Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

The Blueprint 3

The Blueprint 3 is Jay-Z's strongest album since 2003's Black Album. Many thought Jay had lost his edge, but one listen to this new batch of tracks dismisses that notion. It’s got to be difficult for an artist like Jay-Z to escape the shadow of his own legacy, but despite that, The Blueprint 3 manages to hold its own among a string of classic hip-hop albums. Kanye West provides the sonic backdrop on 7 of the 15 songs as Jay flows on track after track with vigor that fans haven't heard in a while.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Despite the out of control ego and ridiculous antics at the 2009 MTV VMA show, you can’t deny West's production skill. West had his first taste of success when he produced the hit single "H.O.V.A." on the original Blueprint album. After staggering solo success, West returns to where it all began with impressive results.

The album provides a fresh take in an era of hip-hop dominated by over-produced party anthems. Jay points this out throughout the album. Most notably on the track "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," which slams rapper T-Pain. (Ironically, West released an album that utilized auto-tune last year.)

One of the most unexpected tracks on the disc is "Forever Young," sampling the Alphaville classic of the same name. Another interesting listen that may not be for all Jay-Z fans is the slow-flowing "Hate" with Kanye West. Standout tracks include the Swizz Beats-produced "On to the Next One" and radio hit "We Run This Town."

Although he is staring down the barrel at 40, Jay shows no signs of fatigue. This may not be the edgiest hip-hop, but it's the best you'll find in the mainstream.

Album title: The Blueprint 3
Artist: Jay-Z
Songs: 1. What We Talkin' About 2. Thank You 3. D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) 4. Run This Town 5. Empire State of Mind 6. Real As It Gets 7. On to the Next One 8. Off That 9. A Star Is Born 10. Venus vs. Mars 11. Already Home 12. Hate 13. Reminder 14. So Ambitious 15. Young Forever

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Trophy truck crushes four at Baja 1000

"Two other racers on quads died too,"

The Blueprint 3 is Jay-Z's strongest album since 2003's Black Album. Many thought Jay had lost his edge, but one listen to this new batch of tracks dismisses that notion. It’s got to be difficult for an artist like Jay-Z to escape the shadow of his own legacy, but despite that, The Blueprint 3 manages to hold its own among a string of classic hip-hop albums. Kanye West provides the sonic backdrop on 7 of the 15 songs as Jay flows on track after track with vigor that fans haven't heard in a while.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Despite the out of control ego and ridiculous antics at the 2009 MTV VMA show, you can’t deny West's production skill. West had his first taste of success when he produced the hit single "H.O.V.A." on the original Blueprint album. After staggering solo success, West returns to where it all began with impressive results.

The album provides a fresh take in an era of hip-hop dominated by over-produced party anthems. Jay points this out throughout the album. Most notably on the track "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," which slams rapper T-Pain. (Ironically, West released an album that utilized auto-tune last year.)

One of the most unexpected tracks on the disc is "Forever Young," sampling the Alphaville classic of the same name. Another interesting listen that may not be for all Jay-Z fans is the slow-flowing "Hate" with Kanye West. Standout tracks include the Swizz Beats-produced "On to the Next One" and radio hit "We Run This Town."

Although he is staring down the barrel at 40, Jay shows no signs of fatigue. This may not be the edgiest hip-hop, but it's the best you'll find in the mainstream.

Album title: The Blueprint 3
Artist: Jay-Z
Songs: 1. What We Talkin' About 2. Thank You 3. D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune) 4. Run This Town 5. Empire State of Mind 6. Real As It Gets 7. On to the Next One 8. Off That 9. A Star Is Born 10. Venus vs. Mars 11. Already Home 12. Hate 13. Reminder 14. So Ambitious 15. Young Forever

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Second largest yellowfin tuna caught by rod and reel

Excel does it again
Next Article

Live Five: Sitting On Stacy, Matte Blvck, Think X, Hendrix Celebration, Coriander

Alt-ska, dark electro-pop, tributes, and coastal rock in Solana Beach, Little Italy, Pacific Beach
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader