Jay-Z - The Black Album

If The Black Album is truly Jay-Z's last statement before retirement, he at least goes out near the top of his game. While it probably won't be remembered as his best album, The Black Album is his most personal to date and features some of his most compelling writing. Jay-Z is defiant and defensive here--he's trying to make sure his legacy is properly acknowledged, although he can get a bit heavy-handed at times. Still, he's rarely been more incisive or insightful in his rhymes, exposing his own childhood struggles on songs like "December 4th" while slapping at his haters with "What More Can I Say" and the cutting "Threat." Longtime Jay-Z collaborators Just Blaze and Kanye West churn out outstanding production, especially Blaze, whose beats for "December 4th" and "Public Service Announcement" are among the album's best. Newcomers Aqua and the Buchanans represent well also but Eminem's minor-key drone for "Moment of Clarity" is mired in mediocrity. Jay might fade to black after this one but his last shot doesn't miss. --Oliver Wang Amazon.com

 Jay-Z's best album since Reasonable Doubt
I have to admit when I first heard this album I was blown away. I still have my same copy with the black disc. I will say that this album is a more commercial version of Reasonable Doubt. Even though it has a more commercial feel to it, its still an excellent album. This was slated to be Jay-Z's last album so I guess he wanted to go out with a bang and The Black Album does just that. It's similar to Reasonable Doubt in that he has some very personal songs on it like December 4th (great song) and Lucifer (a personal favorite of mine). However, it still shows Jay-Z's evolution as a more mainstream rap artist. This could be good or bad depending on what type of hip hop fan you are. Personally, I don't really care for commercial rap artists but I make an exception for Jay-Z. I really didn't know what to expect when I got this album because by the time it came out, Jay-Z had drifted so far from his original sound. It's also similar to Reasonable Doubt in that it is consistent. I didn't need to skip any tracks. I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that Reasonable Doubt was going to be his only "great" album. The rest were hit and miss with a few nice tracks here and there but not classic material. Another good album by Jay-Z was the Blueprint but The Black Album surpasses that one. Yes I said it, The Black Album is better than The Blueprint. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Blueprint too but if you're really honest with yourself you will agree with me. If not we just have to agree to disagree. Either way, The Black Album is the commercial counterpart to the classic Reasonable Doubt and it's worth owning. In my opinion, he should have ended it with this album. The only thee albums necessary to own by Jay-Z are this one, Blueprint and his best album, Reasonable Doubt. The rest were just so so. All in all, The Black Album is not quite a 5 star album (a la Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt and Ready To Die) but it definitely shouldn't get any less than 4 stars. Peace. January 9, 2008

 Cakewalk & drum machines
I'm not reviewing this album because I never heard it. I do know that I loathe this rapper and all the tadpoles that follow him. If this moron has so much money, then why do I see Bono in Africa helping black people? Why do I see Brad Pitt helping black people in New Orleans? Does Jay-Z like black people? What do you think is more important to Jay-Z, helping poor starving oppressed black people in the world or buying a new Aston Martin? Don't bother answering. We all know the answer. One day black america will wake up....one day. December 10, 2007

 Sleepy
I don't want to sound like a hater i mean i am giving the album 5 stars but I used to use this album to go to sleep, maybe thats why when i put this in my car I get really drowzy and actually almost fall asleep. You get producers like kanye west who does 2 tracks, the neptunes who also does 2 tracks, timbaland, eminem, dj quick, and some others like rick rubin who did surprise in the production of 99 problems. the album is good, features no one except for pharrel in "change clothes". he should have maybe done a track with beyonce or kanye west or someone else.


1. Interlude N/R

2. December 4th 3/5 kinda corny but not bad

3. What More Can I Say 5/5 hot track. "Im not a biter im a writer, i say a BIG verse im only binging up my brother im big enough to do it."

4. Encore 5/5 another hot track exepct for the long pause in the middle of the track where a guy is urging people to scream HOVA well the song is "ENCORE" but after replaying it.... it gets anoying maybe they should have saved it for the end.

5. Change Clothes 4/5 i don't know why he would choose this song as his 3rd single when there are better choises.

6. Dirt Off Your Shoulder 5/5 2nd single in the album. timbaland gives him a beat that is just bananas.

7. Threat 4/5 funny small skit in the beginnig but dope.

8. Moment Of Clarity 4/5 ahh the eminem produced track good song overall. hot hook going over his albums.

9. 99 Problems 5/5 good single tells a small story in the second verse.

10. Interlude 4/5 hot lil freestyle

11. Justify My Thug 4/5 not bad but not great

12. Lucifer 3/5 really anoying hook imo.

13. Allure 4/5 by this time im usually asleep. so can't talk much about it.

14. My 1st Song 5/5 ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............

awwwhhhh.... lol just kidding.

what i can tell you is the alot of rappers hav sampled jay-Z from this album and have created hits.

1 Cassidy- "Im a Hustla" (sampled from the 3rd verse in "Dirt Off Your Shoulder")

2 T.I.- "Bring Em' Out" (sampled from the 1st verse in "What More Can I Say")

3. Juvenile- "Way I Be Leaning" (This guy choped and screwed jay's voice for the song so it would sound more southern but I know tthe rhyme is from the second verse of "Dirt of your shoulder")

Im sure there is more but i can't remember now. aight 1.
September 27, 2007

 Not Jay's BEST but a Great Album...
At first I wasn't feeling this CD so much but after 4-5 spins I realized this was a really nice album. IMO it's behind Blueprint, Vol. 1, and Vol. 2 for the best Jay-z albums. Alot of people don't agree with me on Vol. 1 but it was a great CD(besides "I Know What Girls Want" & "Sunshine") It was before he went materialistic and commercial. September 21, 2007

 Thank God for granting me Moment of Clarity and that which ensued
As this is the only Jay-Z album I own, I can't rank it against his others as many reviewers have done. I confess that I bought it for 99 Problems and Dirt Off Your Shoulder so I'd have some of the more accessible MTV-branded "hip-hop" to add to my party mixes. They're funny songs that everyone knows and it doesn't kill me to have them in my repertiore.
There is certainly no shortage of self-adulation and overproduction here that have become the unfortunate hallmarks of Jay-Z tracks. That said, there is also evidence that he knows what real hip-hop is all about, he just chooses to go a different route (which kinda hurts more than the ignorance of garbage rappers).
The best and most fun song on the album, and the lone track that earns its three stars, is Moment of Clarity where he does take hip-hop back to the battle rap, and he is the king of using backhanded compliments to ellicit a response. He specifically calls out two of hip-hop's greats (who I'm sure he properly respects) with the lines "If skills sold, truth be told, I'd probably be lyrically Talib Kweli. Truthfully I want to rhyme like Common Sense, but I did five mil, I ain't been rhymin like Common Sense..." Kweli and Common come back at him on Ghetto Show (from Kweli's excellent The Beautiful Struggle) with "If lyrics sold, then truth be told, I'd probably be just as rich and famous as Jay-Z. Truthfully I want to rhyme like Common Sense, next best thing I'll do a record with Common Sense." It's just too much fun to imagine behind the scenes of that good-natured (read: no gun references or idle death threats) throwdown. I love it and am grateful to Jigga for laying it down. Surely Kweli and Common are, too. June 6, 2007

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