I never sat down and listened to this tape when it came out. This was around that Blueprint 2 era, if I recall I already had "Hov fatigue" (LOL). He's rapping his ass off on this joint. Shoutout to nahright.com for making me actually pay attention to this tape. I might even break BP2 out again. If I recall, that album was long, but generally strong. Jay rhymes best when it sounds like he's in a carefree zone. No "Beach Chair" for me, thanks. Ha.
5. "A great piece of work. He had finally gotten over Ether by that point" In response to Reply # 0
BTW if you pick all your favorites from the BP2 Era plus the BP1 leftovers you can make a great album. That includes stuff like "Chill/Murda Marcyville", "Addicted to the Game", "Early This Morning", OG "Show You How", I even liked that "International Hov" Nas diss that people were making fun of.
9. "On a related note, in my head I still view his retirement after Black" In response to Reply # 0
Album as real. He had released an album every year up till that point, and was the best rapper in the world for a while there (that run between BP and Black Album would qualify him for this in my book). Since his comeback he's released material much more sparingly and inconsistently. In my head, that retirement was real and whatever he releases now is just for fun. Kinda like the youtube clips that will come out every now and then from some random basketball camp with MJ showing that he can still dunk.
Black Album is the last time I thought he was rapping inspired. haven't cared much for the albums he's done since (I'm one of the few Jay fans I know that was bored by American Gangster).
11. "damn I'm not vocal about it but ..." In response to Reply # 10
... American Gangster bored me too fam. I just didn't see the brilliance that was trying to be sold on it. Yhea it got it's moments but Black Album was that shit, no need to convince me on it. I still feel Jay hasn't made the album he wants to make and the closest that he's ever come to doing so is TBA.
34. "It's only disgusting when we don't admit it. That's why I said " In response to Reply # 14
"in my head"...as in that's how I wished it really was, but it isn't. I'm clearly a Jay fan, but his post Black Album material has all been lazy and uninspired. (I like American Gangster, but Jay-Z on that album is nothing like prime Jay-Z. That album just has really dope beats.)
"Album as real. He had released an album every year up till that point, and was the best rapper in the world for a while there (that run between BP and Black Album would qualify him for this in my book). Since his comeback he's released material much more sparingly and inconsistently. In my head, that retirement was real and whatever he releases now is just for fun. Kinda like the youtube clips that will come out every now and then from some random basketball camp with MJ showing that he can still dunk."
The whole thing reads like a dream world. Like an excuse. Like you said, how you wished it was.
And it's not just his post Black Album material either. Jay was NEVER the best rapper in the world by ANY means other than popularity.
RD...classic and still not on the level of the A-list albums Vol 1...great but had its terrible spots Vol 2...not good at all Vol 3...the epitome of spotty Dynasty...nah man Blueprint...as overrated as you can get...and I like the album! BP2...not good Black Album...again spotty and overrated
His catalogue is beyond suspect yet he seems to get a pass for everything.
Jay get 2-3 hits = his fans saying its a classic album.
>You said... > >"Album as real. He had released an album every year up till >that point, and was the best rapper in the world for a while >there (that run between BP and Black Album would qualify him >for this in my book). Since his comeback he's released >material much more sparingly and inconsistently. In my head, >that retirement was real and whatever he releases now is just >for fun. Kinda like the youtube clips that will come out every >now and then from some random basketball camp with MJ showing >that he can still dunk." > >The whole thing reads like a dream world. Like an excuse. >Like you said, how you wished it was. > >And it's not just his post Black Album material either. Jay >was NEVER the best rapper in the world by ANY means other than >popularity. > >RD...classic and still not on the level of the A-list albums >Vol 1...great but had its terrible spots >Vol 2...not good at all >Vol 3...the epitome of spotty >Dynasty...nah man >Blueprint...as overrated as you can get...and I like the >album! >BP2...not good >Black Album...again spotty and overrated > >His catalogue is beyond suspect yet he seems to get a pass for >everything. > >Jay get 2-3 hits = his fans saying its a classic album. > >The shit is ridiculous really.
You said you viewed The Black Album as his real retirement in you head...and then went on to make the MJ comparison which is...nevermind.
But, before that you said he was the best rapper in the world before the Black Album retirement...which he wasn't.
But I think I get what you're saying, you view his retirement as real because it is the only chance in hell one could claim that Jay was the best rapper in the world.
Even so...he never was. No matter which was you spin it.
19. "lol nah, retirement is still fake to me" In response to Reply # 9
Creating slower doesn't equate to retirement. Jordan had two years at Washington before he hung it up. Jay has released four solo albums and one duo album. If anything, it's like Michael Jordan's *first* retirement before he came back and won three more rings.
judging by only records you might have a debatable point, however jay's live game is now monstrous and better than he ever was in that era, and proved himself one of the best (and only) rappers to put on a great live show at a stadium scale. don't underestimate that, very very few rap artists have figured that out, and good live rap shows are rare, let alone at a stadium level.
>i listen to old J-Zee songs & usually cringe at his "bars" > >i think he was the guy ashamed backpackers adopted so they >could feel cooler & more popular
Congratulations! You have GONE OFF THE FUCKING DEEP END. Go listen to some egyptian history raps. Hov's old bars shit on this entire generation of rappers' careers. You lost any credibility discussing hip-hop by dissing Hov's bars.
THIS SHIT IS AS BLASPHEMOUS AS QUESTIONING DILLA'S RELEVANCE TO THE CULTURE.
24. "lol...egyptian history raps" In response to Reply # 20
>>i listen to old J-Zee songs & usually cringe at his "bars" >> >>i think he was the guy ashamed backpackers adopted so they >>could feel cooler & more popular > >Congratulations! You have GONE OFF THE FUCKING DEEP END. Go >listen to some egyptian history raps. Hov's old bars shit on >this entire generation of rappers' careers. You lost any >credibility discussing hip-hop by dissing Hov's bars. > >THIS SHIT IS AS BLASPHEMOUS AS QUESTIONING DILLA'S RELEVANCE >TO THE CULTURE.
28. "calm down" In response to Reply # 26 Sun Aug-03-14 04:16 PM by rdhull
>to funny > >yall dumbass heroes stay using Egyptian imagery in their shit, >sit all the way the fuck down, both of you & go flip your hair >to some beyonce >
30. "Cal, I tried to get your resect for years..and nothing! so I caved" In response to Reply # 29 Sun Aug-03-14 04:25 PM by rdhull
>on tickets to see those two > >you're paying good money to voluntarily submit yourself to >mass hypnosis & psychogical control > >it's disgusting > >i feel sorry for your mother
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