"On To The Next One" Blueprint 3 Review FINALLY!

I want to start by saying... i'm probably the LAST MAN on EARTH to do this review but i don't know sometimes i'm BIG on being a BIG procrastinator lol. Fuck it. (I won't be cursing in the review) Last i'm going to say that i'm going to try to be objective since i NOW put Jay-Z and Eminem as my number one favorite artist(s) of all time. Now let's get it moving already...

"What We Talking About" is the intro to Jay-Z's epic, new sounding album, The Blueprint 3. Now before we break down the song, ask this question outloud to yourself? What are we talking about. What is Jay, himself talking about? What are we expecting him to talk about? AND does he have anything LEFT to say. After reading over 15 reviews on the album, many pose this question what more can he say? The reason they ask this is because Jay-Z himself, prior to his comeback album Kingdom Come asked us the question firs. "What More Can I Say" Jay-Z proclaimed on the album and many people believe that he doesn't have much MORE to say, cause he has said it all. Now it's just the same old talk but in a new way. There's nothing WRONG with that but i indeed asked myself the question, how does Jay-Z, 11 solo albums in, millions and millions of dollars in, and countless other venues, shows, and parties in, have something to still SAY and something to GIVE listeners and MAINLY hip-hop. Jay's answer is quite simply this:
"
What we talkin' bout real shit? Or we talkin' bout ryhmes
You talkin' bout millions Or you talking' bout mine
What we talkin' bout Cuz I ain't got time
For what people be talkin' bout all the time
What we talkin' bout fiction Or we talkin bout fact
You talkin' bout fiction? Hold up pardon my back
I'm talkin' bout life And all I hear is Oh yeah he keeps talkin' bout crack
I ain't talkin' bout profit I'm talkin' bout pain
I'm talkin' bout despair I'm talkin' bout shame
I ain't talkin' bout gossip I ain't talkin' bout Game
I ain't talkin bout Jimmy I ain't talkin' bout Dame
I'm talkin' bout real shit Dem people playin'
What is you talkin' bout I don't know what y'all sayin'
People keep talkin' bout Hov take it back
I'm doin' better than before Why would I do that?
Ain't nothing cool bout carryin' a strap
Bout worryin' your moms And buryin' your best cat
Talkin' bout revenge While carryin' his casket
All teary-eyed Bout to take it to a matress
I'm talkin' bout music I ain't talkin' bout rap
You talkin' bout who's hot I ain't talkin' bout that
The conversation is changed Lets yap about that
I don't run rap no more I run the map"

Now what i highlighted is Jay-Z telling rap fans to STOP! expectating something of the same variety of what he use to do. He can't do it! without coming off as a gimmick. He got lucky with American Gangster because it was a "concept" album, that i personally loved but ladies and gents Hov's moved on and you should too. But let's get back to the question, of what he's trying to do here. Hov's trying to make a statement, in english terms a thesis statement but the problem is, that his statement is unclear to the audience and to himself. With an unclear thesis statement there are going to be holes and things that seem a bit, confusing. That's what the rest of the album is like. For example , DOA (Death of the Autone) is an amazing concept with an even better excution, especially production wise. Produce No I.D. straight ripped this. With the horns and screeching violens, as an artist i always want to just jump on and rap on it, and as a listener it's just a BANGER. It knocks so hard in my headphones and although people are probably sick of this song by now, anytime i listen to it, i just love it. The vibe is dope and Hov's flow is wondeful and NEW. The problem is that the lyrics although great are relatively simple for Jay-Z's taste. Lyrically it's kind of subpar compared to the rest of the album but subpar Jay-Z is like asking your mom to cook you a full course meal and all she forgot was the salad. I think we can live with that.

I believe this is the same with the other single, Run This Town featuring star guest appearances from Kanye West and Rhianna. The production on Kanye's behalf is phenemonal. The drums and claps are captivating. Rhianna's voice and chorus grew on me A LOT and makes the song an Anthem, probably the only one on the cd. Before i run i listen to this song, cause "i can feel it in the air, the screams from everywhere." The chorus is pure poetry if you can't dig it, lyrically all i can do is shake my head. Lyrically, Jay-Z wise again, it's a bit average, just above average and we don't expect him to make AVERAGE music, let alone average verses. But as everyone knows KANYE WEST, yes MR. WEST, the LouiVattaonDon steals the show with this one. His drop, verse, vibe, everything was what not only put the wipcream and cherry on top but the sprinkles too.

Other standout songs include Empire State of Mind featuring Alicia Keys, Already Home featuring Kid Cudi, Venus Vs. Mars, Star is Born featuring J.Cole, and i want to put Thank You and Reminder on it as well but i'll explain why their honorable mentions.

Thank You is another Kanye produced track. It's different. Fresh of breath air. New. But i'm not really feeling Hov's accent although i like that he tried something different. It's a little too much i think, the bragging and boasting YET your suppose to be thanking YOUR FANS, that helped him almost go gold the first week AND kept him at Number one on billboard TWO WEEKS IN A ROW, which now a days is unheard of. Lyrically the track is nasty but it just doesn't do MUCH for me. If i could just skip to the third verse "I was gon' do it with the flow/But they did it with their sales/I was gon' 9/11 'em,/but they didn't need the help..." " Niggas thought they was ill found out they was...ILL/ And it's like you knew exactly how I wanted you to feel" Oh My God the flow was ILL!! or EWWW!!! lmao.

Reminder i think it's a good track. Lyrically one of the best in the album. Chorus is okay, i can deal with it as well as the uninspired beat that Timberland made. Mastered it sound SO much better than the first version i heard online but of course it's suppose to sound better. It's just that i don't know maybe a different beat, more gangster chorus this song could have been the best song on the cd.

Real as it Gets is a cool song as well but it doesn't do much for me. Hov lyrically sounds awesome. Young Jeezy actually surprised me, again, with some concious lyrics as well as an infectious chorus but i feel, again and again, that there's just something missing, that UMPH. THe thing that separates good albums to great albums and great albums to...dare i say "CLASSIC." The song is good though. Listenable. I just think if this was on a Jeezy album it would of been BETTER.

Hater is a short, catchy, new-age, futuristic, display of dope lyriscism from Mr. West and his big brother but this track too i felt had more potiential. Making this a little longer with a chorus, a real chorus but keep the back and forth, this could of easily been a third or fourth single. I like the beat. People compare it to the A-Milli beat or a leftover track from 808 n Heartbreaks but i don't know if i agree. Song grew on me, definitely one of the better tracks.

The problem is that it's hard to formulate YOUR OWN opinion with so many others influencing you and etc.

On to the Next One featuring Swizz Beats, just plain sick, as sickest as can be for Jay-Z. All three verses are MURDER!!! The beat, maybe a different production would have made this the LONE BEST track on the CD. But i dig it. FREEZE!
(god damn my hand is hurting)

Off That, Young Forever, and So Ambitious... Young Forever, i love the concept, the excution was good but the track just doesn't do much for me. I wanted something REAL EPIC for the last track. I felt like this was a track or two before the finish. Mr. Hudson's voice is nice but the production too Kanye was slacking a bit using the same sound he used for Supernova (Mr. Hudson, Kanye West assisted single) and Stronger (Graduation). Off that featuring Drake, the potiential was HUGE, bigger than HUGE but i think it dissappointed. Lyrically Jay-Z goes off, one of the best lyrical tracks, "Got blueprints on my white ipod," but Drake maybe deserved a verse or something. JUST SOMETHING WAS MISSING. Drake didn't seem uppity. He was kind of just whatever to the track. He didn't add his normal spunk. Timberland too. The knock of the beat could have been way better. WAY BETTER. Go download Bubba Spark's Ugly song and see the difference in Timberland production. The way Venus and Mars beat was is how Off That should hit your ears when you put your headphones on. So Ambitious, really good concept, outstanding lyrics but the overproduct, another short coming. DAMN YOU, Pharrell. Lyrically i like the chorus and shit. Dope. Hov came extra correct, teaching a lesson. Stepping outside his normal self to produce something grand. Potiential was high, track not so much with the delivery.

The problem for this album with me is that it is just above average. Lyrically and flow wise, NO ONE is better than Hov. Nobody not at 39 and certainly not at 26. I don't want Hov to ever stop making albums and music even if it means every album sounds like this one. I just don't want him to go and i know many of you feel the same way. I just wish something really, really stood out about the album JUST one track that everyone could agree was phenemonal. The closest two are Already Home and Empire State of Mind (two best songs on the album, Alicia Keys (in non-poppy) chorus (which was so heartfelt) and Kid Cudi's amazing chorus plus Hov's painting skills made the tracks amazing) but i felt like the bump wasn't right. When i say bump i mean the way it sounds when you play it in your car, top down, windows down. There was UMPH but not enough. The large amount of features bothered me too although it didn't really effect Hov except on Run This Town and Real As It Gets. Star is born should be right up there too because Sean Carter is also stepping out of his box and i'm glad he brought J. Cole along for the ride with him.

I just have to say this is an EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD ALBUM. Rolling Stone gave it 3 stars because even if Jay-Z is talking about the same things he's doing it really well and hip/new lol. I give it a 3.75. It was almost good enough to be a four if it just would've had that one track. I do believe though that Jay does have ONE Classic ALBUM left in him, I just hope it gets to see the daylight.

P.S. If you haven't bought the album already PLEASE DO!


GOD DAMN, that took me an hour...smh

Kinda Dope

Hey yall,

i'm going to explain everything that's going on in another entry but right now i want to discuss this AMAZING, possibly once in a lifetime experience. AND it's called South Park lol. Right now i know your thinking to yourself like what the hell is this wanna-be rapper, philosopher, hardworking, lazy, blogger fucking talking about? I can watch South Park from my house and what can the show POSSIBLY teach anyone WELL apparently it can teach A LOT, matter fact A BUNCH. It's a Television Radio Class and my professor (Brian Dunphy) is an amazing teacher and man, well for what i know of him, obviously. He and his Mass Media class last year during my first ever semester in college was one of the few positive things in my life around the time and it kept me sane. Actually the first time he taught this "South Park Class" was last year and i sat in on many of the classes, just listening and observing, taking the experience all in.

I've never been a FAN or really took out the time to watch South Park but i just thought it was very innovative, a big chance on his part, still there has to be substance if it got approved, right?

If you said yes, than you are very much right. It's actually a lot of reading, a lot of open-minded thoughts so the narrow minded will never be able to comprehend something like this but it's awesome. The class actually makes me really nervous, i may be the ONLY sophmore in the class but i'm glad he has the confidence in me to believe and think i would do well in this type of free-thinking, free-flowing environment.

If you go online and type in my professor's name and the class you might find an interview or an article or two about last years class. But what i really wanted to show and discuss to you, was about THIS year's class. WE were already on TV, Brooklyn 12 and it's on youtube.

Please ignore the HOT woman before our part. I don't think you can see me cause i'm on the side of the camera that wasn't filming because class started early. fuck life. lol.

Itsallgoodevenwhenitaint!


P.S. Don't Mind This, Gamestop shiiittt
gsbenefits.com 1800 818 1374

2 Quick THINGS

Don't say i never put you on... even when i'm blackberryless

ENJOY!!!!
Link to This Perfect Life: http://usershare.net/oadvj7jwhd3z

Last BUT not LEAST

http://www.exploremodeling.com/Contest/Faceof_ELF_2010/9936/Angelica_Berry.aspx

That's where you can Vote for my pal Angelica. She is a hard-working person with a very determined mind and heart. PLEASE, anyone who read this support her, if you're not already. :)

She better thank me :) lol.

Mood Ring 10: Extra Special Edition

These are moods i've felt recently but the last two are songs that inspire me. That when i listen to i want to go out and make something of myself soooo dig it.

Blueprint 3 Review COMING SOON.

Just to throw out there Charles Hamilton supposedly got dropped from Interscope and the album i was waiting for June 25 finally dropped on the internet. I'll post the link on a later entry.
This one song is a song from it called "All Alone"

this is an oldschool throwback Justin! Somebody get me this beat ASAP!


Inspiration:
Jay-Z Featuring Pharell -So Ambitious

"The motivation for me, is them telling me what i can not be, OH WELL!" "I'm so Ambitious, i might hit two sisters :)"
Last Call- J. Cole


This last one is the song that helped me finish my first 5.3 miles without stopping. YOU KNOW! Kid CUDI!!!!!!!!!
HEART OF A LION "Can't Nobody Stop me!"


GO COP THAT NEW NEW!!!!

Let the music speak for itself

Recommendation: Spoof Edition

The last one is my favorite. He ripped it. It wasn't like crazy funny or nasty like the other ones but this man is creative and funny as fuck. He use to be on Nick Cannon's wylin out show. His name is Affion Crockett. If you don't know the originals of the spoofs check em out on youtube but don't say i ain't never did anything for you!

Succeed Or Die Trying

The following title is how I live my life. Period.

Soo let's run through some current events lol. I forgot to mention my mom came to new york friday morning, randomly for a job interview. Crazy right? And I'm not gunna lie I was happy she was here but furious she didn't tell me. Like she assumed I was going to my house in cp and left it at that. Like what? How the hell we should she feel if I just went to west palm to her house suddenly but she went to her friends house that day and never knew I was there. Sometimes I wonder where people's thought processes are. Like I haven't seen her since July and it took me a year to see her before. Anyway, whatever. I ended up seeing her obviously. It was nice.

