♫ Jay-Z – Roc Boys
Only a week away from its November 6th release, Jay-Z’s American Gangster has leaked. Some were skeptical of Hov’s return, but in all honesty, his album delivers. I’m impressed with the production, as always, as well as the infectious hooks that I think I feel like a lot of songs lack these days, along with the immaculate sample choices made for the new record. AG is Jay-Z’s take on the story adapted for the same-titled film, starring Denzel Washington, T.I. (who was recently released from jail), and Common.
♫ Jay-Z feat. Lil’ Wayne – Hello Brooklyn
Although I have enjoyed the album, it definitely wasn’t exactly what I expected. The album flows really well, and features appearances from Lil’ Wayne, Pharrell Williams, Nas and a little speaking cameo from longtime girlfriend, Beyonce. Stand out tracks include “Pray,” “Hello Brooklyn,” and some of my personal favorites are “I Know,” produced by The Neptunes and the tightly arranged “American Dream.”
Damn CL yall are on the posts today. Keep up the good work.
Oh I can’t listen at work.
I feel so left out because I’m not a Jay z fan.
so sic and TIRED of jay z’s ugly face,… just RETIRE ALREADY URGHHH
I thought Jay and Wayne were battlin, did I miss the Make up?
woohoo
First!!!!!:) I love Jay-Z and I an loving the flow of the new songs so far. He will always be the “GREATEST RAPPER ALIVE” to me. Oh what’s up to my hometown New Orleans, LA 17th( Cutie)
CL you need to put up part life. he talks about bee in the second verse (even though he is denying it) anyways the song is FIRE
here is a link (this song just leaked today)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/454565231e5957/
I love Jay-Z so to all the on here talking about ppl they hate. None of you know these ppl personally so stop acting like lil ass kids and grow the fuck and stop hating. You all should be happy these black celebrities are making it. Peace
I LOVE JAY Z!!!!!! YES I’M A STAN BUT REGARDLESS IF I WASN’T A FAN HEARING THESE UPCOMING SONGS TO BE RELEASED ON THIS AMERICAN GANGSTER CD WOULD MAKE ME ONE FOR REAL. JAY KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. MUAHHHH!!!!!!
Brian,
Please do a review on Angie Stone’s current CD. I think people will be pleasantly surprised how good her work is on this particular CD.
I like how creative his recent songs are. He keeps putting out something different so yea he aint retiring until these lames step they game up and thats real.
Love the album, lyrics are point, flow is nice, and beat are banging. Now watch a couple ppl come here and say I wish he retire, he ugly, sick of seeing him, but still post in this thread which is about him. LOL how ironic. Jay Z just sold out in under a minute in House of Blues in the Chicago, NY, and LA area with tickets being OVER a $100. So obviously a lot of people are not tired of him. Anyways this album is heat, American Gangster is my fav track thus far.
sorry i meant “Party Life”
I’m never upset with Jay-Z’s presentation. I’ve heard the entire album – its great.
HOVA, HOVA, HOVA {{{{YEEYAH}}} GOTTA GET THAT U KNOW
JAY Z is the truth these tracks are FIRE!!!!!. Man I’m so excited about this cd and his VH1 special. I can’t wait till Hello brooklyn drops Jay and Waune my two favorite rappers keeping Hip Hop alive. Jay was born to do this people ain’t no way he should be retired.
I’m digging what i’ve heard so far.
I fucking love Jay, so I’m gonna cop the album. I love everything I’ve heard so far.
That track you posted is HOT @ #7 Tee.
Can’t listen to it but no doubt I’ll have “THE GREATEST RAPPER ALIVE” album Nov. 6th.
HOVA! HOVA! HOVA! Im feelin this album! I think it’ll be classic! Betta than his last two albums! Dat “Hello Brooklyn” is FIRE! Hov and Weezy are a dream callabo!
Brian you are the last dude who should be reviewing rap albums. “Infectious hooks” how does that make the album good exactly?
This album is garbage……Imma call it Kingdom Come Part 2!
Listen to “Reasonable Doubt” “The Blueprint” and “The Black Album” and then compare it to this shit and you’ll understand why its garbage.
I’m glad you know that this is NOT the soundtrack to American Gangster. The ACTUAL soundtrack is pretty good it in stores next week as weel ( and it doesn’t have Jay-Z on it)
#19 I’m glad you said IYO because if you didn’t then you would be very ignorant to hip hop music and all of the GREAT rappers in the game that was here long before Jay-Z and IMO immensely BETTER.
@BROOKLYNTOOKIT,
Obviously, your opinion is just that… An OPINION..
