In the wake of Kingdom Come people were loudly questioning whether or not he still had it, and the chip on his shoulder was audible on American Gangster. That was such a refreshing tone to hear from such a monolithic figure, but on the two solo outings since AG he's appeared content with just taking the same victory lap over and over.

Trouble is, I don't know what I want to hear from him at this point. And I think if you pressed most of the people calling the raps "lazy" or "sleepwalking" they'd tell you they don't know what they want to hear either; there's an evident content issue on MCHG but you'd be hard pressed to find someone who could tell you what kind of content he or she would rather hear.

For me, I just wish there was more vigor, more yearning to REALLY PROVE HIS GREATNESS rather than just tell you how great he is repeatedly. You can truly hear that kind of passion on American Gangster and that same vitality springs up again on Watch the The Throne. Now hearing Holy Grail, it's evident Kanye pushed him on Throne more than any of us probably thought. But when left to his own devices and surrounded by the usual cast of awestruck yes men, Jay's lack of conviction comes through loudly, making the output a chore to listen to at times.