Opinz

Ghostface Killah – Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City

One would hope that Ghostface could’ve closed out a decade of solid to absolutely classic releases with one more enjoyable listen but the “Back Like That”-styled, deliberately R&B-fueled Wizard of Poetry is weak sauce: the guest stars are b-list at best and while the rhymes are generally strong (this is Ghostface we’re talking about), they have no bite, except for the unquestionable album highlight and stunningly, impressively filthy fuck-jam “Stapleton Sex”. (Which Ghost has dedicated to Natalie Portman, because of course he has)

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Tags: adrienne bailon, estelle, fabolous, ghostface killah, jack night, john legend, kanye west, lloyd, ne-yo, raheem radio devaughn, ron browz, shareefa, vaughn anthony, wizard of poetry

Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3

On The Blueprint 3’s first single “D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)”, Jay-Z complains about the state of rap and brags about getting back to real hip-hop, but he spends the rest of the album completely contradicting himself: this sounds like Jay-Z trying his hand at a more pop-oriented album – à la collaborator Kanye West – but Jigga isn’t Kanye and his attempts (aside from most of the album’s first third, particularly second single “Run This Town”) generally fall flat and become immediately forgettable, before the album gets downright terrible with the cheese-tastic closer “Young Forever” and the muddled, disgracefully bad “Hate” (possibly one of the worst songs of the year); The Blueprint 3 is clearly the sound of Jay-Z trying to be something he isn’t.
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Tags: alicia keys, drake, j. cole, jay-z, kanye west, Kid Cudi, luke steele, mr hudson, pharrell, rihanna, swizz beats, the blueprint 3, Young Jeezy

N.A.S.A. – The Spirit of Apollo

The sprawling, star-studded music collaboration known as N.A.S.A. is likely to fall somewhat short of the inevitable Gorillaz comparisons and your expectations when you see the list of guest stars (featuring the likes of David Byrne, Chuck D, Method Man, Karen O, Tom Waits, Kanye West, Santogold, M.I.A., George Clinton, and Ghostface Killah, to name a few), but it functions very well as a big, feel-good hip-hop album that runs a gamut of sounds and topics as diverse as its cast of creators. More »

Tags: amanda blank, barbie hatch, chali 2na, chuck d, david byrne, del the funkee homosapian, dj am, dj babao, dj qbert, dj swamp, e-40, fatlip, george clinton, ghostface killah, gift of gab, john frusciante, kanye west, karen o, kool kieth, kool kojak, krs-one, lovefoxxx, lykke li, m.i.a., method man, n.a.s.a., nick zinner, ol' dirty bastard, ras congo, rza, santogold, scarface, seu jorge, sizzla, slim kid tre, spank rock, the cool kids, the spirit of apollo, tom waits, z-trip

Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak

808s & Heartbreak is certainly indulgent and the fans and critics are going to tear Kanye West to pieces for it, but the music itself is sound: a collection of emotionally aching tunes built on top of chilly, minimalist beats and mechanical effects, a brave, interesting, and refreshingly focused departure in a music industry where ‘change’ and ‘experimentation’ are four-letter words.

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Tags: 808s & Heartbreak, kanye west, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy

Jay-Z – The Blueprint

Jay-Z – The Blueprint

September 11, 2001
Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam
Rating: 4.6 / 5

The Music Rag One Sentence Review: Arguably Jigga’s masterpiece, he spits expertly only the way he can on then-beefs, girls (girls, girls), and a possible stint in prison, all without unnecessary skits and other frills and superbly soulful production from the likes of Timbaland, Just Blaze, and an at-the-time unknown Kanye West. (With a great guest appearance by Eminem on “Renegade”.)

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Tags: eminem, jay-z, kanye west, nas, the blueprint, timbaland