Customer Reviews

Blueprint 2 Gift And The Curs

5 star:		(153)
4 star:		(105)
3 star:		(49)
2 star:		(66)
1 star:		(85)

 

 

Not only has Jay-Z graced us with yet another superb album, but he's even given us 2 whole CDs worth of quality new material. It may not be as classic as the original Blueprint, but songs like "All Around The World" and "As One" represent a new and refurnished appreciation for life, and give the album a fresh new feel. There are plenty of fun, bouncing songs with less deep meanings, like the Neptunes-produced "F**k All Nite" and "Excuse Me Miss," which features the singing talents of Pharell Williams. Despite production credits for the Neptunes, Timbaland and Dr. Dre, the awards for best production would have to go to Jay-Z's Rocafella students Just Blaze and Kanye West, who totally establish a reputation for the future of production in hip-hop. And unlike the first Blueprint, which featured one vocal guest; Eminem, the second installment has a small army of guest rappers and singers, most spookily the Notorious BIG on the opening track; he makes a bizarre comment about "blowing up like the World Trade," despite having died in 1997. Also among the guests are Dr. Dre, Rakim, Sean Paul, Lenny Kravitz and Scarface, not to mention a sample of Paul Anka on "I Did It My Way," and the great Heavy D on production for "Guns & Roses." A splendid collection, with surprisingly little filler material for a double album. It's no "All Eyez On Me," but it's definitely more than enough to keep the fans content until that last fateful installment from the undisputed lyrical genius Sean Carter.

Another year another Jay-Z album, oops, I mean a double album now. It was probably a bad idea for Jay-Z to drop a double LP. Too many fillers in this one such as "Excuse Me Miss", "2 Many Hoes", "As One" (one of the worse rap songs in the world), "Hovi Baby", & "What They Gonna Do". Let's get to the good parts of the album. The first disc highlights are "A Dream", "Poppin' Tags" (my all time favorite), "The Watcher 2", "03 Bonnie & Clyde", & "All Around the World". "The Bounce was alright, Kanye West was not all that impressive. The second disc is a little stronger when it comes down to his lyrics. "Meet the Parents", "Some Home Some Way", & Diamonds is Forever", are great songs. "U Don't Know (Remix)" is off the hook. M.O.P. ripped it up. "Guns & Roses" is growing on me. If you are a huge Jay-Z/Roc fan buy this album. If you are the type of person like me that just buy Cd's, just burn it. If you put those good songs, I mentioned on one disc, then it will be a near classic.

What is amazing about Jay-Z is his ability to constantly stay up with the times. So many other rappers fail to meet the current demand in hip-hop and rap taste that they fall off, but Jay-Z has avoided that pitfall. Bringing lots of new flavor to the Blueprint 2, Jay-Z is definately in the Prime of his career. The Gift & The Curse are two cds packed with pure talent and wonderfully selected beats.

The Gift is highlighted by such tracks as "A Dream," "'03 Bonnie and Clyde," and "The Watched 2."

The Curse is highlighted by such tracks as "Diamond is Forever," "Guns & Roses" and "As One."

Jay-Z has brought many names to his album. His previous album "The Blueprint" had only one other performer on this album (Eminem), but Jay-Z made the decision to bring many voices into his tracks for this double-cd release. Some of the artists on the tracks include Memphis Bleek, Faith Evans, the Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Beanie Sigel, Lenny Kravitz, and Beyonce' Knowles.

This album deserves high praise for Jay-Z's mature rap style, mastery of sharp lyrics, and downright quality songs. I pray that the radio does not get a hold of too many of the songs on the album - because I would hate for such quality to be played out.

My rating - 5 of 5 stars. Best rap/hip-hop cd that I have purchased in 2002 - no contest.

Its been proved by Cam'ron that Jay-Z steals lyrics from various artists like B.I.G, Tupac, Big L, Eazy-E, & others! He steals like the whole sentence of lyric they spit on their tracks. Its pretty sad. So ever since then, I've lost all respect for this guy who I thought was a good rapper... And by the way, this album sucks, im being nice by giving it a 2

This is a pretty tight album...it holds nothing to the first but is still pretty tight.Jay-Z is one of the greatest of all time and he just was trying some new flows out on this album and they sounded pretty damn good to me.Best Song "Meet The Parents"

Ok, for all you jay-z haters you all are wack...this album is unreal. Just listen to the first song on the album which is a perfect beginning, jay-z kicks it in so many different moods and flows. From the preaching blueprint 2, to the club banger poppin tags to every song on this cd. Jay-z's collab with beyonce is off the hook, and for you who said look where jay-z would be today..ur fake, jay-z is giving props to pac as one of the ambassadors of hip-hop...so u are obviously wrong in saying jay-z "copied"...this albums is crazy but all you fakes who skim through rap need to keep ya day jobs..peace......."im supposed to be number 1 on everybodys list, we'll see what happens when i no longer exist"-Jigga/Hov/J-Hova/Jay-z/Jay/Shawn Carter/The One

Jay-z is a horrible rapper with little talent at all. WHERE WOULD YOU BE IF PAC WERE HERE? YOU SURE AS HELL WOULDN'T BE AS WELL OFF AS YOU ARE NOW. On this album Jay-Z steals many of Pac's ideas and even songs. "Ballad of a fallen soldier" WTF??? THAT WAS PAC'S TITLE FOR A SONG (ballad of a dead souljah)! Plus a horrible remake with zero talent of a great song Bonnie and Clyde. This remake completely ruins a great song created by Pac. Back in the day jay-z dissed Pac yet now he steals his ideas and beats. Jay-z it will comeback to you, YOU'LL NEVER COMPARE TO THE DON

If Jay would of released these Cd's seperately The Curse would of done so much better than The Gift. I can actually listen to the curse as a regular cd wit out skipping around unlike the gift where the only good songs 1,3,5,and 8. While the second disc mostly every song is good. I'd say an alrite try on behalf of Jay. The first Blueprint is a lot better.

Well overall the blueprint 2 is top 5 alltime in my list of fav cd's , the production is tight , but if jigga would have just had one cd with the following songs on it it would be a classic:

1) The Blueprint 2
2) Some People Hate
3) Hovi Baby
4) Some How Some Way
5) Diamonds Are Forever
6) As One
7) A Soldiers Ballad
8) Poppin Tags
9) N***A Please
10)A Dream
11)Meet The Parents
12)Show You How
13)U Don't Know Remix
14)The Watcher 2
15)All Around The World

Those songs would have made the Blueprint2 and instant classic, but overall this cd is 5 stars, i love it, viva la roc

The Blueprint was a great album and to follow that up is hard. Jay-Z rushed the Blueprint 2. The songs didn't seem as personal or creative. The duets are the only reason to buy the disc. The remixs arn't bad either. The 2 disc should've been a 1 disc. But for die hard fans the more material the better.