There’s never been a rapper like Jay-Z point blank. When the lives of the two most talented rappers were taken there was an emptiness in Hip-Hop’s throne the game needed a king and Jay was a sure contender. But what makes him unique is not only his innovative lyrical flow but his gift for making a club bounce. How many rappers you know have both the hearts of Mtv viewers and the most critical of backpackers? Few rappers are able to have their albums judged by their previous catalog not by the albums of there peers. But this review is not about Jay-Z’s previous accomplishments, its about his current one. So what can be said of the album from the man that bought you a lifetime of quotables? Well maybe Jay puts it best with his own quote off of the track Hollywood “It aint for everbody”.
One thing for sure is that while this probably won’t make a fan’s list of favorite Jay-Z albums it does have its high points. The prelude being a great example. Once that first track starts to play it seems like Jay hasn’t ever left and fills you into his current mindframe of hiphop “forget this rap shit I need a new hustle/ A little bit of everything, the new improved Russell/ I say that reluctantly cause I do struggle/ As you see I can’t leave so I do love you”. On the following track “Oh My God” Jay laces the Just Blaze produced beat fine but compared to how he’s done before on Blaze’s work, it seems as if theres something missing especially around the hook part. But that seems to be the recurring theme of the album recycled topics with newer(not improved beats). “Anything” a track featuring both Usher on the chorus and Pharrell on production reminds you of The Black Album’s “Change Clothes” but with the presence of both superstars suprisingly it takes away from the track. Jay’s “Minority Report” brings back memories of “A Ballad For the Fallen Soldier’s” sure there was an effort to bring current events to the masses and government wrong doings but it’s also about being appealing to the ear and it didn’t happen then and it doesn’t happen now. And to top it all off you have the track “Mama I Made It” which after the Blueprint’s “Mama Loves Me” this topic would have been better off left alone especially if a worse effort was going to be brought.
Sure there seems to be old topics discussed on the album but what about the new ones? On 30- something Hov tells about his maturation over the track produced by the other 30 something year old Dr Dre. He tells of younger tendencies he used to have and how they’ve changed “I don’t got the bright watch, I got the right watch/I don’t buy out the bar, I bought the Nightspot” making an anthem for the older and more mature crowd. Another topic discussed on this album is Jay’s current beef with Camron and company on the track “Dig a Hole”. Sure Camron does’t deserve a “Takeover” but if you’re going to address the issue might as well be. Sometimes I guess you can become a little jaded as a Jay-Z fan. And finally possibly because of the sucess of 2004’s Linkin Park colabo Jay hooks up with Chris Martin of Coldplay to make a majestic life-reflecting track showing a man whos matured greatly over the years. Though sometimes rappers constantly talk about there no fear of death its nice to to hear one pondering about life’s meanings in this album ender.
In conclusion sure this album does sound better then most albums that came out this year but when you claim “god mc” that might not be good enough. After all the countless great albums that Hov has dropped he no longer is chasing his peers he is chasing his legacy. And with that said this album is missing a lot of things. But what positives that can be taken out of this is perhaps there is another album to follow this one and those slight tweaks that could have made this album another great will be applied.
Jay-Z-Beach Chair ft Chris Martin.
COMMENTS
8/10 This Album is very good
but giving it a 7 nah
its not a classic either
and its not bad
it's incredibly decent
my favorite tracks...anything feat. usher and hollywood feat. beyonce
jigga my nigga! not his best but it shure got some classics on it
How they give game a 9/10?? and Jay a 7??? At least jay dont mention DR. DRE every song!!! Stop worrying about the beats, listen to the lyrics!!
I give it a 5 shit aiint that tight he was sleepin on this album he was 2 happy
Dat shit was wack as hell Game shit was 2 it was just 2 much westcoast but Jay shit was fuckin' wack he is not da king of NY
nigga, who da fuk r u!!! my man jayz a fukkin beast nigga, fuk u mean!!! and if my nigga jay wac, y da fuk he be sellin millionz of fukin cdz!!!!
Jay is not the king of ny? what the fuk you sayin
he's king of the rap world right now, and kingdom come proves it. "do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?" jay put it out there, your answer is evident. jesus, listen to the lyrics, they're amazing. maybe if you understood some ill world play that he does you'd know that makin a bumpin single isn't the only thing that's important. jay has matured, he's different, but still hov.
