hip hop isn't dead.

Artist: Minty Fresh Beats, with an unofficial assist from Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Radiohead

Title: "Wrong Prayer"

Producer: Minty Fresh Beats (better known as Max Tannone)

Album: Jaydiohead (2009)

Quite a while back, I kinda-sorta demanded that at least one rapper sample the music from Radiohead's "I Might Be Wrong".  Not only is it one of my favorite Radiohead tracks, the music itself is perfect for spitting over: the darker melody and off-kilter drums would work perfectly for whoever was willing to take it on with something other than boasts 'n bullshit.  In whatever post I wrote all of that in (I forget which, unfortunately - there's over one thousand posts on this site, and I can't be bothered to dig through all of them right now), someone brought to my attention that, in fact, my request had already been filled.  Because of course it had been.  From your lips to God's ears, or whatever the fuck that saying is for the two of you who are more spiritually-minded.

Now technically, "I Might Be Wrong" is still up for grabs, I suppose, because the subject of today's post is a mash-up that can never officially be released to paying customers, lest the subject is willing to do battle with lawyers from all angles.  New York-based producer Max Tannone, who once went by the pseudonym Minty Fresh Beats, hence the title of today's post, dove into the mash-up craze of the last decade to throw two artists together that, typically, would have no business being in the same room: the very financially successful rapper Jay-Z, and musicians-for-the-people rock group Radiohead (who won't be sharing space with Hov at a TIDAL press conference anytime soon).  Of course he called the final product Jaydiohead, but that's probably the most predictable thing about the project.  (Even though he can't legally sell the thing, you can easily find it online at the man's own website, along with his myriad other mash-up projects.)

Instead of focusing on just one Jay-Z album or one Radiohead album (see: Danger Mouse) as a means to challenge himself, Tannone elected to flip through all of the band's catalog at the time, including bonus tracks, b-sides, and even lead vocalist Thom Yorke's solo career.  The furthest back the man goes into Hova's discography would be to 2001's The Blueprint, but that's most likely because he was looking for a specific tone of rhyme to fit his chopped-up Radiohead samples.  And also because acapellas of the older material may be harder to come by.  I don't know.  I'm not his biographer.  Maybe he really wanted to use "Dead Presidents" or "I Know What Girls Like".  The world may never know.

"Wrong Prayer" is a combination of "I Might Be Wrong" and American Gangster's "Pray", a track I apparently liked when I first wrote about the not-a-soundtrack American Gangster, but damned if I can remember anything about what it sounds like today.  It features Shawn Carter's betrothed, Beyonce, reading, well, a prayer, sounding one hundred percent like she's doing her man a solid and has better things to do, like running the world, but hey.  Smashing the two tracks together gives Jay's bars an urgency that he hardly ever has these days, being a goddamn billionaire and all; the pulsing beat gives the song the feel of a paranoid career criminal scanning the room, clocking all the exits.  Also, it sounds fantastic, so good job, Tannone.  

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go listen to some guy who refers to himself as a "chef" even though his partner-in-crime tends to be the one who makes all of the references to food.

Do you agree or disagree with this selection?  Discuss below.

-Max (not Tannone)

As you two probably saw coming from a mile away, I'm taking a break away from my break to offer my thoughts on what will probably end up being the biggest rap album of the year.  Still doesn't mean I'm actually back, though.

So, Watch The Throne, the joint effort from Kanye West and Jay-Z (who refer to themselves as the duo "The Throne" on here) that was promised way back in October of 2010 (back when it was just going to be an EP that featured, among other songs, the Nicki Minaj-assisted "Monster"), finally dropped on iTunes this past Monday.  Miraculously, it didn't spring a leak: somehow, their plan to offer a digital download first and physical copies long afterward actually worked, so you should expect other projects to quickly follow suit.  All I have to say is, it sure took the fucking record industry long enough to think of that, huh?  Although it doesn't really matter, since hackers will always find a way, but I digress.