Extrememly nice.

I love my mom to death and wish I had one relevant parent. You know? On saturday I told my therapist like I felt like since I turned 16 I been my own father and basically mother too. Sure they did certain and somethings for me but not as much as they have. Ironically it's like now that I'm older I get the less attention, no phone calls, no anything really.

What am I bird? What I mean by that is that birds just let their children go, learn how to fly and let me do their own thing. I don't think humans are SUPPOSE to be that way.

Whatever. I'm just glad I got to see her. Like all I wanted was a hug from my mom :(. That's all I wanted. To know that I still have one and can get a hug from her. Just thinking about It makes me wanna cry.

Anyway, me and my friend drank and wrote songs. It feels good to have a partner and people who believe in us. well maybe him a little more because they were his friends first, although that's a fucked up way to view things. But I'm sure either way it's sincere. One of the good things about going back is the positive friendships I have developed. :)

Anyway, after my long night, it was hard to sleep and I didn't want to get up but randomly that night my grandfather got 3 tickets to the Mets game and took me and my sister ashley.

My mom's flight was at 11 45 so we had leave before 10 30. I was exhausted BUT I still got up because I wanted to squeeze out any minute with her. Also because I was fucked up 4 years ago when she was moving to florida. The day she was leaving, I just hugged her and left the house. I don't know why did that instead of going to the airport. I went to go play ball and hang out with my then girlfriend. I think I was in denial and didn't want to face her leaving my life. And when I say someone's leaving my life I mean they lose their everyday relevance in it.

Just thinking about it we had a very deep conversation about everything.

...

I can't continue talking about it but I hope you get the point. Anyway, saturday morning/afternoon went to the mets game, dumb tired. I left before the 7th inning started and the score was 1-0. Then I went to therapy ten minutes late but had a good session except that it went quicker than any other session I've had. And I've had sessions for like ten mins where I got everything off my chest lol. Sooo wierd.

Okay than the rest of night kind of just went smoothly didn't do too much of anything. But just to add (I don't know why I get mad at this but) when my co-workers go out I don't ever get an invite anymore. I was actually praised the last couple days because I impressed the managers at my store and other stores with how good I did the walls in my store. They wanted to give me more hours n everything but of course if I did take more on, I would die lol. But I don't even get an invite to a dinner for one of our friends/ex-employees promotion and then (not that I would've gone) they go to a club last night. They talk about it in front of me but don't say a god damn thing to me about going?

Just the day before I was being complimented on my positive attitude through hard times and I'm always talk about music with my manager yet we never get anything done. No beats no anything. Whatever. I'm not bitter and I'm not going to be you know why...

Cause I know I have a plan and god has a big plan for me that I'm going to work hard for and I'm going to furfill.

Anyway, I just want to go to the movies. Just relax with a bag of popcorn and water and watch a good movie, chick flick or not :)

Last, I woke up again @ 6:50 and got to school on time but couldn't take a nap on the bus still it didn't matter. I was determined to finish the course and in good time.

My coach placed faith in me and so did my older brother DV. It also helped that I ran the curse friday that gave me major inspiration. And guess what!?!?

My team finished first. I finished 7 of 8. And I finished in 42 mins flat! And I'm not that tired, physically. Could use a nap but I'm gunna play ball. First take a shower.

Gunna post like 2 more entries (I got you angelica!). Holla at me yall...

I know people have always hated and disliked my "one-up you" I'm gunna do bette mentality but u don't understand how hard I've worked to get here and for the most part I did it by myself but with the help of a couple people too.

Just know I'm gunna succeed or die trying.

Light...

Jam the fuck out yall...

Am I Dying? And When the Good Turns Bad

"When a girl girl goes bad, she's gone forever"-Jay-Z

Thought that would be a good quote to start entry of stressful proportions. Been a long ass week and emotionally more than physical I'm drained, torn, hurt, stressed, (insert word that describes everything I just said).

Yea. Well know you know why I say fuck life lol. And yesterday my phone almost officially died. The blackberry my only physical birthday present.

(Was suppose to get a microphone and a pair of sneakers but we won't get into that. BLOAW!)

I'm not even mad about that shit. My last two birthdays were alright but I'm a make it great. (Listening to Empire State of Mind feeling better especially with the sun shining). Anyway, this week I've been exhausted but of course just because your running on e doesn't mean the drama stops coming. It's ironic because the last 3 years I've tried my absolute hardest to stay away from it all (on some HOV shit!) But people and woman always go after you.