U kno wut did u not notice the game doesn't respect jay no more I use 2 luv jay as a rapper da black album was cool 2 go out but this shit nah man he's wack as fuck and yea by da way I listen 2 dem lyrics he ain't never talkin bout shit its a lot of niggaz dat think jay's is finish he's been dat way since blueprint 2 and look at def jam he loss all da artist dat were on there b4 he became president they left cuz they don't respect him fuck outta here man eveybody luv jay-z jay-z this jay-z dat man I would listen 2 nas cuz I still like him
you say i love jay-z because i'm a little fanboi. i relate to his music because of how amazing he is with words. anyone can talk about ice, cars, and girls, but when Jay does it, he uses metaphors. listen to the lyrics. this isn't the bangin beats of PSA or U Don't know, and he's not hard-spitting fire rhymes, but he's still so skilled.
everybody that has knocked this album doesn't listen to music they just skim through it. They are just looking for the "bounce". Hip hop has proven time and time that it's not about shaking asses and poppin bottles all the fucking time.
Jay-Z is running the shit right now hands down.
To close both Jay and Games Cd are worth "listening" too. and if i were to rate them they both would tie @ 9/10.
If you have something negative to say about what i just said you are the worst music fan.
WHAT DOES A 300 MILLION DOLLAR RAPPER RAP ABOUT, THE STREETS ALL THE TIME HE WOULD BE A LIAR WOULD YOU AGREE. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 3 TRACKS THE CD IS HOT LOSERS.
"Kingdom Come" is a ok album. But Jay you're for giving us some shit like this.
You're a fucking legend, but it doesn't seem like it. I hope "Hip-hop is Dead" is better than this.
Well he brings quality music. If you haven't noticed this album wasn't for the people it was for him. Why do you think he promoted the hell out of it. He didn't go crazy with all the club songs and everything. He showed truth growth as an artist, this is why he can retire and come back. Only a few cats have been in the game this long but not like jay. At least they bringing hip hop back unlike its been let me see your shoulder lean. come on yall love it, radio plays it and then yall hop on the next mans d*ck. Appreciate music for its greatness not its beats and this goes for any type of music
See Game's Album did better then this , i hate Jay-Z anyway. 1/10
game???? cum on now!!! wen iz da last time game came out wit a fukkin hit nigga!!! my man jay wood kill his azz!!! and game was tryna 2 git a song wit my man jayz but he turned his azz down!!! and jay sold more den game albumz put 2getha
Jay aint the King of Ny lok at the Legacy Big is.
hahahahaha, are u stupid??? Game's album did better than Jay's in what perspective? game in 2 weeks has sold 400,000 plus, Jay in 1 week sold 600,000 plus. and all game got right was some fire beats on his album, lyrically he's absent. big ups to Jay, nice album, they dont understand Jay!!! haha, he aint doin the fire beats and bangers on this one cuz he's tryin to explain that he's on another level, he's grown. listen to him, his lyrics say it all. ha, Game did better?! i guess i'll leave on a note from Jay: niggas lie, "bitches lie, numbers dont".
i fucks wit the album its just showing difference see wat fucks the game up now u can go different but slow u can take it left but take ya time goin left ya feel me soo all the trends can play out but hov just was being hov the album has to grow on ya you feel me
YOU DONT HAVE ENUFF STAMPS ON YA PASSPORT TO FUCK WIT YOUNG H.O.
jay suck he stole his shit 4rom biggie.when i come up off mixes im gonna.expose diss
mark.west west.L.B.C
I'll definitely give this an esy 8.5/10. It just seems like somethings missing. I dunnno cant quite put my finger on it. But shit it's better than Lil Wayne's all day! lol
nigga wtf u talkin bout lil wayne 4 stay on da muthafuckin subject bitch nigga
while this was not even close 2 the jay we love this still puts all the young bucks 2 shame!u cant tell its still there on the first verse on the album hits directly 2 about every artist that dropped the pass 5 years."niggas beats is banging,nigga ya hooks did it,ya lyrics didnt,ya gangster look did it" ...WHAT!!!! his set back was not really lyrics but his beat selection(see:dig a whole,hollywood,beach chair and anything).im tellin you if he gos 2 premo,kanye,timbo,and let them do the bulk of production we will never have this chat again. Peace yall!!! p.s the second verse on 30 something made me pull over the car lol 1.