Watch The Throne is being touted as the collaboration album of the year, in a year that has already seen a couple of stellar entries (Bad Meets Evil's Hell: The Sequel wasn't terrible, and Random Axe, the supergroup made up of Black Milk, Sean Price, and Guilty Simpson, takes it in a walk), but the difference here is that we're supposed to care that this project features both hip hop's biggest star and its biggest asshole.  Nobody's contesting Kanye's artistry, and Jay-Z has been at the top of his game for more than a decade now, so clearly these two know what they're doing, and a joint effort from then should be nothing short of mesmerizing, right?

Those of you looking for Jay-Z to rhyme over My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy-type beats will be disappointed right from the start, as The Throne decided to recruit a number of different producers to share in the profits (or to shove the blame upon, in the extremely off chance that this album sells miserably).  Although Kanye mans the boards, he cedes his chair to the likes of The Neptunes, The RZA (which had me excited from the jump), Q-Tip, Pete Rock (on one of the bonus tracks), 88 Keys, and motherfucking Swizz Beatz, among others.  Nearly every single fucking song on Watch The Throne features multiple producers, which could result in a less cohesive vision, although when it comes to music, that isn't always a bad thing.  Anyway, even though there are numerous producers involved with Watch The Throne, the guest list for the vocal booth isn't nearly as long: only R&B diva Beyonce and newbie crooner Frank Ocean represent for the living (Otis Redding and, on the deluxe edition I'll be reviewing, Curtis Mayfield also scored credits, which is impressive for a couple of guys who passed away long ago).  There are no other rappers who appear on Watch The Throne, which makes this project damn near refreshing in an otherwise lackluster year for our chosen genre: I was afraid that Lil' Wayne, Drake, or Rick Ross would somehow jump out of the woodwork, which is downright impossible to do when you're listening to an mp3, but whatever.

So the real question is, should you two give a fuck?

1. NO CHURCH IN THE WILD (FEAT. FRANK OCEAN)

Well, the instrumental (mostly credited to 88 Keys) is already better than what I was expecting from Watch The Throne: it is equal parts eerie and moving. The first voice you hear on the project is that of Odd Future crooner Frank Ocean, who sounds okay but not good enough to warrant the crazy amount of buzz that he's been the recipient of as of late: later on, some Auto-Tuned vocals (that I believe belong to The-Dream, who plays a background role on here) that sound absolutely fucking terrible pop up before 'Ye's verse. Jay-Z is technically proficient, but his verse feels empty; Kanye fares much better with one of his typical “this is the life I live and the girl I get to fuck”-type sets, even though it has nothing to do with the alleged theme of the track itself. At least Yeezy isn't actually rapping about boning: that, and the fact that “No Church In The Wild” isn't a rap album intro, are two marks in the “plus” column. The brief instrumental interlude at the end was a nice touch, too.

2. LIFT OFF (FEAT. BEYONCE)

And then we're presented with this horseshit. Have you ever listened to a song more than once simply because you couldn't believe how fucking godawful it was? Or is that something only music critics do? Anyway, “Lift Off” is that fucking godawful. Hov's wifey Beyonce sounds horrible, singing random phrases about being great and fuck off, that's why, with vocals so flat that the only plausible explanation is that Jigga agreed to curb it on his need to start up a family for a few months if she will just record the goddamn hook already. (Apparently Don Jazzy, Mr. Hudson, and Seal (among others) were also roped in to provide vocals. Yes, I said Seal. Mr. Heidi Klum himself. It's a testament to just how fucking baller Jay-Z and Kanye West are that they throw money at A-list talent to sing fucking backup on their songs.) 'Ye's instrumental (co-produced by Pharrell Williams and Q-Tip, programmed by fucking LMFAO, of all people) is an aural mess in need of an intervention, and both of our hosts sound embarrassed to be on the same planet as the beat. If you had lowered expectations about Watch The Throne before, well...

3. N----S IN PARIS

The Throne recruit Hit-Boy, late of Kanye's “Christmas In Harlem” and Pusha T's “My God”, to, apparently, marry a hard instrumental with Tangerine Dream's score from Risky Business, and the results are okay-to-middling. Actually, scratch that previous sentence: “N----s In Paris” sounds like a sonic cousin to KiD CuDi's “The Mood”, except on steroids: while I don't necessarily need to hear a mash-up of the two, I wouldn't kick one out of bed. Both Shawn and Kanye sound distracted by the beat, 'Ye more so, since he has to bob and weave around the Jay-Z sound bite (“Ball so hard”...um, that looks weird when written out like that) that Hit-Boy keeps throwing in his path; this results in some inane bars about how awesome they are, with only a couple of lines combined ever referring to Paris. Jay even takes the time to rip off some more Notorious B.I.G. lyrics (from “Victory”, although, to be fair, it isn't a direct lift). Kanye furthers his obvious obsession with Will Ferrell's IMDB page by inserting two sound bites from the pitiful Blades Of Glory into the track, one at the beginning, and one toward the halfway point. I'd like to think that both Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (his co-star, better known as the title character in Napoleon Dynamite) are both pleased and fucking terrified that they have inadvertently contributed to a Jay-Z and Kanye West rap song with a title that neither man can repeat to his children.

4. OTIS (FEAT. OTIS REDDING)

Alright, I just listened to “Otis” within the context of Watch The Throne, and my opinion is exactly the same as it was before: “Otis” is what it sounds like when two successful rappers are coasting. There are a few funny lines, most of them coming from Kanye's direction, but never before has hearing two rappers brag about how rich they are and how much better they are at living than you are been so goddamn mentally exhausting. Using a large enough chunk of Otis Redding's “Try A Little Tenderness” to warrant giving a deceased artist a co-starring credit (and causing me to immediately think of Jon Cryer every time this song plays) sounds lazy as fuck: had “Otis” not started with its extended intro and instead led directly into Jay's goofy “I invented swag” line (which is then contradicted a few bars later, with a sound bite taken from Hova's earlier “All I Need”, where he brags about having regained his swagger: if he truly invented the fucking concept, how the hell did he lose it?), maybe this would have worked better for me. Maybe. Instead, I found “Otis” to be an attempt by two artists to create a soulful mood out of nothing, and, at least for this track, they fail, and that's coming from a huge Jay-Z stan and Kanye West supporter. This song isn't garbage or anything: it just is.

5. GOTTA HAVE IT

This is a natural extension of “Otis”, in that Jay and Yeezy continue to trade bars, perfecting their back-and-forth braggadocio routine. In that regard, this song works a bit better, as both men roll over the Neptunes beat (don't get excited, only Pharrell Williams had a hand in it) effortlessly, with Shawn Carter's rich ass even managing to sound threatening at the beginning of his second verse (before he brags about “planking on a million”, anyway). The vocal samples laid throughout tread that fine line between tolerable and annoying as balls, though, so you should tread through these waters carefully.

6. NEW DAY

Strangely, this RZA-produced concoction wasn't the first song I gravitated to when I started playing Watch The Throne. Not really sure why that happened: maybe I don't have that much faith in Prince Rakeem anymore? No, that can't be it. But now that I'm listening to Nina Simone's “Feeling Good” vocals being filtered through Auto-Tune (blasphemy, I know), I can't help but feel disappointed with the end result. This is nowhere near that hardcore Wu-Tang shit that RZA promised in an interview with Rolling Stone: instead, this sounds like another one of those social commentary-fueled tracks that the Clan likes to put on every group album (see: “I Can't Go To Sleep”; “A Better Tomorrow”; “Can It Be All So Simple”). However, Jay and (especially) Kanye both deliver exceptional verses dedicated to their not-yet-conceived children who they have already damned because of their fame and their very public lives, so they elevate the track beyond anything it truly deserves. Admit it: when Jay (and Kanye, I guess) said “Me and The RZA connect” for the first time, even though you knew deep in your heart that he was just aping a line from Raekwon's “Incarcerated Scarfaces”, you got a little excited, as this was the first time Jay-Z ever really acknowledged the Wu-Tang Clan's existence after blowing the fuck up (Big Daddy Kane's “Show & Prove” doesn't count).

