What's up everbody. Well after listening to Jay Z's highly anticipated Kingdom Come, I would like to present you with a personal review.
01. The Prelude. A nice mellow opening to the album. The soft beat allows Jay to speak freely, and emphasises his voice. The strings and fultes give the production a reflective tone which fits Jay's lyrics nicely. "I used to think that rappin at 38 was ill, but last year alone I grossed 38 mill, and no I aint quite 38 but still, the flows so special got a 38 feel, how real is that." 4/5
02. Oh My God. This is quite a generic track. The Just Blaze track seems to be over produced, and comes across as quite busy. However, the sample is nice and stops the beat becoming overtly repetetive. Jay talks about being his accomplishments mostly in this one, using some nice rhyme schemes and wordplay. "...A journey seldom seem, the american dream, from the bible to the top of the globe, they call me hov." 3/5
03. Kingdom Come. Just Blaze chops up Rick James' Superfreak beat. A nice fresh soudn to this one. Jay talking about coming back with a new album and taking the top spot. Jay in a cocky yet playfull mood on this one. Standout moment on this one is how Jay references comic super-heroes at the end of each bar before the chorus. "I take of the blazer, loosen up the tie, step inside the booth, superman is alive." "Peter Parker, Spiderman, all I do is climb the charts. "The Bruce Wayne of the game, have no fear, when you need me just throw ya roc's sings in the air, yea" 4/5
04. Show Me What You Got. Just Blaze production where live drums standout and make a nice change for an upbeat commerical single, as opposed to the generic single conventions which are overplayed. A feel good anthem. "Give the drummer some, shit I already give the summer some, its the winters turn,." 3/5
05. Lost Ones. This one shows a reflective Jay much more comparable to a Black Album track. Dr. Dre's production is top-notch with a nice piano sample over simple clear bass drums and high-hat claps. Jay talks about his nephews death and splitting with Beyonce. "My nephew died in the car I bought, so I'm under the belief it's partly my fault." I don't think it's meant to be, B, 'cos she loves her work more than she does me." 4/5
06. Do You Wanna Ride. A nice beat with John Legend featuring. Jay talking about his sucess and travelling. "International Hov, I told you so, 44's out in Tokyo, to Singapore, all this from singing songs." The track rides out for a while with Jay seemingly coming in and out sperodically. The beat evolves nicely and Jay ad-libs for a good while, which gives the track a bob your head vibe. 3.5/5
07. 30 Something. A standout track. Dr. Dre's beat consists of a playful bassline, claps, strings and soem piano. Jay comparing his syle of living to others. The lyrics are simple but it is the rhyme schemes, wordplay and emotion which comes through Jay's voice which make it a highpoint. "I don't got da bright watch, I got da right watch, I don't buy out the bar, I buy the night spot." 4/5
08. I Made It. The production on this one is quite generic. A song in which Jay talks about how he has made it and lived the dream pretty much, being a ceo and such. However, he talks aobut his mum and their struggles when he was younger. Some standout lyrics here. "You didn't have a man in the house, so you made one, so I act like your husband and Im only your son." 3.5/5
09. Anything. I don't like this beat. I can hear a Run-DMC influence here, with bells etc. Too busy. But Jay switches up his flow on this one. Just a shame the subject matter is over-played and nothing new is said here. Another Dr. Dre track would have been better here. This definately interupts the feel of the album, and leads to the low-point of the album. 2.5/5
10. Hollywood. This sounds more like it was meant to be on Beyonces album. Production is so-so but overly commerical especially with Beyonce yelling on the chorus. Jay raps upbeat but has nothing to say. 2.5/5
11. Trouble. Damn! this beat makes you scrunch up your face and bop your head. Nice synths with relentless bass and claps. Plus, a nice sample of some sort which is unique. Only comment would be that the piano seems to lessen the overall impact of the hard hitting beat. Jays lyrics and delivery are on point. "Everyday it's the same, I said in Blueprint that I'd never change, it's just a part of the game." 4/5
12. Dig A Hole. Another hard-hitting beat with synths. The beat is nice and is comparable to tracks of The Blueprint. Track is about Dame Dash and their recent problems, aswell as other ex roc artists. The chrous seems out of place with the singing, seems it would have been better just with Jay. 3.5/5
13. Minortiy Report. A standout track. About Hurricane Katrina and the governments lack of doing shit to help save lives. Terrific anthemic production from Dre and great singing from Ne-Yo. Includes Kanye Wests comment "Sure I gave up a mill, but a didn't give my time, so in reality i didn't give a dime, damn I just put my money in hands of same people who left my people stranded." 4.5/5
14. Beach Chair Great prodcution, has a really gresh eastern feel. A nice reflective and somewhat mellow track which builds nicely into the chorus. Jay's lyrics are really nice here and it is a nice track to end the album on. 4/5
Overall, its a nice album. It's no Blueprint or Black Album but at times it reaches a similar level. The Dr. Dre produced tracks stand out as being the high-points of the album. However, the overtly commerical and somewhat wish-washy tracks "Anything" and "Hollywood," do not sit well on the album and severly interupt your attention. Still, a solid album which just about justifies Jay-Z's return. At times, it does seem he has said it all before. But, his emotion and delievery mixd with his complex rhyme schemes and wordplay make it seem fresh, even if we may have heard it all before.
