[noisereductions]

I don't think there's any song on there that I dislike...

Jay-Z
Magna Carta Holy Grail
2013, Hip hop can sometimes be an unfairly young man's game. And it's not just about aging rappers' inability to stay hip. When Jay recorded American Gangster in 2008 he was able to channel the same sort of hustler that created his own debut 20 years earlier, thanks to the fact that the album being inspired by the movie meant that he could mix up the character with himself. It didn't feel forced or even a rehash of his earlier days because we understood that this was storytelling inspired by a blend of reality and fiction. But contrast that with 2007's Kingdom Come - a very personal album for sure. There Jay had to come to grips with being 40 years old in a young man's game; his years of hustling long in the rearview. If he was to keep it real, then what would he write about? Being 40 of course. As Hov approaches 50, the same sort of dilemma presents itself on Magna Carta Holy Grail. But this time he seems a lot more comfortable in his own skin. He doesn't need to justify all the money and the famous friends. In contrast to Kingdom Come, he's now realized that it's not the subject matter his fans keep coming back for, it's the presentation. So while the album spends the bulk of its time lyrically going on about the luxuries that he's surrounded by, Jay finds captivating ways to talk about them. He lets the album open up with a minute and a half of Justin Timberlake, who references Kurt Cobain - just one of many nods to the 1990's that birthed Jay's career. And then it's a solid hour of wonderful beat selection and very good, if only sometimes great rapping. This for sure is a fan's album. It's going to be nobody's favorite in his discography. Yet there's nothing here that I'd qualify as a bad song.

[louder]

i like how i can put this album on and enjoy it again right after it ends.

[louder]

his classic albums have a lot of overwhelming moments. this one is just a fun ride the whole way through.

[Severian]

My god, there are like FIVE current stories about Kanye in Pitchfork's news feed...

• Kanye gets honorary doctorate (and nobody was old enough in 2004 to recognize the opportunity for a College Dropout or Late Registration crack)
• Kanye performs "All Day" ... Again! This time in a basketball setting! OMGOD!
• Kanye plays with Vic Mensa and Chance the Rapper or something at some high school or some shit, wow, world is so crazy!
• Kanye to star in Spike Lee's new musical comedy!
• Wait, Kanye NOT starring in Spike Jonze musical comedy! Wow what a crazy world! Leave your comments below!

But NOTHING .... MOTHERFUCKING NOTHING ABOUT FUCKING MUSIC!!!

[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

My god, there are like FIVE current stories about Kanye in Pitchfork's news feed...

• Kanye gets honorary doctorate (and nobody was old enough in 2004 to recognize the opportunity for a College Dropout or Late Registration crack)
• Kanye performs "All Day" ... Again! This time in a basketball setting! OMGOD!
• Kanye plays with Vic Mensa and Chance the Rapper or something at some high school or some shit, wow, world is so crazy!
• Kanye to star in Spike Lee's new musical comedy!
• Wait, Kanye NOT starring in Spike Jonze musical comedy! Wow what a crazy world! Leave your comments below!

But NOTHING .... MOTHERFUCKING NOTHING ABOUT FUCKING MUSIC!!!

hip-hop journalism sucks. i hate how interviews with rappers are usually about everything but music too. always some gossip shit.

[noisereductions]

Agreed. 90% of hip hop journalism is boring bullshit

[rebeccagotcursedout]

you guys, man you guys have passion. kudos!!!!

im just not in a hip hop mood. been too tired and unhealthy.

think i'll grill a big ol' steak now. and a baked potato with sour cream with lots of butter.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

just finished listening to Magna Carta for the first time in a while. only song i can't stand is the first one with Timberlake. such a nice album.

Thank you!

I've come to the same conclusion. I actually really liked it at first (perhaps you remember) and never outright hated on it, but I don't think I really found its groove, and it's place in JAY's discography, until I stopped trying to tell myself that it was another perfect HOV album, like Reasonable Doubt, Black Album, Kingdom Come (ya'heard me!), American Gangster, Blueprint and Blueprint III.

Once I was honest with myself about how terrible Justin T. sounds when he's trying to "go hard" in that awful and epically ill advised Smells Like Teen Spirit tribute, and I allowed myself to take a step back from my inner fanboy and take an objective look at the record as it compares to the others, I found that it was probably second tier Jay... like Vol. 1, 2, 3 and Roc La Familia.

But that said, it's probably at the top of the second tier. "Fuckwithmeyouknowigotit" is a straight up classic, and will rank among his biggest crowd favorites. I LOVE "FUTW," (that chorus is truly mature hip-hop songwriting... not lame, out of touch billionaire trying to stay ill), not to mention "somewhereinamerica" and "Heaven" and "Picasso Baby" (I can handle JT on that track... He fits) and the highly underrated "Tom Ford."

I think it's probably my 4th or 5th favorite Jay album. It's beautifully designed too, and the themes tie in with a lot of the topics Jay and Kanye touched on during WTT. No surprise that a lot of the MCHG songs were just starting to come together around that period.

