Album Review of Jay-Z's "The Blueprint III"

After releasing ten number one albums and retiring a total of three times Jay Z is back with The Blueprint III, the follow up to his 2002 album The Blueprint 2.
The album itself was executively produced by superstar producer and rapper Kanye West, and features rhythms by notable production team The Neptunes, multi-platinum selling producer and rapper Swizz Beatz and production legend Timbaland. The production on the album as compared to Jay-Z’s discography is fragmented though. Whereas his last offering, American Gangster, was the pinnacle of hip hop at the time, The Blueprint III lacks luster in comparison.That is not to say that the album is without merit. The track “Already Home” with its triumphant lyrics and its lush brass section competing with the striking string section will be a classic for many years to come. And, the first single “D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)” was like a harbinger of change within the hip hop art form, challenging other rappers to produce better music or face the wrath of Jay-Z.
The song “Thank You” shines through the rest of the album as Jay-Z’s mission statement and a sign of change in how he creates his art. This song seems a treatise on his relationship to other rappers and to his audience; it’s thick horns rousing us to celebration.
The album itself, as compared to other offerings of the year, protrudes from the monotony and background noise that is today’s music industry to give us another chapter Jay-Z’s saga. The Blueprint III is essential to any Hip hop aficionado’s music collection and is a perfect introduction to the lyrical works of S.Carter.