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| by kenn on 10/30/2003 10:36:00 AM |
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Black Album Review
 Look don't read this if you don't want to know. Everyone has there own opinion. In some ways this is spoiling and some ways its not. Its up to you. I decided not to download anymore tracks. I learned my lession, lol. Espeaically with the last track I downloaded, lol.
01 December 4th (Produced by Just Blaze)
Jigga's mom talks for about a minute over a nice piano beat. The beat switches up into a really sick combination of guitars, strings, pianos and soulful vocals in the background that remind me of The Roots' Swept Away. Jay talks about his live so far, ups, downs and all that. I'm loving this. Very complex production, and I think it's live instrumentation as well. A long track as well, about 6 minutes long.
5/5
02 The Threat (Produced by 9th Wonder)
The hook is from R.Kelly's "Women's Threat". Ill concept. Jay talks about himself in third person over another soulful beat from 9th Wonder. Nice horns and the vocal sample is off the hook. Brilliant song.
5/5
03 Change Clothes And Go Ft. Pharrel Williams (Produced by The Neptunes)
Pretty weak track. The production is too soft and boring plus it's one of Pharrel's worst hooks ever. Should be named Excuse Me Miss Pt 3.
2/5
04 Lucifer (Produced by Kanye West)
Whoa! Jay makes up for that piece of **** with one of his greatest songs ever. One of the darkest Jigga songs ever. Haunting violins and harps form the beat while Jay talks **** at the critics and haters. Amazing. What more can I say(no pun intended)!
5/5
05 A Moment Of Clarity (Produced by Eminem)
I was cautious at first but Em came through with a dope beat. Uptempo pianos that don't have the ridget, stiff feel Em beats usually do. Jay talks about life in general, including hip hop where we bigs up artsts like Talib Kweli, Common, GZA and others. Really feeling this.
4.5/5
06 Soundtrack (Produced by Timbaland)
Damn one last Timbo/Jay collabo and it's a hot one. Fast paced pianos and guitars make a funky ass beat. Nice little beat switch at the end with a more traditional sounding Timbo beat. Jay's flow on here is nice as hell. The hook is the only thing that's not quite right.
4.5/5
07 99 Problems (Produced by Rick Rubian)
Stunning track. Jay talks **** over a 70s rock sounding joint. I think Jay sounds good over rock guitars and I'd say this is even better than Guns & Roses. Again Jay's flow is flawless hear, he sorta brings it back to Reasonable Doubt on this with the flow.
5/5
08 What More Can I Say (Produced by The Buchanans)
This track is solid. The beat is kinda catchy and Jay comes nice as usual. Nothing stunning, especially compared to other songs on the album but it's bumpable.
4/5
09 Justify My Thug (Produced by DJ Quik)
Samples Madonna's Justify My Love and to be honest it's kinda week. The main beat which isn't sampled if annoying keyboard 80s sounding **** while the Madonna sample on the hook is good but sounds out of place. Jay does come sick with it but the production just ain't good enough in my opinion.
3/5
10 The Theater (Produced by Dr. Dre)
Once again Jay follows up one the weaker songs on the album with one of the best. Jigga spits TWO incredible stories. The first is similar to Meet The Parents, dealing with a young hustler, the other one is very complex and I haven't got the full grasp of it but it involves a young rapper and other ****. Dre REALLY hooked Jigga up. This isn't your cookie cutter Dre beat. It sounds like something that could be on Detox with cinematic violins and pianos. Crazy ****.
5/5
11 Encore (Produced by Kanye West)
Kanye onces again hooks Jigga up. Similar vibe to The Blueprint with Jay on some reminsing **** over soulful horns. I love how the vocal sample kicks in at the end, kinda similar to Lil Kim's Came Back For You. Real beautiful ****.
5/5
12 My First Song (Produced by Aqua)
Jigga's lyrics are extremly poetic here. He raps about life and music, I think possibly the concept is that he is writing his first song but I'm not sure. Loving the beat. Layed back and soulful. Something you'd hear on Reasonable Doubt. All in all a perfect way to end an incredible album and an incredible career.
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