You’re probably not a producer or even somebody who can do music yourself, so what makes you think that your opinion over EVERY OTHER EDUCATED MUSIC CRITIC (respected) in this industry would even get acknowledged? The fact that you post ythat on CL shows that this is the only forum you have to actually make an attempt at relevancy.
I think it’s HILARIOUS!! Who ARE you?!!!
JAY HOVA is the Fuckin FIRE!! He’s the BOSS and you can’t TAKE it!!
Haters make the FUCKING world spin.. Without y’all there would be no MEGASTARS.. Keep puttin butter on my man HOV’s bread! LOLOLOLLMFAO!
The ROC is in da bldg. I WILL be coping that album Next week.
okay, I am not a jay-z fan but I do like a couple of his songs. I really dont like Lil Wayne, but I must admit that some of his songs have me tapping my feet. I absolutely hate to admit that I like this song with them together, but I do. But I’m still not a fan of either and would never buy any of their cds.
HE is trying to grabb that old flow … it’s difficult to listen to this .. and I am a die hard Jay-z fan … I gotta get the whole album and listen to the arrangement … I know yall like to bless people with peaks of the album and all that … but yall trashin the artist in a way … that’s my opinion …but regardless I am going to buy the album and sit back and crank it
THE SONGS ON THIS ALBUM IS FIYAH!!!! BROOKLYN STAND UP!!!
HOVI’S HOME
HOVA!
HOVA!
HOVA!
HOVA!
HOVA!
HOVA!
I heart Jay ever since I heard his voice I have been a stan. I can’t wait for this cd.
i like the song w/pharell but jay z’s analogies to all things expensive and yadda yadda are redundant(sp) to me now, how do your lyrics just never change? i’d appreciate it if he’d really retire and when are him and beyonce going to get married?!
@25
What da fuck are you talking about?
The critics have been tearing his album apart.
“Kingdom Come” got a 2 and a half from allmusic.com…and this album ain’t no different.
I’m sure you just some 12 year old kid who is a fan of Soulja Boy so I’m not even gonna give a flying fuck what you have to say…
@#7 that Party life track you posted is Jay on his serious swagger. thats the reason he can get it. I know beyonce is one happy woman cuz just listening to it made wanna give him the goodies.
Dont be fooled by the amazing beats/production folks…..Hov is kinda washed up, most of his album is guest appearances and now the concept is to talk about how he USED to sell drugs….booooo
I’m a fan….and I was happy with him bowing out gracefully with the Black album….let the newbies have it
Oh and the track with him and Nas…..NAS MURDERED JIGGA ON HIS OWN SHIT, WOW
#32. i have not heard one bad review form critics. Rolling Stone, EW, Source have all talked about how good of an album it is. If you do not like it thats fine.
he said it himself, its not a commercial album (no club bangers , no number #1 song)
Ditto #8 This proves why Jay-Z is a icon in this game. The songs are great and even though there are references of drugs and violence the songs show humility and substance not the cliche’ gangsta rap songs that are hot at the moment. HOVA delivered another classic and he desrves to sell just as much if not more than Kanye & 50. Who knew some old puff daddy beatz would manifest to a quality CD!
This is why after a decade Jay is still mentioned as one of the greats where will all the haters be years from now? (Jim Jones,Cam’ron,Dame Dash, & MAYBE YOU!)
THE DYNASTY CONTINUES………
Sorry.. I’m just not feeling. I have to agree with the post before. Blueprint, Reasonable doubt were the best albums to me. The is some straight garbage!!!!!
Sorry, I was an old fan of Jay Z’s, but no more. He’s WACK!!!!!!!! His style of flow sucks to me. But that’s just my opinion. He’ll make his money regardless.
SOURCE MAGAZINE! Give me a fuckin break! They gave Lil Kim’s “The Naked Truth” 5 mics! And that album was horse shit.
ROLLING STONE hasn’t known what good rap is in their existence seeing as how they’re a rock and roll magazine
EW….lmao! They don’t know shit about shit anyway.
Actually, I’m a label exec… Silly rabbit..
Anyway, check your sources.. EW, Billboard, etc, all give the album kudos…
Your ignorance is pretty embarrassing to all of us who actually READ.
With that being said, Jay Z is still going to sell a million + albums because he has alot stans out there that love anything he puts out. Make that money Jay Z.
ANd by the way.. The NAKED truth was FIRE! You where are you from? Idaho or something? LMAO.
Dude, go shoot yourself. You have no idea what good music is.. Especially Hip-Hop.
