Review: Jay-Z - American Gangster
Words By: Hallway Jay
OVERALL RATING:
After a hiatus from the self-proclaimed and referred to by fans as, Jay Hova, enter American Gangster. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter returns, minus the presidential accolades, iced-out references, and over hyped messiah quotes, with probably his strongest attempt yet. This collection of song brings forth inspiration from the highly – anticipated Ridley Scott directed “American Gangster”. Although the innovative Black album previously was not a fan favorite by man devout fans we see classic Jay-Z within several tracks. The overall feel of the album is reminiscent to selections from Reasonable Doubt and Volume One.
The thirteen track album includes the first Pharrell Williams featured song “Blue Magic” as a bonus track alongside the sample laden track “American Gangster”. Yet at first glance there is usual Rocafella command ante’s of Chi-town’s Kanye West, the Broad Street Bully himself Beanie Sigel, as well as the Queensbridge street disciple Nasir Jones, along with Skateboard P and young money himself, Lil’ Wayne. Despite the asperity of features the first voice you ironically hear is Beyonces’ as one of the strongest tracks, “Pray” is an open dialogue between Jay-Z and his audience. Here we see a beautiful ensemble of music draped over a heartbeat like baseline. Beyonce’s angelic voice is a perfect compliment to the beat her soft whispers set the mood for young Hov to tell of a story of struggle and oppression. So from this we go to “American Dreamin” where a sample playing “Oh no I never gave up….”. Here is where the American Gangster references start to set in where he states basic hood problems. If one reoccurring theme that we see is struggle and the often oversaturated cliché of “getting out of the hood” set. The fourth track is probably the most anticipated song as the Big D produced track “Brooklyn 2.0” is very different. With the consistency of the thumping base-line and the variously placed Beastie Boy’s sample we see Lil’ Wayne singing on the hook and trying to pull off his best Andre 3000 impression. Although personally I think Andre would have pulled it off more fluidly Wayne does a fairly decent job. This track wasn’t meant for Jay-Z at first and was going to appear on Waynes album “The Carter 3”, as well as being produced almost 3 years ago.
The next song starts out with a sample directly from the movie and has “No Hook”. Deviating from the average format of the 16 bar rapper’s form we see a very reflective Shawn taking us back with: “Poor Me/ Dad was gone, finally got my Dad back/ Liver Bad/ he wouldn’t live long/ Snatch back/ guidance I never had that/ streets was my second home/ welcomed me with open arms/ provided a place to crash at/ a place to study math at/ matter fact I learnt it all/ learnt it all/ this music is where I bury the ashes at” . Throughout the song there is a consistence reluctance to conform to the “rich” status that he eludes to the public. The very next track “Roc Boys(And the Winner is)” is enriched with horns that express the essence of the hustler. Kanye West lends his efforts to the hook with various “We In the Housse Housssse” sprinkled throughout. A blaxploitation sampled congo laced track title “Sweet” provides the perfect canvas for Hov for another “Good Life” mentality expressed. Pharrell Williams brings every part of the next song as there is speculation to the deviation from the “struggle” with the song “I Know”. This synth-heavy song is more happy and breaks the monotony of the struggle-esque songs and sounds very much like “Change Clothes” conveniently also produced by Pharrell Williams. Number Nine provides a slower and quite possibly the weakest track with “Party Life”, in all honestly without the sample behind his vocals this could be one of his worse tracks. Next is the Philly native Beanie Sigel featured “Ignorant Shit”, this track leaked a few years ago and is still a great example of the cohesiveness of the Rocafella, as well it boasts a commonly used sample of the Isleys (I don’t need to tell you which one, buy the copy and support good music).
Say Hello is another horn driven track accompanied with choir “Oooohs” within the background, this is the average braggadocios Hovie that we currently notice more often with the chorus being the obvious concept(Hi Hater’s). Finally we see track twelve as an organ smother classic with Jay-Z bring an obvious B.I.G quote into conception as well as the classic Nas, need I say more. My favorite track is by far the piano induced track “Fallin’”, where the words “fallin’” is sampled within different octaves is hypnotically repeated throughout. This track is conceptually talking about the hardships of a once king or top dog falling from grace. The next two songs are considered “Bonus Tracks” yet one is the single produced by Pharrell “Blue Magic”, where we see Hov bringing back the struggle, this concept is followed throughout the last track “American Gangster” as well.