7. THAT'S MY BITCH (FEAT. ELLY JACKSON)

Well, that was a fucking weird transition from optimism to misogyny. “That's My Bitch” is the same song that leaked to the Interweb shortly after 'Ye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy dropped (except newly mastered, kind of): in all honestly, I'm surprised it still made the final cut due to its age. I'm glad it did, though, since Q-Tip's instrumental (with an assist from 'Ye and Jeff Basker) is both the hottest beat on Watch The Throne thus far and the only real beat that could be classified as true “hip hop” (sampling The Incredible Bongo Band's “Apache” has that effect on me; shit, I wouldn't be surprised to find out down the line that Kamaal snuck in some of Bob James's “Nautilus” as well). I mentioned in a previous post that this track originally sounded incomplete but promising: turns out it was finished (even though the album version is shorter than the leak, all you're missing is an extended instrumental and Kanye repeating the title over and over again), but it still works for me, even though this still seems more like a Kanye West song than a collaboration with Jay-Z, who knocks out his verse and quickly skedaddles. Elly Jackson from La Roux supplies the hook: as the nightclub I frequent plays entirely too many La Roux songs, I've grown fucking sick of her voice, but her work on here (which still has nothing to do with specifying which bitch actually belongs to you) isn't bad. (Connie Mitchell and Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver; apparently Kanye left him locked in the studio after My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was completed) also provide background vocals, but I swear that's Charlie Wilson's voice in the middle of the song; regardless, he didn't get a credit in the liner notes.)

8. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (FEAT. SWIZZ BEATZ)

This song is shit. Why Jay-Z and Kanye West feel this unnatural kinship with producer-slash-rapper-slash-jackass Swizz Beatz is beyond me, especially when it was originally reported that the duo had purchased some Madlib beats for Watch The Throne. The music on here is garbage, and Swizzy's verbal contributions should have been put out of their misery. The only mildly interesting aspect of “Welcome To The Jungle” (which could only have been worse if it was a straight-up Guns N' Roses cover) is how Jay and 'Ye share the microphone at first, but then Shawn pushes aside his partner to rap about his alleged depression, like the emo rapper he's never been. So that happened.

9. WHO GON STOP ME

Whenever two big-name talents collaborate on a song, there's always an awkward feeling of competition, even if it's unintentional, since someone has to have the better verse. Well, if I had to choose between Jay-Z's boasts and Kanye West's odd attempts at absurd humor, I'd go with Jay all day. And Shawn destroys Yeezy on “Who Gon Stop Me” (although 'Ye loses points from the jump by comparing the song to he Holocaust without backing up his claims). Over an otherwise uninteresting Sak Pase production that morphs into something batshit crazy about halfway through, Jay-Z shows up the entire new school of rappers following in his footsteps. Too bad this song was only alright.

10. MURDER TO EXCELLENCE

Actually two songs in one, and both halves are really fucking good. The first part, aided by an actual good Swizz beat that had to have been created in error, is another one of Jay and 'Ye's attempts at social commentary, dissecting the horrors of black-on-black crime; the second, S1-produced effort, which kicks in at around the two minute and forty-second mark, is a tribute to excellence, which you may have picked up from the title. Aside from his singing, which was unnecessary but not awful, Kanye West delivers some potent bars that rank among his best ever, while his running buddy is no slouch, turning in two terrific verses (one on each “song”) about two entirely different subjects without missing a beat (and sounding great even when he does veer into The Silence Of The Lambs territory, oddly during the “Excellence” song and not on “Murder”). Nice!

11. MADE IN AMERICA (FEAT. FRANK OCEAN)

An out-of-place attempt from two rich guys trying to appear humble, which Kanye will never be able to rightfully pull off. This kind of track has no real place on an album entitled Watch The Throne. Frank Ocean returns to lend the hook, which has fuck-all to do with the respective verses of our hosts: instead of getting religious or political, they simply reflect on their past lives. It was alright, but it wasn't real. Although they do acknowledge the fact that neither of them would be nearly as successful had they not hailed from the United States, so perhaps I should thank them for granting me this moment of clarity. (See what I did there?)

