Jay-Z: The Blueprint, Vol. 2: The Gift and the Curse : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

"Rumor has it, The Blueprint classic/Couldn't even be stopped by bin Laden," Jay-Z boasts midway The Blueprint, Vol. 2: The Gift and the Curse. He's right, too -- the first installment of The Blueprint, which dropped last September 11th, found Jay-Z blasting through a tight collection of banging beats, irresistible hooks and brutal disses, with the one and only guest appearance coming from Eminem, Jay's top competitor for Best Living MC on the Planet. On Vol. 2 Jay-Hova ups the ante, producing something of a hip-hop "White Album": two discs worth of party anthems and serious songwriting, with a small army of guest rhymers and producers in tow. With his dexterous, rhythmically devastating flow in full effect on highlights like "All Around the World" and "Meet the Parents," Jay-Hova is a lot more consistent than his beats, which are long on both bouncy funk and forgettable R&B samples. Notable cameos by Lenny Kravitz and OutKast's Big Boi add to the album's anything-goes feel, but the gift-versus-curse concept helps hold things together, as Jay wows you with his jet-setting lifestyle one minute, then contemplates the darker side of fame and his ghetto upbringing the next. Mo' money, mo' problems, to be sure. And one more strong record from hip-hop's most dependable voice.

CHRISTIAN HOARD

(Posted: Nov 12, 2002)

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Track List

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A Dream (track not available in Rhapsody)
Hovi Baby
The Watcher 2 feat Dr. Dre, Rakim & Truth Hurts
'03 Bonnie & Clyde feat Beyonce' Knowles (track not available in Rhapsody)
Excuse Me Miss
What They Gonna Do (featuring Sean Paul)
All Around The World (featuring LaToiya Williams)
Poppin' Tags (featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike & Twista)
F*ck All Nite
The Bounce
I Did It My Way (track not available in Rhapsody)
Diamond Is Forever
Guns & Roses (featuring Lenny Kravitz) (track not available in Rhapsody)
U Don't Know (Remix) (featuring M.O.P) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Meet The Parents
Some How Some Way (featuring Beanie Sigel & Scarface) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Some People Hate (track not available in Rhapsody)
Blueprint 2 (track not available in Rhapsody)
N*gg* Please (featuring Young Chris)
2 Many Hoes
As One (featuring Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Chris, Peedi Crakk, Sparks & Rell) (track not available in Rhapsody)
A Ballad For The Fallen Soldier
Show You How
Bitches & Sisters (track not available in Rhapsody)
What They Gonna Do Part 2