Review: Jay-Z's Blueprint 3
Friday September 4, 2009
The Blueprint 3 is the final installment in Jay-Z's highly celebrated Blueprint series. The first set was an instant classic. The follow-up was ehnnn. How does the third disc stack up against its predecessors? Here's our verdict on The Blueprint 3.
Album art © Roc Nation
Comments
I really doubt I’ll read a better, more accurate review of this album than the one here. Perfect.
John – I agree. It’s the best review of BP3 I’ve seen so far. Shannon is a beast like that.
I think this was a very good review, but can you let me know what you think of the J. Cole assisted “a star is born”, which happens to be one of my top tracks?
i usually really enjoy your reviews..but this is a joke. the albulm is a future classic. if you dont you appreciate the wordplay of venus vs. mars..the coolness of hate or the swagger of reminder..well..im finished with this website. people want hov to fail..he succeeds.
“Future classic”? Well, I guess we’re all entitled to our own opinions, but personally I think that’s ridiculous statement. There’s a few stand-out songs manage to pull it to “Above average” status, but that’s about it. It’s a solid album, but not much else.
Some true words were spoken on here but Henry obviously did not listen to the whole album if “A Star Is Born” wasn’t mentioned…
Henry didn’t write this, and not every track is gonna get mentioned in a review.
My Beef With The Album Is The Guest Features, There’s Way Too Many. Not To Mention I Haven’t Been Able To Stomach A Timbaland Beat After “Ayo Technology”, And I’ve Never Been A Fan Of Anything Swizz Beatz Does. If Anything He Should Have Featured His New Roc Nation Artist J. Cole On At Least A Few More Tracks Seeing As How The Kid Can Spit, And He’s Gonna Need All The Exposure He Can Get. I Knew From The Start This Album Wouldn’t Be The Classic Everyone Was Expecting It To Be But I’m Still Gonna Get Myself A Copy.
I think it is the best album of 2009 so far. And I think that Kanye and J. Cole were the best features on the album. i dont know why Young Jeezy made it on there, he was definitely the worst.
@John I stand corrected; *Shannon Barbour* obviously did not listen to the whole album if “A Star Is Born” wasn’t mentioned…
…and whilst not every track should get a mention, the referrent track is arguably one of the better ones on the album – a balanced review should mention the stand out cuts!!
I really have to disagree. I thought the album was maybe one step up from terrible… and that’s coming from a huge Jay-Z fan. He can do so much better than this and after all the waiting and the hype, it is disappointing that he didn’t.
I dig it. Its cool so far, I usually try and listen to an album at least 2-3 times to really get a good feel. You cant tell me that this is better than his Black Album though, can you? I think I dug American Gangster and even a few more songs from Kingdom Come. I thought “Jockin Jay-Z” was supposed to be on here. (My leak doesnt have it…)
As far as 2009 goes, I think Mos Def’s The Estatic is the best so far.
REVIEW 6/10 (it be lower if it were for the good production)– We’d be BETTER OFF without it
The weskest lyrics (guest apperances are better).. WACK HOOKS.. Good Production (for the most part cept timbo)..
Best tracks werent on the album brooklyn go hard.. jockin jay..
weak hook venus vs. mars..
great track already home.. & On to the next one (& DOA)
worst track.. hate.. reminder.. forever..
… different doesnt mean good..
star is born (j. cole better verse than jay).
kanye better than jay on run this town
i hope sales are bad so he makes a better album
Okay everybody is a critic but nobody is really listening what this man is doing is so crazy that boys going at him like Obama haters (republicans). Nobody this year will put out a cd better then this reguardless of the features the lyric from a 40 year old is on point the beats crazy. People he is a multi millionaire and speaks on what he is going through the blueprint was a great album leave it there this is the blueprint 3 (2009) not 2001 if he would of Been talking drugs yall would of been trippin on that. When he is done yall favorite rapper can shine the. But until then give it to the man
All the arguing about if this cd is any good or not is nonsense! The j fans will listen to it over and over again untill the find something good about it. But the truth is music should pull you in to it the first listen. If jay just came out with no history behind him would this album even beat out the minor ones…. No!
a lot of you guys are outta ur minds. Timbo’s production on here is epic! Hov is rappin bout what he goes through. Yall sayin hov take it back he doin better than before why would he do that? Reminder is probly one of my favorite joints on there. The beat makes me go crazy and he ripped that joint. What we talkin bout is sick. yall spoke on a star is born. Jeezy went hard on as real as it gets, empire state of mind will be an anthem, the word play and swag of venus vs mars is cool as hell, even tho the swizz beat music isn’t the greatest hov brought it to life. Man I just think hov goin over yall heads. You can lay in ya casket just as you is, we appreciate the target practices, we’ll be sure to send flower baskets kid.