kth19b ....WHoever you are you are a very smart hip hop fan...Ive been sayin that shit for so long....Production has taken over lyricall ability, case and point jeezy, lil wayne, jim jones....i like all of them but lyrically sorry....Jay cd is refreshing and contains the lyricall content a cd should contain. Not the same bs on every track. NO its not a classic, definately bout a 8.5...i agree wit Wiz101, its missing a lil something. Go back and look at all the classic cds, its not 23 tracs, its about 14.....
for everyone who say's jay-z is wack and kingdome come is a wack album doesn't know hip hop at all. your obviously an occasional listener and favorite band is probably dave mathews band or some shit like that. Only jay and a handful of artist are making realy hip-hop. all you ever hear now is the usual cars, girls, who's got the biggest bling and bullshit that isn't nothing. Like AMJ1227 said in his comment beats seem like the only thing that matter not lyrics. and as far as lil wayne saying he is lyrically better then hov! is f-in crazy! Let me tell you Wayne and Lil Wayne fans you can't touch jay. You are a fly in Jay-z world. Challenge someone on your level in the south not the king of hip-hop!
I went over the album yesterday... every track... everyword... while taking a long as drive... and I gotta change my damn rating from the previous 8.5 to a 9!
The reason (s) why are simple:
1) He's 38 and retired, but still has what it takes to murda current
"RAPPERS"
2) Didn't go commercial but still went commercial, Meaning he did his real shit...
and companies still wanted him reppin ' them.
3) Did what he felt and not what was "in"... No dances, or nursery rhymes, no extra ad-libs in the background or borrowing of lines or flows...still hott
4) Subject content - talking about real shit...especially on "Dig a Hole"
5) Simple beats but murderous flow (Once again, first single doesnt count lol).. How many people can murda a basic beat like Jay or Nas?
To only give Jay's album one point more than Jim Jones's shit is fucking ridiculous... but then again... it's just My opinion I guess.
I gotta agree with acecannon...Jay explained and murdered every "typical" rapper in the first 30 secs of the first track... then went about his business.
This album for the most part should've also been titled "REAL TALK pt1". 'Cause that's exactly was the "INDUSTRY" needed and it's exactly what he gave us...
Now We just have to wait for part 2 from NAS...
Shit still sold even with muthafuckas damn near boycotting his shit down south! lol... but I wont get into that!
Until I decide to...
-Be Eazy
WORD WIZ, JAY Z JUST DID WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO...EVOLVE MAN!...HE IS AT A DIFFERENT PLACE IN HIS LIFE WHERE HE NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT OTHER ISSUES OR THINGS THAT HE IS EXPERIENCING NOW! A QUOTE FROM NAS "IT'S ALWAYS FORWARD IM MOVIN, NEVER BACKWARDS STUPID, HERE'S ANOTHER CLASSIC" PEACE
this album is incredible if you don't include his first single. he shoulda just put out "kingdom come" song as the first single then dig a hole, what the fuck was that show me what you got shit...
I listened to it and I'd give it about a 8/10 no this aint his best cd but lyrically he put alot of dudes back to square one...alot of g-unit and dipset fans quick to call something wack without listening to it. The game is all about beats and hooks now perfect example: who knows the song "Fly High" other than "baaaalinn.
need one more okay: what about "Its going down", I don't see that as the SOURCE quotable of the Year. Peace
This Cd is fire, I don't care what people say. It's not his best but its not his worst. All you haters saying its wack, Dont know shit about real hiphop. I already heard half the album before it droped because of the internet and mixtapes.But I still thinks its a lot better than alot of albums that came out this year.For jay-z fans that didnt hear anything but the the fisrt single, you are going to like Kingdom Come.
Dyvine170 Fuck is U Talking About...I Dont Like G-Unit I Never Will In My Life Time..But I Like Dipset...But People Stop Using Excuses Like DIpset Or any other rap fans are quick 2 Say Hov new album is garbage..Im a dipset fan..But i dont remember me sayin Kingdom Come is garbage..And i aint really a Fan of We Fly High N especially Its Going Down..*Young Joc is no where lyrical* " Verse Number 2" n this Bullshit..But then people have there own opinion about music.And Hip hop has change fully agreed...But 1 More thing..This is the only time Jim Jones has ever went Commercial on his album..now people looking at Jones like he a commercial rapper...Hell Nah..he Jus did this shit for some paper..Jim Jones Did over 100,000 His 1st Week ...LMAO That was just crazy for a Rapper like him..That dude was Cam Hype Man back in the day now look at em..Let him n the rest of the dipset who aint commercial accept for Juelz who also was never commercial til he drop his 2nd get there money though and stop the hate..And G-Unit I have no comment bout them dudes..But As of Kingdom Come Was A Good Album...The Track Kingdom Come Is 1 Of my Favorites..Dig A Whole Crazy..N as a Cam Fan I can say Hov Got At Dude..but then i stil can see what some of you people are saying about dipset cause i do know sum peeps do ride dipset dick..i gues i just dont apply 2 that category..
musically 4/10 lyrically i dont't care 10/10 he so real and he makes it seems so simple. also if you want compare his ganagsta rap to current mainstream rap u
need to hear reasonable doubt 10/10 if not 9.9 out of 10. Same flow same lyrically just different point he making (not so mature) but just unbelievably great with metaphors and wordplay
HES FUCKIN BUTT PERIOD. HE NEEDS TO HANG IT UP. GO AWAY NOW WHILE HE STILL GOT A LITTLE RESPECT. EVERYONE IS TAKING SHOTS AT HIM CUZ THEY SEE HE CANT DO IT NO MORE. HE RHYMES GOOD ABOUT HIS FORTUNES AND ALL THAT OTHER GAY SHIT, BUT IM STILL ON THE STREETS AND I CANT RELATE TO DUDE LIKE THAT SO FUCKIM. IF U LIKE A DUDE SELLING U DREAMS WITH HIS REALITY, BY ALL MEANS. BUT FOR ME, FUCKIM
Chivyballz shut yo dumb bitch ass up cause you dont apparently listen to music and yo bitch ass is not in the streetz i saw you gettin chased around yo hood so shut the fuck up
It's pretty good. Dr. Dre really lifted up the album with his beats and Kanye did his thang, but some of the other songs are not that good. It's ight.
7.5/10
YO CJ. YOU A LOSER! YOU THE ONLY FLUFFER IN HERE SAYING ITS HOTT! GET A JOB! YOU SHOULD GET A JOB FOR JAY KEPPING HIM UP SINCE HES GETTING OLD, BUT YOUR PROBABLY OVERQUALIFIED COCKLOVER!
Jay done it again 8 (at least) peolpe dont get it coz they dumb or just dont like Jay. The album is no way a classic like the black album, but is different to any album put out so far this year.The Game album was kinda weak but got love coz its game. Everybody said Jay was a one Dimensional rapper (Ho's,Ice,Whips, ect) now he raps about World issues, His woman, His outlook on the music industry, His personal Situation past & present. Now people are sayin thats wack? Production was solid as eva with some new beats that no eva herd b4, good song concepts, great lyrics & word play.
You ain't got enough stamps in your passport to fuck with young H-O
I'm, young enough to know the right car to buy yet grown enough not to put rims on it
I don't like this article because even though he says that he will not compare jay-z to jay-z he does. This album is fire! I mean come on 30 something is the best stuntin track in years, Minority Report is the best conscious record since Kanye dropped Diamonds from Sierra Leone, Beach Chair is the best Rock/Rap Collabo ever,Dig a hole sucked but he airs Cam out with the "The only time u went plat was when my chain was on your neck thats an actual fact", Show me what you got is a great first single(thats why it was played a billion times in 2months), The intro track is one of my favorite intros of all time,Kindome Come is classic jay-z.
man this cd is the worst cd i ever heard in my life Jay Z poo ass should have stayed retired with this garbage ass beats plus his poo ass lyrics, sumbody need to pop dis nigga wit a mic or sumthin
I think dat Jay realizes dat ppl will buy anything he make. He juz half assin dat album.
^^
Ageed that shit was wack!
Once again I see that all the kids on this site are writing the reviews. This is like a math story problem. It has layers. You can't listen to this 2,3 6 times and make a decision. This shit is like a fine wine. This is grown folks music.
Jay on three verses in one song said "i similiar to peter park cause all i do is climb the charts" then "Step inside the booth loosen up the tie, supermans alive," and i think he was like at the end talkin about bruce wayne and whenever u need me put ya rock sign in the air..
the dude sick lyrically
it was missin somethin, but better than every album out
I got the shit and I listen to it all the time. I wouldn't call it a classic because there are some songs that I skip. But one thing I would say is that a lot of people think it aint good because of the beats but if you listen to the lyrics its a damn good album. My rating 8/10.