Overall a strong effort by the God Young Hov, so “what more can I say”, thanks for the “encore”, we finally see Hovie’s Home.
October 31st, 2007 at 11:19 pm
i strongly dis-agree
this was the worst album of 2007
chris brown > this camel
November 1st, 2007 at 4:54 am
havent coped this yet but if u say its 4 star.
ima get a listen
November 1st, 2007 at 4:55 am
btw, try to split up the article with more paragraphs son, shit hurts my eyes.lol
November 1st, 2007 at 10:04 am
pg is an idiot
November 1st, 2007 at 1:17 pm
4 star?! smh naaaaa blue magic and success was the hardest on it. the cd was jay worst.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Look I realize alot of people are going to either agree or disagree, but I do appreciate the comments. I let each song speak for itself, realizing that there will never be another Reasonable Doubt, and expecting that would be foolish, I look at each album as if it was that artists first. So the good with the bad, the overall collection of songs was a great effort. Just as the Black Album was a great effort yet not many gave him the recognition for that because it was different.
So to all who replied I honestly appreciate your comments, keep’em coming, I like criticism, it helps me grow as a writer. Maybe if other writers wouldn’t take so many comments to heart we would have better articles to read in these Hip Hop mags…lol
November 1st, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I got 2 more reviews…coming soon so stay posted
November 1st, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Man I don’t know what you’re hearing Slur. I love this album.
November 1st, 2007 at 3:48 pm
^^I’m with you KInggs I am really feelin this album for whatever reason. I think Kingdom Come was his worst by far. Just a matter of opinion though.
November 1st, 2007 at 4:34 pm
yeah this album destroys kingdom come
November 1st, 2007 at 5:17 pm
nah………. i actually enjoyed some tracks on kingdom come… beach chair was my anthem for the end of school lol… But the way he handled American gangster… ima have to do it the same way i did graduation b4 i liked it. Put away some time, put on the album and zone out… oh btw, thx waxx 4 that party life and innocent man, those r my tracks of the month ya dig!
November 1st, 2007 at 5:47 pm
I DIS AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THING SAID THIS ALBUM WAS HORRIBLE EVERYONE WILL REALIZE SOON ENOUGH THIS ALBUM WAS AS BAD AS KINGDOM COME I WA SLOOKING FORWARD TO THIS UNTIL I ACTUALLY HEARD IT THEN I SAID “WACK” AND TURNED THIS SHIT OFF.
I BEEN LISTENING TO THE CASSIDY ALBUM FOR THE PAST 2 WEEKS AND IT SHITS ON THIS ALBUM COMPLETELY.
November 1st, 2007 at 6:04 pm
wtf, cass’s lp dropped
why am i always the last to know bout these shits
lol
November 1st, 2007 at 6:05 pm
worst/best/not reasonable doubt level/umm kinda like black album/he fell off/blah/blah/blah
u guys r fuckin lame man…im not fuckin with this internet shit anymore..shit makin me lose my soul!
November 1st, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Max, aren’t you the dude that trolls are site looking for Slur?
You a hypocrite ass dude. For the record I don’t put this album up to any of those little standards you “hate” (chances are you judge albums like this too).