12. WHY I LOVE YOU (FEAT. MR. HUDSON)

Isn't it cute how Kanye West keeps pushing his artist, Mr. Hudson, onto American audiences as if we'll suddenly give a fuck? At least he sounds alright over this track, which is damn near a Hova solo shot, on which he delivers a message of empathy, feelings of betrayal, and ultimate forgiveness for his enemies over a rock-tinged West instrumental. The motherfucker is mad that certain people who used to be in his employ (*cough* Beanie Sigel *cough*) have the audacity to speak out against him as though he somehow mistreated them (when, in reality, he's a businessman, and since Jay-Z was the only marketable artist on Roc-A-Fella Records (before Kanye entered the picture), it makes sense that he would focus on himself a bit more). Perhaps sensing that getting involved in a rap beef wasn't the best move for him, Kanye barely registers into the vocal portions of this track, mostly acting as Jay's hypeman. Not a terrible way to end things.

The deluxe edition of Watch The Throne, which has got to be the only version anybody even bothered to buy, contains the following four extra tracks.

13. ILLEST MOTHERFUCKER ALIVE

After three minutes of silence (clearly iTunes had no idea if the following four songs were “bonus” tracks or simply deluxe-edition exclusives: I wonder if the physical disc version of Watch The Throne will feature such a long lapse) and another one of those brief instrumental interludes that Kanye has been teasing us with all throughout the project, Southside's beat, which doesn't sound as powerful as the song title would suggest, nay, demand, kicks in, and Kanye West starts pleading his case (sometimes even in slow motion) to the audience. Other than the fact that Jay-Z also appears on here, this sounds like a weak castoff from the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy sessions. The title is awesome, sure, but the end result was cut from the regular program for a really good reason. I also found myself appalled at the idea that Hova views Warhol and Basquiat prints “while [he's] peeing”. Moving on...

14. H*A*M

The first actual single from Watch The Throne has been reassigned to administrative desk duty, mostly because it didn't leave as much of an imprint on our chosen genre as Jay and 'Ye had hoped. I was never a fan to Lex Luger's instrumental: it sounds too bombastic (and headache-inducing, and pretentious as fuck) for a song about going “hard as a motherfucker”. This beat is the aural interpretation of attention-deficit hyperactive disorder. 'Ye's verse is kind of disgusting (why yes, he does rap about having sex on here, why do you ask?), and Jay only barely manages not to drown in the ocean (being the more skilled artist of the two gives him some much-needed leverage). I was never impressed with this mess, and I'm still not. Groan.

15. PRIMETIME

No I.D. (of “Dion”, as Hova affectionately refers to Kanye's mentor) lends Watch The Throne its best instrumental, a haunting piano-and-vocal sample-based ditty that brings out the best in both of its collaborators. Neither man says anything on here that is even remotely important, and the chorus is ass, but the instrumental goes a long way toward helping this track ride along the sidewalk without its training wheels. “Primetime” gets me even more hyped for that Common album scheduled for this year that is supposed to feature wall-to-wall No I.D.

16. THE JOY (FEAT. CURTIS MAYFIELD, PETE ROCK, KID CUDI, & CHARLIE WILSON)

I'm actually kind of glad that people now have the opportunity to pay for “The Joy”, one of the freebies Kanye gave away during his G.O.O.D. Friday promotion, if only because that would mean some royalties being thrown at producer Pete Rock and the estate of Curtis Mayfield. His “The Makings Of You”, which is sampled throughout the song, creeps into your mind, so even though “The Joy” doesn't fit the overall mood of what Watch The Throne turned into, it still sounds fucking good today, even though Hova's lone verse makes this song's origin as a West solo effort featuring his guest spot all the more obvious. Odds are pretty good that, if you've read this review this far, you probably already have this song on your hard drive. Well, other than being mastered, it's the exact same song, all the way down to KiD CuDi's bullshit cameo, so take that as you will.

THE LAST WORD: So is Watch The Throne an important album? Probably, depending on your definition of the word. For me, it's better for a rap album to be entertaining, and, aside from several aberrations, this project actually worked out okay enough to warrant a listen or two, although in no way would I ever mark this as a classic, since the awful songs on here really fucking suck. A joint effort from Kanye West and Jay-Z, both of whom I'm a noted fan of, should be an earth-shattering listen, mostly because of 'Ye's artistic tendencies constantly getting the best of him (did the world really need to hear a nine-minute version of “Runaway”?), but, surprisingly, Watch The Throne is a stealth Jay-Z solo album that happens to feature a guest on every single goddamn song. Hova dominates the discussions, dragging his toolbox into the fray in an effort to drill into your head that he is worth fucking millions, and he still comes off as a more down-to-earth (and better) rapper than Yeezy. Just when you think the instrumentals, all of which vary wildly in quality (for each No I.D. or Q-Tip track, you are also forced to contend with a Swizz Beatz or a Lex Luger), are going into My Beautiful Dart Twisted Clusterfuck territory, the track ends, a new one begins, and the world resets itself. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense that Shawn Carter would take the lead on Watch The Throne: he is a living legend (like it or not), so he gets to call the shots. Watch The Throne is a better joint effort that Hova's work with Linkin Park or either of his projects with R. Kelly, since Kanye West is a far more interesting artist than either of those two names, and the fact that they recorded this album in the same studios (no e-mailing verses here) definitely helps, but I ultimately found this shit to be only slightly better than The Blueprint 3 and leagues behind Kanye's last effort. The buildup was nice, and the fact that they outsmarted the bootleggers (at least before the iTunes release date) is commendable, but I've heard better, less uneven albums this year, so I guess you two can stop staring at the throne. Hopefully, though, it will generate enough buzz that other artists elect to collaborate; hip hop needs more of this type of creative endeavor (see again: Random Axe and the non-awful songs on Bad Meets Evil's Hell: The Sequel).

-Max

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Jay-Z. Kanye West. You know what to do.

(Today's Reader Review is provided by frequent contributor Dag Diligent, who decided to tackle the only Jay-Z project I haven't yet written about (which is weird, since I found a way to talk about the Linkin Park mash-up and those two abysmal Jay-Z/R. Kelly collaborations, but whatever). Jay-Z Unplugged is a recording of his live MTV performance with The Roots as his backing band. Leave some notes for him below, and be sure to check out his website, The Tortoise General, when you're done.)

Jay-Z Unplugged, a project co-produced by Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records and MTV, was a can't-miss concept: it was basically a greatest hits album by one of the finest emcees in the industry, set to live instrumentation provided by The Roots, long believed to be the finest actual band in hip hop. In this format, songs are chopped, extended, or rearranged to showcase their best elements while allowing for an authentic, spontaneous vibe which is undeniably absent from most hip hop albums. There are also no electric instruments or turntables on the stage. But let's be honest, folks: just because hip hop is a flexible-enough musical genre to be unplugged in the first place (especially when The Roots are involved) doesn’t mean that Jay-Z's established hit songs will translate well in this context, especially since most of the songs featured on Jay-Z Unplugged are commercial mega-hits.

I've always liked Jay-Z as an emcee, with one main caveat: I tend to prefer his album tracks over his radio hits. Regardless of what he spits over, though, he is always a solid emcee with unquestionable skills behind the mic. Jay-Z Unplugged was released well before Jigga's brief retirement and in the midst of his beefs with both Mobb Deep and Nas, so it isn't surprising that he manages to sneak in some references to both artists during his time on stage. Many people consider The Blueprint, which was released a few months before this project, to be the start of Jay’s best period of work, so many of the songs we think of as the man's biggest hits hadn't even been conceived at this point, which says a lot for the man's track record, like him or not.

