Music

>>Jay has little charisma and only one story, the one about how great he is.

^You can't be serious

Comment by Nah Right — October 31, 2007 @ 12:09PM

It's pretty ridiculous to call an entire cd wack based on one single. That speaks less to Hov's hubris and more to yours. My guess is you're just a snarky writer trying to make a name for himself by going at the big dog. I'm not saying that Jay's the best, but he's far from wack.

Comment by Forest — November 1, 2007 @ 08:40AM

Jay Z and all of the rest of the so called rap icons are plain and simply jokes. They are most effective spinning fabricated tales of street and corporate lives that they've never led. Anyone who would dare brag about owning a ball club "when their stake is a gifted 1/10th of 1% which," shows a disconnect from reality or a suffering from well to borrow the phrase "hubristic megalomania."

Most people wouldn't debase themselves selling contradictory stories bragging about their corporate role which when told to industry friendly publications like Vibe, The Source, etc., make them out to be a prime player in the day to day operation of a business "Lets just say a record company." Yet when the same businessman is quizzed in Fortune or Money he readily admits that he/she has little or no say in the decision making process. Lets not forget this guy has been around nearly 20 years yet it took two deaths and a massive publicity push for him to gain the status that he enjoys among rappers and their fans. Were it not for Lyor Cohen's caudling of this guy he would have faded from view long ago. He is a useful tool which illustrates something South African President Thabo Mbeki once pointed out inregard to the circumvention of black empowerment projects in Africa. Rap's so called powerbrokers are fronts which give a black face to white business yet the trail of profits flow in other directions. What is left is a clown who is given the task of promoting the black illusion of success which is measured by the kind of car and or other material items they flaunt which add absolutely no value nor stability in the long term to any economic base.

The sooner young people start looking at these people and their real economic condition then the myth of rap as a means of economic ascent can be laid to rest and we can start focusing on realistic ventures such as the establishment of businesses which we control. Until then expect to see more hubristic tales from not only Jay-Z but every other rap act signed to a major label.

Comment by Ty1 — November 1, 2007 @ 08:58AM

You have to be kidding me? Wu whatever had 40 dudes in the group anyway Jay-z lyrics is crisp and his delieverly is always on point...I guess People in Houston like that Soulja Fool music..Superman ummmm...T.I is the only one i respect down there

Comment by j — November 1, 2007 @ 10:47AM

This is garbage!! You base a stupid article on just one song he was featured on. Your editor needs to fire you right now. You are trying to create a name for yourself, right? won't work so stop trying. Go do your research before you type up an article that would bear your name, cuz you are embarrassing yourself and the HoustonPress... You type like you read all this in a book... shame...

Comment by Ujiro Okiomah — November 1, 2007 @ 11:48AM

This is garbage!! You base a stupid article on just one song he was featured on. Your editor needs to fire you right now. You are trying to create a name for yourself, right? won't work so stop trying. Go do your research before you type up an article that would bear your name, cuz you are embarrassing yourself and the HoustonPress... You type like you read all this in a book... shame...

Comment by Ujiro Okiomah — November 1, 2007 @ 11:48AM

You don't listen to music, you skim through it. wow

Comment by NSivad — November 1, 2007 @ 07:55PM

First of all... Jay-Z is the Greatest Of All Time. Better than Biggie ever was or ever woulda been (and B.I.G. knew it before he died). Just listen to the two songs they did together. And dont get me started on Nas.
Second... You whine about what he rhymes about, but thats what people like you wanna hear. He rhymes about what sells. When he dropped Kingdome Come and talked about more meaningful shit (to him at least), got more personal, nobody wanted to hear it. He was done, he lost his swagger. I bet you can give him a topic you want him to rap about and he will take it and flip it into words better than any other rapper could ever dream of writing. He could rap about anything. He just choses to make money. Which is why he got into the game in the first place.
Third... His new album isnt "based on the story of Harlem heroin dealer Frank Lucas". It is based on Jay's interpretation of the film. Which is his thoughts, memories, and feelings that came to him when he saw certain scenes in the movie. So yes, it is more about himself.
And as for your Kanye West reference... Jay spit that shit like a year before Kanye's album came out and Ye wanted to put it on his album so he spit a verse to add to the song. His and whoever that other guy was verses werent even on the original. Kanye revised the song for his album because Jay wouldnt get in the studio and make a son with him. So before you critisize... Do your homework.
Now I can sit here all night and give you 100 reasons and 1000 quotes from Jay on why he is the G.O.A.T. but somehow I think it'll be a huge waste of my time and energy cause I'm sure it'll go right over your simple minded head... Again. So I'll leave you with just one quote from the Jiggaman.

