As if there were any doubt about his status, Jay-Z reaffirms his title as a hip-hop honcho with
The Blueprint. Whereas 2000's
The Dynasty: Roc La Familia was a family affair, for his follow-up Jay-Z offers a solo manifesto on ruling the rap game. Once again, the prolific rapper spares no expense when it comes to heavy-hitting production, using the same sample-heavy formula on this, his sixth disc in five years, as he did on his winning debut,
Reasonable Doubt.
The Jackson 5's nostalgic "I Want You Back" anchors the summertime radio anthem "Izzo," just as "Hard-Knock Life" lifted vocals from the musical
Annie. And it appears that his continuing success might be going to J-Hova's head. On Timbaland's "Hola Hovito," he boasts: "I'm Michael, Magic, and Bird all rolled in one/If I ain't better than Big, I'm the closest one." Although he's been embraced by the
Total Request Live set, Jay maintains his street cred on battle rhymes such as "Renegade," produced by and featuring rap bad boy
Eminem, and "Takeover," on which Jay-Z attacks rival MCs over a stomping
Doors sample. Bootleggers and rap rivals, beware: Jay-Z's on the warpath, and nobody's gonna break his stride.
Ryan Crosby