01. The Prelude. A nice mellow opening to the album. The soft beat allows Jay to speak freely, and emphasises his voice. The strings and fultes give the production a reflective tone which fits Jay's lyrics nicely. "I used to think that rappin at 38 was ill, but last year alone I grossed 38 mill, and no I aint quite 38 but still, the flows so special got a 38 feel, how real is that." 4/5
02. Oh My God. This is quite a generic track. The Just Blaze track seems to be over produced, and comes across as quite busy. However, the sample is nice and stops the beat becoming overtly repetetive. Jay talks about being his accomplishments mostly in this one, using some nice rhyme schemes and wordplay. "...A journey seldom seem, the american dream, from the bible to the top of the globe, they call me hov." 3/5
03. Kingdom Come. Just Blaze chops up Rick James' Superfreak beat. A nice fresh soudn to this one. Jay talking about coming back with a new album and taking the top spot. Jay in a cocky yet playfull mood on this one. Standout moment on this one is how Jay references comic super-heroes at the end of each bar before the chorus. "I take of the blazer, loosen up the tie, step inside the booth, superman is alive." "Peter Parker, Spiderman, all I do is climb the charts. "The Bruce Wayne of the game, have no fear, when you need me just throw ya roc's sings in the air, yea" 4/5
04. Show Me What You Got. Just Blaze production where live drums standout and make a nice change for an upbeat commerical single, as opposed to the generic single conventions which are overplayed. A feel good anthem. "Give the drummer some, shit I already give the summer some, its the winters turn,." 3/5
05. Lost Ones. This one shows a reflective Jay much more comparable to a Black Album track. Dr. Dre's production is top-notch with a nice piano sample over simple clear bass drums and high-hat claps. Jay talks about his nephews death and splitting with Beyonce. "My nephew died in the car I bought, so I'm under the belief it's partly my fault." I don't think it's meant to be, B, 'cos she loves her work more than she does me." 4/5
06. Do You Wanna Ride. A nice beat with John Legend featuring. Jay talking about his sucess and travelling. "International Hov, I told you so, 44's out in Tokyo, to Singapore, all this from singing songs." The track rides out for a while with Jay seemingly coming in and out sperodically. The beat evolves nicely and Jay ad-libs for a good while, which gives the track a bob your head vibe. 3.5/5
07. 30 Something. A standout track. Dr. Dre's beat consists of a playful bassline, claps, strings and soem piano. Jay comparing his syle of living to others. The lyrics are simple but it is the rhyme schemes, wordplay and emotion which comes through Jay's voice which make it a highpoint. "I don't got da bright watch, I got da right watch, I don't buy out the bar, I buy the night spot." 4/5
08. I Made It. The production on this one is quite generic. A song in which Jay talks about how he has made it and lived the dream pretty much, being a ceo and such. However, he talks aobut his mum and their struggles when he was younger. Some standout lyrics here. "You didn't have a man in the house, so you made one, so I act like your husband and Im only your son." 3.5/5
09. Anything. I don't like this beat. I can hear a Run-DMC influence here, with bells etc. Too busy. But Jay switches up his flow on this one. Just a shame the subject matter is over-played and nothing new is said here. Another Dr. Dre track would have been better here. This definately interupts the feel of the album, and leads to the low-point of the album. 2.5/5
10. Hollywood. This sounds more like it was meant to be on Beyonces album. Production is so-so but overly commerical especially with Beyonce yelling on the chorus. Jay raps upbeat but has nothing to say. 2.5/5
11. Trouble. Damn! this beat makes you scrunch up your face and bop your head. Nice synths with relentless bass and claps. Plus, a nice sample of some sort which is unique. Only comment would be that the piano seems to lessen the overall impact of the hard hitting beat. Jays lyrics and delivery are on point. "Everyday it's the same, I said in Blueprint that I'd never change, it's just a part of the game." 4/5
12. Dig A Hole. Another hard-hitting beat with synths. The beat is nice and is comparable to tracks of The Blueprint. Track is about Dame Dash and their recent problems, aswell as other ex roc artists. The chrous seems out of place with the singing, seems it would have been better just with Jay. 3.5/5
13. Minortiy Report. A standout track. About Hurricane Katrina and the governments lack of doing shit to help save lives. Terrific anthemic production from Dre and great singing from Ne-Yo. Includes Kanye Wests comment "Sure I gave up a mill, but a didn't give my time, so in reality i didn't give a dime, damn I just put my money in hands of same people who left my people stranded." 4.5/5
14. Beach Chair Great prodcution, has a really gresh eastern feel. A nice reflective and somewhat mellow track which builds nicely into the chorus. Jay's lyrics are really nice here and it is a nice track to end the album on. 4/5
Overall, its a nice album. It's no Blueprint or Black Album but at times it reaches a similar level. The Dr. Dre produced tracks stand out as being the high-points of the album. However, the overtly commerical and somewhat wish-washy tracks "Anything" and "Hollywood," do not sit well on the album and severly interupt your attention. Still, a solid album which just about justifies Jay-Z's return. At times, it does seem he has said it all before. But, his emotion and delievery mixd with his complex rhyme schemes and wordplay make it seem fresh, even if we may have heard it all before.
