring doubts. After the immediate classic The Blueprint fo   [ read more ]

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A greatest-hits compilation was inevitable, but possibly too soon. Taking things up to right before 1999's Life and Times of S. Carter, this compiles all of the earliest Jay-Z anthems onto one disc, quite possibly to ride off of the success of the Blueprint and Unplugged releases. These tracks are infectious and wildly pop-savvy hip-hop masterpieces that laid the groundwork for the R&B/hip-hop charts for the past decade, and they show Jay-Z in some of the finest moments of his car   [ read more ]

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A greatest-hits compilation was inevitable, but possibly too soon. Taking things up to right before 1999's Life and Times of S. Carter, this compiles all of the earliest Jay-Z anthems onto one disc, quite possibly to ride off of the success of the Blueprint and Unplugged releases. These tracks are infectious and wildly pop-savvy hip-hop masterpieces that laid the groundwork for the R&B/hip-hop charts for the past decade, and they show Jay-Z in some of the finest moments of his car   [ read more ]

CD $44.63

Before Jay-Z fashioned himself into hip-hop's most notorious capitalist, he was a street hustler from the projects who rapped about what he knew -- and was very, very good at it. Skeptics who've never cared for Jigga's crossover efforts should turn to his debut, Reasonable Doubt, as the deserving source of his legend. Reasonable Doubt is often compared to another New York landmark, Nas' Illmatic: A hungry young MC with a substantial underground buzz drops an instant classic of a debu   [ read more ]

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Reasonable Doubt stands out among Jay-Z's many albums and not entirely because it's his debut album. Unlike most of his subsequent albums, it's seamless. Every song belongs here, from timeless hits like "Can't Knock the Hustle" to personal moments like "Regrets." Each song is like a separate chapter, revealing another aspect of Jay-Z's story, which, in 1996, was still untold. Nobody knew who he was when Reasonable Doubt dropped, keep in mind. Jay-Z seemingly came from nowhere. All liste   [ read more ]

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Jay-Z kept The Blueprint incredibly tight, focusing on a single sound and letting nothing interfere with some of the best raps of his career. The Blueprint¦: The Gift & the Curse is a radically different record, with the most respected rapper in the business trying on a range of styles, collaborating with a lot of guests (from Rakim to Lenny Kravitz to Scarface to BeyoncT Knowles), and working with an army of producers (Neptunes, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Heavy D, {$Kanye W   [ read more ]

CD $13.25