The Blueprint 3 - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2

Thoughts on these two new main stream Hip-hop/Rap albums:

First Jay- Z and The Blueprint 3

Wow, eight years since the september 11th 2001
release of "The Blueprint" Jay-Z drops "The Blueprint 3"
"I just got 10 number one albums maybe now 11" - thank you, track 2
Jay-Z's 11th album is phenomenal. From start to finish every track on this album
blew me away, Jay-Z has always kept it real for me, and in a mainstream swirl of auto-tune,
lil wayne's, t-pain's, jamie foxxx's, and other garbage artists with no lyrics like 50 cent Jay-Z straight shits on everyone. Obviously the single off the album D.O.A (Death to Auto-tune) says all that, but even more so is the raw use of horns, guitars and real instruments strewn about this album just speaks from the heart of a real life gangster. Produced almost entirely by Kanye West this album has a very soul feel and just flows so nicely.

My favorite track on the album has to be track 7 "On to the next one"(produced by Swizz Beats) I listened too this track 6 times when I got to it before progressing through the rest of the album. The entire song is a looped sample from the song "D.A.N.C.E" by the electronic group "Justice" and when this song comes on you physically can't do anything but move it's nasty. On one last note most rap albums these days talk about drugs, weather it be the use of them or the production and sale of illegal narcotics, and all though in most albums Jay loves to talk about pot, the main drug influence in this album has to be MDMA (ecstasy) he talks about it throughout the whole album the sound is such ecstasy vibe. Track 5 "Empire State of Mind" is Jay-Z's favorite track of the new album, and the whole backing story that comes with that track is being on ecstasy in the beautiful city.

Next we have the newest solo album form Wu-Tang clan's Raekwon

In 1995 we were graced with one of the nastiest solo albums from Raekwon a member of the illustrious New York based Hip Hop group The Wu-tang clan. That album was Only built 4 Cuban Linx. Primarily featuring Tony Starks (aka Ghost-face killah, another member of the clan) this album was one of the few highly talked about solo projects from the Group's efforts. Now 14! years later Raekwon drops his Fifth solo album Only Built for Cuban Linx 2. This album I heard about and was anticipating since umm I dunno 2006?

The "Rza" from the Wu-Tang Clan is usually the primary producer on the clan's album and on it's members solo projects. He is also noted for producing soundtracks to films like Kill Bill, and Ghost-dog Way of the Samurai, he is known for his use of 70's-80's kung fu samples over deep, dark, gangster new york style beats. However a couple years back Rza and Raekwon got into a fight and there was debate as to who was going to produce this monster album. They worked there problems out and Rza still got to produce half the album. The rest of the album was produced by.... Dr.Dre! and J Dillaa Dilla Dilla! two of my other favorite Hip Hop producers ever, needless to say this album is FIRE.

Right off the bat Raewkon takes us back to that good old Wu feel with the track "house of Flying Daggers" which is just incredible. I can't even talk about it, if you like the Wu at all you need to hear that track it's just amazing. Other tracks that stand out are "we will rob you" a play off the famous "Queen" song, "Cold Outside" is the albums soulful, meaningful anti-war jam, and of course the single "New Wu" is out off control. Method man is on most of the tracks and he is at his best, with lyrics about ashing his blunts in O.D.B's urn!?! ridiculous. this album is a monster and although almost every track talks about smoking marijuana, this album is strictly focused on the production and distribution of cocaine. They don't call Raekwon the chef for just any reason. "Raekwon he the chef, he cooking up some marvelous shit, to get ya mouth watering on some.. oh shit." -Method Man This man has cooked up one of the nastiest and grimiest Wu tang solo albums in a long time, and this is gonna be a hard album to top.

Both albums dropped September 11th 2009, and both albums are monsters.
It's a rarity that two main stream albums released on the same day are both this damn good and this enjoyable to listen to in there entirety. These two albums will be playing pretty much for the rest of the fall, if not till the new year on repeat in my car. I recommend everyone either go buy, download, steal, copy, find, explore! these two monster hit albums asap.

thanks for reading!
feedback and comments appreciated.

Kenan and Kel - Awwh here it goes!

I never wanted to do this.
Dean told me to do this.
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