Feature review

Kristopher Smith

Feature Review

Jay-Z and The Black Album (2003)

Prior to The Black Album (2003), Jay-Z had just came off of a nation-wide tour which has ranked in millions, which raises the question, why would he want out now, at the peak of his popularity? The Black Album, touted as his final release, offers some answers, though none as clear-cut as what may or may not be the truth: that it's all an elaborate publicity stunt. Or maybe it's not: Jay-Z has made an album every year for the past seven years; that he'd want a break of some sort now is understandable. Certain lyrics hint that this isn't the last record he'll put out, but if this were to be true, this being his final album, will his skill still be as great when gets around to the comeback? It's anyone's guess, and that mystery is part of what makes this album such an intriguing listen.

Here’s a look at each song minus the instrumental intro:

2. “December 4th : It is definitely quite common for music artists especially rappers to have fellow artists feature on their albums, but Jay-Z does something that rarely happens in music at all; his mother features on the song. She opens the song by saying how much her son Shawn Carter was musically influenced growing up and how she could tell he was “special” because he was more intellectual than other children his age. In his verses, Jay-Z explains that he was a shy child because of his absent father and that he had little to no friends growing up so he turned to music to escape such things. A great opening to an album already showing its diversity.

3. “What More Can I Say” : "What More Can I Say" is the sprawling pinnacle of every element that makes The Black Album an unrelentingly inspired future classic. Buchannans, one of two unknown producers featured here, supplies a triumphant instrumental that is introduced by a sample of dialogue from the movie Gladiator: One element that makes "What More Can I Say" a true marvel is that, despite it serving as Jay-Z's alleged last bang, it manages to sound more like a celebratory changing of the guard than a self-penned elegy by one of hip-hop's greatest emcees.

4. “Encore” : It's a little hard to take Jay-Z’s claims of retirement at face value when The Black Album's first three songs all claim to be his last and this one makes reference to "when I come back like [Michael] Jordan wearing the 45." But the concept of "Encore" makes such nitpicking irrelevant; a track like this leaves you waiting for the comeback. By producer Kanye Westusing such strong trumpets, strings, church-sounding background choir, and a stadium-packed sounding audience chanting his name for an Encore gives off a feeling of victory and accomplishment for the rapper. Although this song would have more appropriate as the outro, it may be the most versatile one of this album.

5. “Change Clothes”: As the first single (in regards to radio play), off of the album, we could already tell that Jay-Z is tryingto cater to a multiple audience. By its pop and hip-hop infused beat, Jay-Z shows that it is not always about gangster and drug related lyrics.

6. “Dirt off Your Shoulder”: A one of a kind sound and beat. The lyrics in these verses sound like vintage Jay-Z with its double-entendres and complex vocabulary.
7. “Threats”: This is probably the least sought after song on the album. It has a great beat but the song is ignorant in a sense that it has no message and talks about Jay-Z’s will to illegally defendhimself by any means necessary.

8. “Moment of Clarity”: The most intellectual song on the album. Jay-Z goes into depth about the absence of his father and the death of him and his uncle. Stating that he only seen his father in his death bed and just couldn’t feel bad for him but seen a spitting image of himself in his appearance that scared him a little bit.

9. “99 Problems”: The catchiest hook on the album with a rock and roll sounding beat. Jay-Z shows his knowledge of the law by recalling an event where an officer wanted to search his trunk (with drugs in it) but wasn’t allowed because of an absent warrant. This is the most played radio single on the album as well.

10. “Public Service Announcement”: Once again, Jay challenges his peers to try to take his crown for being the best rapper alive during this time period. He proves himself with compelling lyrics and a beat with a base so strong you cannot help but bob your head (go and see if I’m exaggerating!)

11. Justify My Thug”: Brought out the same reaction as “Threats.” Also, this is disappointing knowing that Madonna was supposed to be on the chorus but didn’t email it in time of the album production.

12. “Lucifer”: Although the chorus is simple and the beat is repetitive, the song’s verses are made up of a unique structure where it produces religious imagery and clever wordplay.

13. “Allure”: My personal favorite on the album. After 12 priorsongs with head-banging sounds, The Neptunes (producers) created beat gives for easy listening with a compelling message about his love for hip hop and old love for drugs mirroring to his love for women.

14. “My First Song”: clever in its title since Jay-Z raps with tongue-tying speed as he did in the start of his career. Jay-Z sums up his entire career in the media and behind the scenes in less than 4 minutes. Near the fading of the record, one can’t help but to think “come back Jay!”

As a whole, the album has a different sound from his others because of its minimal use of feature artists and its roster of highly sought after, expensive producers. From beginning to the end (minus a few) Jay-Z’s lyrics bring out heartfelt emotion from listeners since he puts a lot of his personal and career business out there that a lot of people either didn’t know of or had questions about. It also doesn’t help that this was supposed to be his last album, which most Jay fans didn’t want to come to accept like myself. Answering the question from earlier, ten years after this albums release, Jay-Z still “has it” and continues to make chart topping records. It would be a disappointment to see Jay-Z go, but if this album was his last, one could definitely not be disappointed.