I feel it is important to point out that MTV is behind the entire “Unplugged” concept (they have even recently recorded a live show with Lil' Wayne as their special guest – can someone please tell me how the fuck his schtick could ever possibly translate?), and they have a terrible track record with hip hop. I’m glad they were smart enough to bring in the brilliant Roots Crew (with vocalist Jaguar Wright in tow) as their ace in the hole, but let's see how things go anyway.

1. IZZO (H.O.V.A.)

Since singles from The Blueprint were burning up the radio when this show was recorded, Jay kicks off the session with three tracks from that particular album. No matter how well The Roots have adapted Jay's original beats, the live instrumentation is still jarring and lacks that slick production that we've come to expect from Jay-Z. That being said, the music sounds amazing, if a little flat. Jay sounds overwhelmed by the live instruments and clearly struggles with the whole “for shizzle my nizzle” hook, which is interesting to hear. This version comes off a little worse than the original, though, so I expect to spin neither one ever again.

2. TAKEOVER

A song I actually like. The music definitely lacks the raw power of the Kanye West-produced original, but Jay's battle rhymes are still devastating. I fucking loved that The Roots played classic Mobb Deep and Nas beats while Jay tore into them, especially when they segued into "N.Y. State of Mind". Take that, Nas! Very nice.

3. GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS

I hated the original version of this song, but this shit is good. The live music is immensely better than the album version, especially with Scratch beat-boxing throughout. I think Jay needed a little better voice production for these opening tracks, as his voice has been the weakest element on this album thus far. This and "Takeover" are as good as Jay-Z Unplugged gets, by the way.

4. JIGGA WHAT, JIGGA WHO

I genuinely hate the original version of this song (actually entitled “N---a What, N---a Who (Originator 99)”, from Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life). While I was intrigued by the treatment The Roots gave to Timbaland's original beat on here, the song was still painful to listen to.

5. BIG PIMPIN'

Another song that's tough for me to stomach, which I also don’t think translates well to the live format. Also, where are Bun B and Pimp C? Was MTV not willing to pay their airfare from Texas?

6. HEART OF THE CITY (AIN'T NO LOVE)

I think the Roots fumbled on this classic beat from The Blueprint: it sounds technically proficient, but it doesn't capture the life the original had. Unfortunately, this is the song where Jay decides to bring his “A” game and actually sound good. I wish everyone was on the same page on here: this track could have been great.

7. CAN I GET A...

The best part of this track is that it's short. Jay-Z is finally starting to come correct over the live instrumentation, but, let's be honest: this beat is garbage in any form.

8. HARD KNOCK LIFE (GHETTO ANTHEM)

This hook was never meant to be performed live. You’ve heard the song before, and believe me, the version you know sounds way better than this rubbish.

9. AIN'T NO

Another Jay-Z track that I hate. But I must say that the breakdown on here is fucking phenomenal, and it takes up a good portion of this track’s one minute run time. Another plus: Foxy Brown is nowhere to be seen.

10. CAN'T KNOCK THE HUSTLE / FAMILY AFFAIR (FEAT. MARY J. BLIGE)

Jay's debut, Reasonable Doubt, is represented for the second and final time with “Can't Knock the Hustle”. The music just doesn't sound quite right, and I really wasn't feeling it, even with Mary J. Blige, who guest-starred on the original song, sounding perfect. Halfway through, the music switches to a cover of the Dr. Dre-produced "Family Affair" from Mary's album No More Drama: it sounds okay, but nobody goes anywhere with it. It's almost as though the musicians threw it in there just to remind us that Mary J. Blige also has hit songs under her belt.

11. SONG CRY

I never really got into the original "Song Cry". This version was okay, but I would never replay it on purpose. It is odd to hear Jay big up his friend Dame Dash, though.

12. I JUST WANNA LOVE U (GIVE IT 2 ME) (FEAT. PHARRELL)

The best part of this track, originally from The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, is Scratch's vocal scratching. I was surprised how dead-on Pharrell sounds compared with his performance on the original: I always thought he produced the shit out of his voice. As someone who isn't a fan of the original song, I still kind of liked this version, as the energy level is through the roof.

