trey_stone's Full Review: American Gangster [PA] by Jay-Z
As big of a Jay-Z stan as I am, when it was first announced that he was making comeback numero dos this fall I was a bit skeptical. You can blame last year's Kingdom Come for that. It seems like there's two schools of thought on that album -- the critical consensus that it was flat and uninspired, or the idea that Jay had made a grand mature statement in a genre where you're "old" once you hit 30 (something.) I leaned mostly toward the former -- while it wasn't the disaster some publications painted it as, a lot of the production left something to be desired, and Hov didn't sound completely comfortable with the subject matter he was rapping about. Of course I'm not averse to rappers growing as artists -- as Hov's done much more effectively on previous albums -- but his flow and overall execution on the album fell somewhat flat in my mind, and it just didn't sound like something he had fun making.
So given the overall reception of the album -- especially compared to his acclaimed pseudo-retirement record The Black Album in 2003 -- it's understandable that Hov didn't want to go out like that. American Gangster finds Hov "returning to his roots" with the hustler lyricism, drawing off inspiration from the movie of the same name. Of course, to the cynical type, this'd seem like a lame excuse for Jay to start rapping about dealing drugs again, despite the fact that he's now almost forty and one of the wealthiest rappers around. But rest assured, AG isn't a ploy to connect with today's rap fans through simplified Young Jeezy/Rick Ross-style coke-rap lyricism.
Lead single "Blue Magic" had me wondering, though. While the song's dope, thanks to Pharrell's minimalist thump of a beat and Jay rocking one of his smoothest flows in a minute, I was a little worried about what it meant for the direction of the album. It's probably the first explicit crack-rap song I've heard from Hov -- as opposed to his mafioso/more general hustler-oriented material. So while I liked it, I was a bit worried that the album might see Hov turning into the Clipse or something. I mean, the beat DID kinda sound like something that could be on Hell Hath No Fury. Basically, while the song was good, it didn't seem Hov if you get my drift.
After the triumphant second single "Roc Boys" and all the positive insider buzz, though, I was pretty confident this was gonna be good. But I didn't think it'd be THIS good. Maybe Kingdom Come was a blessing in disguise, cuz here Hov sounds f*ckin' focused, man. AG is his most conceptual album since his Reasonable Doubt debut, but at the same time he doesn't forget that trademark Hov flow and swag that he's refined and perfected over the years -- something conspicuously missing from the last album. As someone who actually finds myself listening to Jay's Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life and after material more than Reasonable Doubt, I have a feeling this'll be an album both fans of the dude's post-RD output and those crazy "he only has 2-3 good albums" types will be able to both enjoy. I've also seen this album described as a big middle finger to the people who dismissed Hov as the fallen-off, out-of-touch old Def Jam CEO after Kingdom Come, which I'd agree with. Kind of like how he followed his "I'm a serious artist" classic The Blueprint with an excellent and excessive sequel that was arguably the most commercial album of his career. Here, Hov sets out to prove that he can still kick that gangsta sh*t better than pretty much any of the newjacks on the mainstream rap landscape today -- givin' you that ignorant sh*t you want (OK so not really, but stay with me here) -- and succeeds.
It's Diddy and his new 'n rejuvenated Hitmen team who really set the template for this album, producing nearly half of it. Whereas the old Bad Boy contributions to my least favorite Jay album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 sounded like Biggie's beat rejects and lame attempts to replicate the Reasonable Doubt sound, P. Dids, LV and Sean C's work here is like a widescreen, HDTV version of smooth, soul-based and jazzy RD and Blueprint-style production. A lot of it other than the horn-anchored "Roc Boys" is fairly understated, but far from being boring, it sets a fantastic backdrop for Jay's narratives. I ain't up on the classic soul they sample here, so I couldn't tell you how many of the Hitmen beats here are pretty much straight loops/replayed parts vs. stuff that's been changed around/live instrumentation that differs from the original sample. But in any case, it's all very, very dope. And if anyone tells you that Bad Boy's involvement here = kommershul, just know they're full of sh*t.
Lyrically? I gotta say Hov holds it down on this album all the way through. It progresses from a near-paranoid sounding start on the vividly dark "Pray" and "American Dreamin'," moves to Hov's patented hustler bravado on "Roc Boys," and appropriately ends on a somber note with "Fallin'," the "drug dealer on his last legs" conclusion. And Jay's got most of the angles covered here -- the album's evocative and realistic-sounding, as opposed to sounding cartoonish like some of today's coke rap can tend to be.
Of course, if ya know my tastes, all that wouldn't be worth as much if the Hov flow wasn't in full effect. While most of Jay's flows here aren't Blueprint-style smooth, he sounds significantly better on this album than he has in a minute, and the emphasis he places on his lyrics with his slower flows helps make his concepts easier to follow. So while he generally still isn't rapping as quick as he was before, with a few exceptions I wouldn't call his flow here sloppy like it was on a good chunk of Kingdom Come, and on select songs like "Hello Brooklyn 2.0," "Roc Boys," "Success" and the bonus track "American Gangster" he just kills it. I guess the way I'd put it is that Hov's dope on the vast majority of the album, just in a "different" way than his earlier stuff. You could be cynical and see this as lettin' him off easy, but I think his delivery here works in the album's context.