"Get ya CDs out... Let's go song for song. I'm the illest nigga doin it till yall prove me wrong"...

Comment by cheebahawk — November 1, 2007 @ 10:53PM

As for the guy in comment #3. The difference between Jay-Z and "all of the rest of the so called rap icons"... Is that Jay's "tales of street and corporate lives that they've never led" are not "fabricated". Say what you want about Jay but you can never say he lied to you. In all the 10s of years, and all the 10s of albums, and all the 100s of songs, and all the 1000s of bars... I can honestly say he's only lied to me once. Thats when he told me "Bleek was gonna be a good rapper... A new, improved Jay-Z". And that 1/10 of 1% of that team he owns... Is still something only few black men have ever accomplished in this country. Dudes got enuf money to but 3 New Jersey Nets franchises if he wants.

Comment by cheebahawk — November 1, 2007 @ 11:10PM

Geez, guys, I'm blushing. Glad you dig the story. But, don't hold back -- is there anything you think could have been done better?

Comment by Ben W — November 2, 2007 @ 08:21AM

I don't know, I started to wonder if the best he can do in a Budwiser commercial is "Told you I was hot..."

Yeah, he told us he was hot. Did he prove it, or just say it again and again? Watch the ad, there's a hilarious awkward pause after that line. Like, I should have something cooler to say here on national television...


Then again, all rappers get famous through 'a priori' assurances, claiming riches and accolades in order to reap them.

Comment by chill rob g — November 2, 2007 @ 10:02AM

"They say a lot about me; let me tell you what I ain't..." Jay-Z overrated? I thought your review was interesting considering it sounded like you have never heard a Jay-Z CD in your life. While I will admit Blue Magic is not one of the hottest singles on the new American Gangster Album, it is hardly a reflection of the content of the album. So let's clear the air so that you can face the facts. While Jay-z is one of the few artist that has the ability to spit fire on a freestyle it takes true ability to mold it into a viable track.

Placing him in a category of greatest rappers of all time is absolutely necessary, and to say the only reason he doesn't qualify is because he lacks charisma is laughable. Did you forget you were talking about the same guy who sold out the Garden in a day and not to mention the concert for American Gangster that sold out in less than a minute, I believe that requires CHARISMA. The American Gangster Album was an answer to the critics and fair-weather fans who even questioned his ability as an artist. The album is HOT and full of tracks that create imagery for the scene of the seventies. Jay-Z manages to tell the story of Frank Lucas as well as successfully connecting the experiences of his life over the sounds of seventies soul/funk.

As for what you should do before you write another review, you should probably listen to the CD.

Comment by CandyCoated — November 8, 2007 @ 03:42PM

You got it right when you spoke of who the great rappers of all time were, but to judge Jay-z on one c.d is IGNORANT. Reasonable Doubt.... In My LifeTime Vol. 1.... You should drop to your knees and pray that one day you can write, create or even live one moment of clarity and genoius that he displayed with these albums. Micheal Jordan did not play so well at the end of his career. Did that tarnish his legacy?

Comment by Aaron — November 13, 2007 @ 08:16PM

You dont know how to rate music jay z is an all time great something you'll never accomplish as a news writer

Comment by E. Lopez — November 14, 2007 @ 10:56AM