"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times-the gift and the curse." All artists must struggle to establish themselves in relation to those who have come before them, and hip hop artists are no exception.
Jay-Z's newest release, The Blueprint, Vol. 2: The Gift and the Curse, a massive two-disc effort, demonstrates that this struggle is still alive and well. On The Blueprint, the only man in rap today who could unite two coasts, sample everyone from Shrek and Sinatra to Big Boi and B.I.G., and refer to himself as J-HOVA, has solidified his spot in the lyrical canon of hip hop music.
The first disc, The Gift, begins with "A Dream" in which Mr. Z speaks to a vision of Biggie about the problems of being on top. Nevertheless, he moves quickly from megalomanical prophesy to the radio-friendly "'03 Bonnie & Clyde," featuring Beyonce Knowles. "I Did It My Way" showcases Jay-Z's talent for producing complex beats with unlikely samples as he spins a lounge-singer's rendition of the Sinatra classic into a catchy chorus.
The Curse follows with slightly darker songs including "Guns & Roses," which features Lenny Kravitz and offers a guitar-driven exploration of the contradictions of life that rhymes "guns and roses" with "friends and foes-es," but which will probably join "Bonnie & Clyde" on the radio. The three bonus tracks at the end of The Curse bring the total number of songs on The Blueprint to 25, making a few skip-over tracks inevitable.
Jay-Z, however, carries the massive project with aplomb. If there was any doubt as to his place in the register of rap today, The Blueprint has removed it.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.