Released: September 11, 2001
Genre: East Coast hip hop
Label: Roc-A-Fella ∙ Def Jam
Producer: Kanye West ∙ Just Blaze ∙ Bink ∙ Timbaland ∙ The Trackmasters ∙ Eminem ∙ Luis Resto
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Jay-Z is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and that’ll never be up for debate. By 2001, Jay-Z was already goated after the releases of some of his most classic albums from the 90s and early 2000s. Hov was also one of the most featured artists on the pop, R&B & hip hop scene, gaining his first number one hit on Hot 100 with Mariah Carey’s 1999 smash single Heartbreaker. By 2001, Jay-Z was one of hip-hop’s most hot emcees!
Jay-Z released his sixth studio album The Blueprint on September 11, 2001, the day of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers. Despite the tragedy and legal woes he was facing with the stabbing of music executive Lance “Un” Rivera, the album debuted at number 1 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, selling over 427,000 copies in its first week. The album will stay on top of the charts for another two weeks.
The Blueprint is considered to be one of Jay-Z’s classic records (if NOT the best,) and rightfully so. Prior to this album, Hov released 5 studio albums, and I’ll say out of them all…Reasonable Doubt (his debut album) was the absolute strongest one. Everything about The Blueprint screams organic! From the lyricism to the production from a young Kanye West, Just Blaze, Bink & The Trackmasters, The Blueprint is a retrospective look into Hov’s world, and we get a more mature sound and the mentality from the iconic rapper is drastically different from prior albums.
Even the cover art is iconic. The photograph was inspired by a photo that depicts organized crime in Britain with Jay-Z’s twist for such a classic record. The Blueprint recently made history for being the first entry to be selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” Legendary af.
Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you Jay-Z’s The Blueprint.
The Ruler’s Back
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Roosevelt Harrell III ∙ Phil Hurtt ∙ Walter Sigler
The Ruler’s Back is the perfect opening song for an album like The Blueprint. A tribute to a Slick Rick song of the same name, the song has Hov letting the people know that he’s ready to eat them up on the mic.
***The Ruler’s Back contains a sample of:
- If by Jackie Moore
The Ruler’s Back contains an interpolation of:
- The Ruler’s Back by Slick Rick
Takeover
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Kanye West ∙ Eric Burdon ∙ Lawrence Parker ∙ Alan Lomax ∙Bryan Chandler ∙ Rodney Lemay ∙ Jim Morrison ∙ John Densmore ∙ Robby Krieger ∙ Ray Manzarek
***Takeover features additional vocals by Josey Scott.
Takeover is a diss aimed at Mobb Deep, and more notably Nas speaking that they had a huge feud at the time. The sampling on this record makes it so iconic. One of the highlights on this album.
***Takeover contains samples of:
- Five to One by The Doors
- Sound of da Police by KRS-One
***Takeover contains an interpolation of:
- Fame by David Bowie
Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Kanye West ∙ Berry Gordy ∙ Alphonso Mizell ∙ Freddie Perren ∙ Deke Richards
***Izzo (H.O.V.A.) features uncredited vocals by Demme Uloa.
Izzo (H.O.V.A.) was released as the first single from the album, and is known as one of his most signature songs. Produced by Kanye West, the record is a real smooth one to vibe to! The song gave Jay-Z a top ten hit on the op and R&B charts, peaking at 8 and 4 respectively.
***Izzo (H.O.V.A.) contains a sample of:
I Want You Back by Jackson 5
Girls, Girls, Girls
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Justin Smith ∙ Tom Brock ∙ Robert Reif
***Girls, Girls, Girls features additional vocals by Q-Tip, Slick Rick and Biz Markie.
Girls Girls, Girls is easily one of the best rap songs I’ve ever heard ever!! From a lyrical perspective, the song is lyrically about the rapper and the multiple women he’s juggling & everything about them. The song peaked in the top 5 on the R&B charts at 4, Hot Rap Songs at 9 and Hot 100 at 17 respectively. Another Just Blaze classic!