After the relatively low-key start, American Gangster switches gears a bit on the Beastie Boys-sampling "Hello Brooklyn 2.0," which features probably the most minimalist beat I've heard all year, courtesy of Lil Wayne collaborator Bigg D (is Hov aware this is the same dude who did Weezy's "Best Rapper Alive?" Just sayin'.) While the bass rumble here is simple, it's addictive as all hell, and Hov flows over it like a pro. The real "controversy" here, though, has been Weezy's hook and short "guest verse." Now, I'm gonna do something you'll probably see no other reviewer here do, and say that I actually think Weezy's weirdo croak-singing/sing-rapping fits well with the flow of the track. That said, there's a particularly hilarious part at the end where his voice cracks, and it is admittedly kinda disappointing that he didn't spit a proper verse that could be compared to Hov's. According to both of 'em, this was originally a Wayne track, and Jay just recorded new raps over it, so it wasn't exactly a real collabo. Personally? I expect more irrational WeezyDipWayneSet sizzurp-induced subliminal Hov disses to follow in the near future, despite this kinda collaboration of the Carters.
The dark, atmospheric "No Hook" makes things a bit more downbeat for a second after "Brooklyn," but then "Roc Boys" hits ya, and it's basically the "hustler at the top of his game" track of the album. While a couple of Hov's lines here border on cheesy, the song features one of his liveliest flows on the album, and triumphant horn blasts courtesy of Diddy and his crew don't hurt either. It's followed by one of my favorite songs here, "Sweet," which despite having probably Hov's least specific rhymes on the album has one of the album's best beats. It's one of the most full-bodied sounding productions here, and it builds up to a peak every few bars where it has this really cool effect of sounding like it's shattered into a million pieces. Sounds weird I know, but I mean that in a good way.
'Course, I should give credit to the other producers here, since it ain't all Bad Boy's show. Now, no disrespect to minimalist Neptunes, but I'm a bigger fan of their trademark flashy sh*t, and "I Know" brings back the style that's been in short supply outside of Pharrell's solo album. Over P's synth-buzzes, Hov puts in another one of his stronger raps on the album, using an extended metaphor personifying heroin addiction as a dependent relationship. Not mind-bendingly deep by any means, but it works, and combined with the production I'd guess this is gonna be a future single off the album. The heroin-addiction topic choice also makes more sense if you've seen the movie.
Other standouts include the funky, slow-burning "Party Life," which is what Bey-Z/Jayonce/Bey-Zonce-Zowles-whatever's "Hollywood" would've sounded like if it didn't suck -- and Hov's spoken bits between verses are pretty funny. The updated official version of the previously unreleased "Ignorant Sh*t," meanwhile, has one of the illest Just Blaze beats I've ever heard. Lyrically, it demonstrates Hov's clear self-awareness when it comes to the criticism over his more shallow, fun tracks, as well as the contradiction between the "keep it real" ethos in hip hop and rappers' exaggerated thug personas. While I think Hov's added verse here about hip hop's social impact is a little simplistic in its criticism, his flow's on-point, even though his effortless first two verses are the real highlights. And Jay's Roc-A-Fella compadre Beanie Sigel stops by to also add a short but dope and deliberately shock value-oriented verse. I could make a similar comment about the last part of Hov's closing verse on "Say Hello," but with Toomp's angelic-sounding (seriously, listen to it) production and Hov's triumphant slow-flow dissecting his perspective back in his hustler days, I really can't complain. I gotta say, with this and his collaborations with Kanye, Toomp's continuing to prove himself as one of today's most reliable producers.
'Course, I can't end the review without talkin' about the other hyped collabo here -- another song with Jay's former rival Nas. Instead of trying to out-epic their last collabo "Black Republican," "Success" is just raw. No hook, and a blaring organ riff courtesy of No-ID and Jermaine Dupri. While I prefer Hov's vindictive flow here -- he practically smashes the beat -- I can't deny Nas blazes it, even if he isn't quite as focused. "Google Earth Nas, I got flats in other continents" -- already seemingly the most-quoted line of this song.
There're plenty of obvious questions here -- is this better than Kanye's album? Is it better than Reasonable Doubt and Blueprint? Are haters gonna write it off saying "Jay's past his prime" without listening to it? Are Jay-Z, Nas, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe gonna form some kind of rap supergroup? All very good questions, but I can't answer 'em. OK, so I can, but that's not the point ya see, cuz bottom line is we're talkin' the best rapper alive (OK, OK -- just pretend I said "Trey's favorite rapper") and one of the year's best albums. In a time where Southern rap's dominating the airwaves and one of the biggest subjects of choice seems to be the drug trade, Hov shows the way to rap about it creatively without glorifying it. And he does with top-notch, vibrant production and without sounding condescending, out-of-touch or pretentious. Who knows -- maybe the Jeezys of the rap game'll take notes. I can't front like I don't enjoy a bunch of arguably irresponsible rap music, but I'd feel a bit more comfortable enjoying some of it if it was executed a little more intricately, ya know?
Oh, and count me as amped for the Dynasty 2 album if that actually happens. Though to be honest, if he does it Hov should just make it 90% him, Beans and Kanye if he's in on it. With apologies to Memphis Bleek.
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