13. JIGGA THAT N---A

Far be it from me to suggest to Roots drummer and general bandleader ?uestlove doesn't know how to make music, but I think the big finish for Jay-Z Unplugged should have been either a long smooth groove, or a knocker. This is neither. Needless to say, when you duplicate a shit song, you get even shittier shit.

After a brief delay, Jay-Z Unplugged ends with a hidden bonus track.

PEOPLE TALKING

Although this is a solid cut, it doesn't really belong on Jay-Z Unplugged (having been recorded in a studio and all). Produced by former Roc-A-Fella staple Ski Beatz, it's a good track, but a bit too low-energy for it to be a Nas dis (which it kind of is). Jay lays down one of his typical high quality verses and closes out the album on a high note.

FINAL THOUGHTS: The unplugged format has some definite advantages: Jay-Z Unplugged is one cohesive project which allows Jay's personality to shine through a little in between songs. It also allows for a fresh take on his already-established material. But is there any reason to listen to these songs instead of the originals? I suppose if you absolutely love these tracks, any alternate version will be appreciated, but most of the songs on Jay-Z Unplugged were not my taste to begin with. To me, hearing The Roots perform live versions of Jay-Z's biggest beats was definitely the best part of the project, but it's a novelty that wears off. For the first half of the album, the music really shines and Jay struggles: he really should have warmed up first, because he comes out sounding weak. The back half features Jay finding his steam, but then the Roots arrangements start falling apart. There isn't any real middle ground on here.

BUY OR BURN?: I don't recommend a purchase here unless you're a Jay-Z fanatic. Otherwise, see if you can borrow it from your brother-in-law or a hip community college professor.

BEST TRACKS: "Takeover"; "Girls, Girls, Girls"; "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)"; "People Talking"

- Dag Diligent

(Questions? Comments? Complaints? Leave your thoughts below.)

I assume he won't be throwing that sign up anytime soon, with his leaving Def Jam and all.

Anyway, I'm kind of cheating with this post, because I listened to "D.O.A." when it first dropped. I even Twittered about Hova's first single from The Blueprint 3: I said I didn't really like it, and that maybe it was more of a grower than a show-er. But since I hadn't really listened to it again until now, with the official video dropping, now is as good a time to revisit this as any.

Chicago veteran producer No I.D. (a huge influence on the other famous producer from Chi-Town who abuses Autotune on a regular basis) provides a Janko Nilovic sample for Shawn to cruise over (hey, Ivan, Hip Hop Is Read is actually mentioned on The Blueprint 3's Wikipedia page), which I have to admit he does effortlessly (the man even makes it a point to mention the producer's name no less than three times, from what I can recall - I can't even remember Common saying the dude's name that many times on a track). The song has definitely grown on me, but it's still not one of Hova's best works.

A lot has been written about how every blogger on the planet has talked shit about the overuse and abuse of Autotune, but that nobody really noticed until Jay-Z decided to speak. Because when Hova speaks, people listen. I don't necessarily believe that to be true, but the man has gotten some press for this track, so who am I to judge? My beef with this song is that it actually isn't as incendiary as everyone wants you to believe: Jigga's not saying "fuck Autotune" or anything like that. The closest he gets is stating that rappers are singing and "T-Pain-ing too much", but curiously, declines to name names. "The mixtape Weezy" gets a pass, even though Lil' Wayne is one of the biggest contributors to the pandemic, but Jay's boy Kanye, of 808's & Heartbreak fame, isn't mentioned at all.) He commands that rappers get "violent", but fails to do so himself.

As I mentioned above, the song has grown on me, but it's still not that great. Royce da 5'9" stabbed the shit out of the beatfor his "Redemption" track: hopefully No I.D. is on the short list to send some heat Ryan Montgomery's way.

Here's the video for "D.O.A." Is it bad that Hova kind of looks like Q-Tip if you squint and aren't really paying attention?



-Max