@brooklyntookit
Let that stans rejoice even it is some garbage!!! I can’t hate
Anything Jay do as far as lyrically is hot to me so I will be getting the album. The Black album is still his best to me
BROOKLYNtookit IS SO BRILLIANT AND KNOWS SO MUCH ABOUT MUSIC THAT HE DOES WHAT FOR A LIVING??? DUDE SPEAKS LIKE HE IS IN THE KNOW OR SOMETHING… WHO ARE YOU??!!
GET OUTTA HERE!!! COME SEE ME AND SPIT SOME RHYMES THAT YOU THINK ARE GOOD MUSIC AND MAYBE I’LL THINK ABOUT GETTING YOUR WHACK A$$ A DEAL SO THE HATERS OUT HERE CAN RIP YOU APART TOO..
WHACK N*CCAS ALWAYS GOT SHIT TO SAY WHEN THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT.
Brian your critic license NEEDS TO BE REVOKED! Cause that Jay album is TRASH!!!!!!
Of course it will sell 800,000 copies in the first week because all the dumb asses will be flocking to buy it because Jay-Z’s name is on the cover.
But weren’t 760,000 copies of that shit sandwich “Kingdom Come” sold as well????
Jay-Z stans need to stop buying his shit just because of the way he talks….HES NOT A FUCKING R&B ARTIST!! Listen to his lyrics?
@ MISS HONEY.. YOUR COSIGN IS QUITE FUNNY.. iF YOU HATE IT SO MUCH, WHY ARE YOU COMMENTING!??!??!??!?!??!? WE DON’T CARE TO READ THE HATE…
GET OUTTA HERE!
BROOKLYN STAND UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ATTENTION…..DO NOT LISTEN 2 BROOKLYNTOOKIT….WTF R U TALKIN BOUT….SERIOUSLY….AMERICAN GANGSTER IS THAT SO CALLED FIRE PPL HAV BEEN DYIN 2 HEAR JAY SPIT….AND THA CRITICS R EVEN FUCKIN WIT IT..U R LYIN 2 THA PPL…..AND NAKED TRUTH WAS BANGIN….. IDIOT..
KIM-YA MAN 5-0 WE DONT SEE’EM IN DA CLUB/
HE BE UP IN C-T WIT A DIC IN HIS BUT
HAHA
Did CJ just say that “The Naked Truth” was “fire?”
Please kill yourself! That album was terrible. Nobody was feeling that mess. You must be from Brooklyn or some shit to be such a fan of wack ass music from Lil Kim and Jay.
CJ and Bigvon are stans with absolutely no lives to be listening such wack shit and co-signing that mess.
You two should’ve been aborted.
I am not going to apologize for not being a Jay Z fan, I cant stand arrogance. I really miss Tupac noone will ever touch him!!! I lam however a huge fan of Snoop and I somewhat like Kanye.
Boooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brian usually you give us a honest reivew this is just ASS KISSING
I stop feeling Jay after “The Black Album”. I am glad for his success but I am over him.
i dont understand how you can be a grown man and not be a fan of jay z… he is the greatest rapper ever to do it. his lyrics and overall music are so grown up its ridiculous. i love jay z. it seems to me that his retirement was a break to say the old jay z (party anthems and commercial cds) is dead and now he is making music for himself and the true fans. one love hovie. keep bangin!
The album Leaked and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! I will be supporting it at the store… already pre-ordered it on I-tunes… I’m soooo glad Jigga is spittin that stuff… even though I guess I’m one of the few who appreciated Kingdom Come… I though it was very mature, something the youngstas could not appreciate. Well I guess I’ll have another listen of AG.
im sorry but once you say you’r a big snoop fan , only somewhat a kanye fan and not a fan of jay z, you lose all credibility as a credible hip hop critic.. im sorry
@CJ AND BIGVON
You two ass kissing niggas are funny!
How da fuck can you be a label exec and sit up here and say Lil Kim’s last album was fire??? That shit was the proverbial definition of ASS and shows how wack you are when it comes to rap.
I’m surprised your ass hasn’t been fired yet for all that shitty music you listen too.
But then again….I do believe that CJ is either Beyonce or Jay-Z…….so if that is either one of you two behind that computer….JAY YOUR ALBUM IS GARBAGE! BEYONCE, YOUR DUDES ALBUM IS GARBAGE!!!
@ 57 I am entitled to my own opinion and so are you. If I dont like someone that is my business. I have been a fan of Snoop from day one. He seems more real and laid back to me, that is why I support Snoop. Kanye new cd is great I like every song on there.
“Doggystyle” shits all over “American Gangster” and “Kingdom Come” combined.
Shiiitttt!! “The Blue Carpet” shits all over “American Gangster” and “Kingdom Come” combined!
Stans please educate yourself on good rap…this ain’t no fuckin r&b album where his vocals say how good the album is…