JOE BUDDENS ON GREEN LANTERN FREESTYLE!! FUCK HOVE OR HOV, HOWEVER THAT FLUNKEE WANTS TO SPELL IT.
ok, first of all my man jay is wayyyyyyyyyyyyy betta den dat nigga joe budden!!!! lol, dat nigga aint came out wit a hit since 2 yearz ago and shit!!!!! and hov is a fukkin legend nigga!!! fuk u mean bitch!!! wit yo lil dumb azz pic of da fukkin liberty bell!!! lol
CHIVYBALLZ, is that the named your boyfriend gave you?lol
What most don't realize is he can't be the same Hov he was on he previous albums. He's a successful business man now and has to play that part. Hov is doing big things right now and one wrong bar could fuck that up for him. The dude is like 37, so he's maturing into a grown fucking man. The fucked up part about hip hop is it's a young man's game and we don't pay homage to those who started this shit and kept it a float. I've never been a Jay fan, but this album wasn't bad at all. I would have said 8.5/10 just off lyrics alone. That minority report joint made me sick to my stomach when I first heard it. As a hip hop fan the music is supposed to move you hard, and when it does it's a good joint.
dre your wack, i see you got a pic of yourself there, not bad mami, but your fuckin butt and you aint shit. joe buddens for the dumb! and jay-z made it cool to be a grown man all of a sudden, hes wack too, he just said that so he could feel good about being old and dusty, hes old and needs to hang it up. hes a paid loser now.
lol nice comeback by the dude upbove
i liked it but jay can do better
this album is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
imma bout 2 fry yo big fake pic haven azz nigga!!! u mark trick bitch!!!
ma f**k wateva yall say bout jay.. he iz da best rapper. n if hes album iz wack? how da hell did dat shit go double platnum? he iz da realest
jay-z is too real
imma fuckin Hov fiend, but even i hav to admit his album was only decent, but there was more wack shit on it than good....I jus wish he would hav never came bak fucked up his whole image wit dis shit
this album was based on personal shit........true life stories, facts, and events can never be wack.......this album desevers a 10 outta 10.....
HUGE Hov fan and I give it a 7/10. Lyrically it was right but like a few b4 me said...it was missing something. But the title track "Kingdome Come" is one of the best 'Hip Hop' songs ever
www.myspace.com/sthamogul
dig a hole
30 somethin
beach chair
and minority report are sick
This Album is crack! Definitely am a Jay Z! 1 of the very few people left that have good albums. I think on this album Trouble, Show Me What You got, and Dig A hole really made it crack!
I didnt even see that y'all gave him a 7/10 y'all really just disrespected hov! I wouldnt give him a 10 but it's definitely a 9! He's been doin it for years and years and still making hotter tracks than the average rapper!
its funny how people the last couple of years been saying that hip-hop fell off and this has supposedly been jay's best years. hahaha i love it. fuck jiggaman
Jay the truth HANDS DOWN.if u listen lyricly he's more grown.his Ablums aren't just ablums fan literal start liv'in what he spits. It's a movement in it's one that what this and all his other ablums ur the truth. If u in the hood go outside see how many cars got rims. be'sides real young cats LOL. JAY-Z IS HIP-HOP STUPID, PERIOD
Its real If u tired ov ur favorite rapper lyin 2 u I present Jay-Z
Demm, u da man, i like tha way u look @ things...good shit
first i gotta say this is probably the best article i have ever read. secondly i gotta say that if beach chair isnt a classic i dont know what is.
jay-z is fuckin wack!!!!!!!!!!!!
JAY-Z IS STILL BUTT
Gay-z
This album was jay-z's horstest 2 me, but i still would give it 6.5/10 & thats better then alot of theses new rappers 2day. lil wayne is not a new rapper & bein in the game 4 while so this dont concern him & is no.2 to me & jay-z no.1 just imagine lil wayne still rappin tell he in his late 40's. jay-z next album will be better but his flow is gettin old
hahahahha jay-z..biting ass nigggaaa
Man...it gets no better than Jay....and thats it end of discussion..
and Kingdome com it gets a 13/10..fuck you mean?
this album is not a classic but nuthin 2 sleep on eitha. i likes it alot it is 8.5 out of 10. not his best work but still it kills 85% of other rappers album. bigs ups 2 jay number 2 or 1b behind nas in my opioion