***Girls, Girls, Girls contains samples of:
- There’s Nothing in This World That Can Stop Me from Loving You by Tom Brock
- High Power Rap by Crash Crew
Jigga That Nigga
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Jean-Claude Olivier ∙ Samuel Barnes
***Jigga That Nigga features additional vocals by Stephanie Miller and Michelle Mills.
Jigga That Nigga is another classic record from the greatest rapper that was produced by The Trackmasters (Poke & Tone). Released as the third single, the song peaked in the top 40 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at 27, Hot Rap Songs at 7 and Hot 100 at 66 respectively.
U Don’t Know
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Justin Smith ∙ Bobby Byrd
U Don’t Know is a songgggggg! The utilization of the sample I’m Not to Blame by Bobby Byrd makes this song more amazing between sampling soul music and having heavy bass in its instrumental. I keep telling y’all about Just Blaze’s production. Top tier! The song was remixed for The Blueprint sequel as well that featured M.O.P.
U Don’t Know contains a sample of:
I’m Not to Blame by Bobby Byrd
Hola’ Hovito
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Timothy Mosley
I ball for real, y’all niggas are Sam Bowie
Jay-Z, Hola Hovito, 2001
Hola Hovito is a solid record from Hov and his work with Timbaland.
Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Kanye West ∙ Michael Price ∙ Dan Walsh
***Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love) features uncredited vocals by Keon Bryce.
Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love) is totally one of the album’s highlights. Produced by the one and only Kanye West, the song’s instrumental alone is pure flames. & the flow? whew!
***Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love) contains a sample of :
- Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City by Bobby Blue Bland
Never Change
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Kanye West ∙ Robert Eugene Miller
***Never Change features uncredited vocals by Kanye West.
Built around a sample of a David Ruffin classic, Never Change is lyrically about his life and how he’s never changed from his days of poverty, selling drugs, and now making it big.
***Never Change contains a sample of:
- Common Man by David Ruffin
Song Cry
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Justin Smith ∙ Douglas Gibbs ∙ Ralph Johnson
Song Cry was the fourth and final single from the album, and rightfully so because it is one of Jay’s most incredible records lyrically and production wise.
Lyrically, the song describes the pain and heartbreak of a long-term relationship ending, and depends on the song crying to make up for his lack of actual expressions doing the job. The song was a top 40 hit on the Hot Rap Songs chart at 25.
***Song Cry contains a sample of:
- Sounds Like a Love Song by Bobby Glenn
All I Need
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Roosevelt Harrell III ∙∙ Michael D. Monroe
All I Need is one of my favorite album cuts ever. Like the Natalie Cole sample alone is just FIRE!
***All I Need contains a sample of:
- I Can’t Break Away by Natalie Cole
Renegade (featuring Eminem)
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Marshall Mathers ∙ Luis Resto
Renegade is the only collaboration on the album, with Eminem and Hov giving us a fire record.
Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)
Written by Shawn Carter ∙Roosevelt Harrell ∙ Al Green
***Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) features background vocals by Schevise Harrell and Luren Leek.
The final song on the album, Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) is Hov discussing how the people in his life had an impact on him good and bad.
***Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) contains a sample of:
- Free at Last by Al Green
Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Justin Smith ∙ Tyrone Thomas ∙ August Moon ∙ Gerald Brown ∙ Stanley Clarke ∙ Michael Garson ∙ Raymond Gomez
***Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise) contains a sample of:
- Got to Find My Own Place by Stanley Clarke
A “hidden” record on the album, Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise) has the lyricist discussing how cold his rap skills are.
Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)
Written by Shawn Carter ∙ Justin Smith ∙ Robert Poindexter ∙ Jackie Members
***Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2) features uncredited vocals by Michael Jackson and Chanté Moore.
The album closes with Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2,) which serves as a remix to the amazing song. The song contains new verses by the rapper, and uncreidted vocals from THE Michael Jackson & Chanté Moore! Can’t get better than that!
***Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2) contains a sample of:
- Trying Girls Out by The Persuaders
Jay-Z’s The Blueprint will forever go down as one of the most immaculate hip hop albums of all time, including one of the most successful. The rapper would go on to create a trilogy for the monumental album, with the albums having some fire classics on them all. It’s something nostalgic about the first Blueprint that makes it worth going back to revisit. -MW.
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