I must say shit gets depressing, last year I definitely was depressed, maybe not severly but I think you could read it off of my face. Not much went right and I contributed some of that on to myself but ugh. Anyway, here I am soo much better but things are confusing as ever. I know who I am and what I want to be but that's about it. Mind has been boggled like the board game. Right now I actually have some people that care about me, ugly, broke or not, they do. I have people that actually go look for me and that's something I haven't had in a while.

I went back to college point this summer for my sanity, for my identity, to remember who I am. I know it's not the greatest place in the world but neither is Marcy or 8mile. Which I'm sure Jay-Z and Eminem went back to even if just for once time to rememver who they are. Hell 50cent bought his old house, made a studio, and recorded a whole album where he use to live with his grandma. Something about where you were brought up brings up nostalgic thoughts that make you whole. Regardless of how FUCKED UP it was for you at one time, there's some inspiration, some rememberence, some homage being paid when you go to where you use to live and College Point is that place for me.

I always went back I just never told anybody. I would just see my family and bounce and people would be like where you been Jam? And I'd ignore it. I looked down at these people like I was sooo much better than them because I've made something of myself and continue to. But who am I to think I'm better than an individual who just didn't have my determination, who didn't want to overcome the troubles they went to.

Who was I? To do that. I was and am nobody in that sense. To place judgement. So instead I just know who I am and yea, intellectually, yea school wise, ambition wise, and everything I could be better than everbody I give dap to but that doesn't mean I'm too good to hang out with them, to treat them like they're not human. To not offer a helping hand. If someone needs me I'm here, otherwise if they don't want my help fuck it, that's on them.

If I was in their position I would want someone to try to help me and at one point I was in that situation but I chose to take a different route. I chose to make myself better and it did help that I moved out of the place but spirtually did I ever leave?

I don't think so.

I think I needed to go back to remember who I was. Why I'm doing what I'm doing and that even though I left I got people who show love. People who I can share stories with. People who will remember me, period. That's what it did for me. I got to remember what it was like to have a family, with my sister there, with my aunt and uncle back together.

And in conclusion I don't judge anymore, I'm just here to be the helping hand the hope. What obama is to a little black kid in chicago is what I want to be for people in college point. I'm not the only one who'se moved on though, I have my friend Dayna who'se making something of herself and she knows how I feel. She has the same heart for the place although she's moved on in life. And that's why our personalities mesh and I understand her.

Anyway, that wasn't the point of this entry. I just needed to get that off my chest.

This week I've been exhausted like I said and on friday, yesterday I finally had school off and was trying to be fine doing nothing. Mission accomplished. I ran and didn't worry about doing something. If something happen it did if it didn't it didn't. It was sooo weird. Not rushing. Not caring but it's exactly what I needed PLUS about 9 hours of decent sleep.

Then I ran over 5miles and didn't leave DV behind who thought he wouldn't make it. But he did. That's my brother. And I know there days you wanna give up but you don't and I definitely put a smile on his face for that.

Anyway, I was SUPPOSE to go to a st.john's party which never happend instead me and my boy wrote music, drank by ourselves and chilled.

the rest of the night was terrible, horrible I might say. Won't say why but it was.
Now I'm tired again but will be doing nothing today. Just relaxing, maybe some hw, maybe a movie and then tomorrow I'm going to kill in cross country.

Although I'm all fucked up mentally be on the lookout for more music. It's coming. I promise. I feel it. I really do.

Jam the fuck out yall...

...

One laRGE Question

"Why do words have so much impact?"

I mean words are just words right?

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?" Is that how the saying goes.

I mean sure words like Niggers, crackers, spicks, guidos (however you spell it) have meaning from hundreds of years ago because of oppression and what not, but why do they hurt.

What would you remember or be more hurtful toward you if I said I hate you or showed you I hated you by pulling a prank on you everyday of your life?

I don't know I thought that was an interesting topic that one of my professor's brought up. I hope no one gets offended by this.

It's just a question.

Let your brain ignite, let your thoughts rome, so your mouth can speak an educated response...

Jam the fuck out

Mood Ring Part 9: Soundtrack 2 My Life (CuDi Edition)

Before i finish my small essay, i just wanted to share this with you. This dope ass song. This should be a little sneak preview of what Kid CuDi's ablum sounds like and what he may bring to music in the future. You have to be able to relate.

Sometimes you let the music speak for yourself.
"I got some issues that nobody can see
and all of these emotions are pouring out of me"