November 1st, 2007 at 8:56 pm
take that take that take that *diddy voice*
November 1st, 2007 at 8:57 pm
lol
November 1st, 2007 at 8:57 pm
See Kinggs I told you Im get people to talk…lmao
November 1st, 2007 at 9:07 pm
*hi haters im back off hiatus*
November 1st, 2007 at 9:17 pm
this is cleary the worst album of 07 waxx
stfu
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:29 am
this cd is about a 8 out of 10 that hello brooklyn song really annoys me and idk i just feel like this album was missing something but definitly a big step up from kingdom come
November 2nd, 2007 at 1:50 pm
i think this album is good especially ignorant shit that song is so tuffff
November 2nd, 2007 at 3:25 pm
K i’ll listen to it tonight and post what i think here
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:12 pm
shits i still only listened to half, cant give my opinion yet
November 2nd, 2007 at 11:16 pm
yo hallway that review wasnt nothing but the truth.my man jay killed it!!i personally believe its the best since blue print. yall need to show jay z respect.no one else could ever go where he has been and still come back to the hood as hard as he did.you watch the movie to and its like nothing but jay all day
November 2nd, 2007 at 11:21 pm
by the way worst album of 2007? you must be deaf,retarted and on crack
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:11 am
It’s sad that I’ma 15 yr. old and i realize how golden this album is
suprisingly I did LOve Ignorant Shit(it had truth behind it)
yall gonna have to do it lik Graduation hear the whole thing put it away for about a week till all the songs get stuck in ya head then go listen to it again
((Haha worth 5 boomboxxes… if possible))
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
3.5 for me.
better than kingdom
best trks :
fallin
american dreamin
worst trks
blue majic
sweet
roc boys
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Again i want to thank everybody for their opinions on everything. Just for my own personal opinion I do my favorite tracks are Fallin and American Dreamin’. I mean the rest are good but listen to the drums on American Dreamin’ and its a Marvin Gaye sample, the drums gotta be live they were dope and “Fallin’” the way they flipped that sample and how it “falls” or drops is great. Oh yea…Maza are you from Jersey? and if so do you know Mz. Entertainment and Alkatraxx…either way…I have several articles in the works Next on Deck:
1.Welcome 2 Class(the Next Generation): Scervin Beatz
2. Cassidy - Barry Adrian Reese Story (B.A.R.S) REVIEW
3. Chris Brown- Exclusive REVIEW
4. URBAN POP - Look out for the Discussion on that…ITS GONNA GET PEOPLE TALKING
5. Statik Selektah - Spell My Name Right REVIEW…(this album is dope go buy it)
But until then Support your Local Artists
STAY IN THE STRUGGLE
Hallway J
November 3rd, 2007 at 10:42 pm
im from the uk jay,
and good looks on the articles coming up, looking forward to it
November 4th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Iight got myt listen on once or twice…. finally can spit my mind in the album. Its hot, most of his tracks u need to listen to a couple times, like sucess and fallin, until your like ‘damn dude came hard as hell…’ i reccomend it to every1, unless you stay blastin lame Southern bass based music, cause real talk, this just aint for u ya dig?
November 4th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
lol altho hello brooklyn went close to being that^^
November 4th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
^^ Now that u mention it… HELL YEA IT DOES!!!!!!! Curse u WAYNE!!!!
November 6th, 2007 at 12:18 am
is album is average. hello brooklyn was wack as hell, lil wayne needs to suicide…immediately. theres a few alright songs like success, no hook. best song is Pray, that track is fire i admit. but really, jayz sounds like the same old tired ass. i see no versatility, every track has the same flow, same concept. they need to bring back old school jayz (on that Big L track). 2 and a half mics out of 5.
November 7th, 2007 at 12:05 am
yo come on yall this is grown ass rap music you guys are so condition my d level rappers and shit you forgot how to hear good music and kingdomcome was tuff growm and stop snapping your damn fingers all the time and be paitient and listen .im done . cant leave rap alone the game needs me . and for the dude who sais cass shit is hot your smoking something b
November 19th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
do you fools listen to music or do you just skip throught it.
any body that apreciate music can feel this album.
its easy to say its tha wackest till you hit the stu and do better
my message if you cant top it dont knock it
fucking criticts stop hating on my mans doing tha review yall
prob cant even write a song or a review yall selfs.
mr. amsterdam
March 10th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Well it is all a question of opinion and style. How do you listen to your music are you multi cultured do you listen to all music? Well I listen to everything and from what I listen to is artist all short change us on their albums we rarely get a hot 16 of a good 20 shit I have heard very few albums where the whole cd is bangin and mostly underground shit rocks better than anything this mainstream is basically lazy in their artistry. With exceptions to LIL Wayne even tho he is under the scope he is doin what most artist don’t and thats put up numbers. I want to see music worth the buck. Not 50% album all dollar like JAY’s album a few bangers and out what a cheap skate..