It's a really good album, and if it's Jay's last, I won't complain.

I'm really glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

[noisereductions]

It is 2nd tier

But Lifetimes and Dynasty are 3rd tier

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

hip-hop journalism sucks. i hate how interviews with rappers are usually about everything but music too. always some gossip shit.

No kidding. No wonder people think Rocky is a shallow screen whore. Have you ever caught him on (what passes for) an "interview" on MTV? They barely discuss music at all. They just want to know what brands he's wearing, which Mob member is the "fun" one/"serious" one/"creative" one... How would he describe his style (fashion style, not musical or lyrical style)...

He plays along. He's an attractive little dude, young as shit and despite the hardships of the past year, he's still in that "I'm so happy to be here" phase. But his music warrants more serious discussion. The work he's getting out of producers like Clams Casino, blended with his own flow, makes for an interesting and almost novel crossbreed of trap, hardcore, EDM and mother fucking shoegaze! Why aren't we talking about that?!

In short.... YEAH!

[Severian]

Oh hey, why do the Café frequent era seem to be sleeping on Logic?

Did anyone happen to hear Under Pressure, his 2014 album? It shows ridiculous potential. The man can spit complex flows with an almost effortless, liquid sounding ease.

Anyone else like what they've heard so far?

[Keeping It Gimple]

clipping

[louder]

Vince Staples - Señorita video off his debut (Summertime '06): https://youtube.com/watch?v=5OAYMMod9Wo

i hate to say it, but this song and video are so fucking great.. the ending WOWZA. i'll cop this album for sure.

[louder]

i must say that the new Earl is my fav from him now. i've been listening to it every day for the past few weeks. i love every song, the production is beautiful and Earl rides it so well. Doris has higher highs (Burgundy, Sunday, Chum), but I Don't Like Shit is a better listen from start to finish.

and "Solace", the 10 min track he put out a couple weeks ago is his most personal, touching statement to date. i like how direct he is on this one, as opposed to I Don't Like Shit which has a lot of abstract lyrics. "i got my grandmama's hands, i start to cry when i see 'em/ cuz they remind me of seein' her/ these the times that i needed her most cause i feel defeated". he admits he lacks confidence and is at a loss of friends cuz of what he's been going through too (Earl and Tyler aren't as close as they used to be anymore). amazing stuff.

i love how he's influenced by Jay Electronica and Andre 3000 now. back when he was 15 Eminem was his fav, his rhyme schemes were amazing but what he was actually rapping about was pretty much nonsense. now he's on his way to become one of hip-hop's greatest writers.

[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

Oh hey, why do the Café frequent era seem to be sleeping on Logic?

Did anyone happen to hear Under Pressure, his 2014 album? It shows ridiculous potential. The man can spit complex flows with an almost effortless, liquid sounding ease.

Anyone else like what they've heard so far?

see i gave both Logic and Childish Gambino a chance this week but couldn't get into them.

Logic - raps in double time flow, borrows production ideas from Kendrick and J. Cole. he can rap his ass off, but i find him a bit boring.

Childish Gambino - GREAT production but a lot of corny lines, and uh.. well, he's childish. i like his singing though.

[louder]

To Pimp a Butterfly still deserves more love here. i mean..

"Do you believe in me? Are you deceiving me?
Could I let you down easily, is your heart where it need to be?
Is your smile on permanent? Is your vow on lifetime?
Would you know where the sermon is if I died in this next line?
If I’m tried in a court of law, if the industry cut me off
If the government want me dead, plant cocaine in my car
Would you judge me a drug-head or see me as K. Lamar
Or question my character and degrade me on every blog
Want you to love me like Nelson, want you to hug me like Nelson
I freed you from being a slave in your mind, you’re very welcome
You tell me my song is more than a song, it’s surely a blessing
But a prophet ain’t a prophet til they ask you this question:"

and then you have "You Ain't Gotta Lie" which reminds me of A Tribe Called Quest in their heyday. "I could spot you a mile away/ I could see your insecurities written all on your face... You ain't gotta lie to kick it my nigga, you ain't gotta try so hard".

Complexion - "Give a fuck about your complexion, I know what the Germans done"

"Let me talk my Stu Scott, ‘scuse me on my 2Pac
Keep your head up, when did you stop loving thy
Color of your skin, color of your eyes
That’s the real blues, baby, like you met Jay’s baby
You blew me away, you think more beauty in blue, green and grey
All my solemn men up north, 12 years a slave
12 years of age, thinkin’ my shade too dark
I love myself, I no longer need Cupid"

^^^ i would quote the entire verse.. Kendrick actually wrote it and let Rapsody rap it.

just goosebumps all over. this album is really something special. it puts me on the verge of tears.

[Severian]

Listening to lots of A$AP.
And Doom, especially Monster Island Czars' Escape From Monster Island
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Logic - Under Pressure

[Severian]

Originally Posted by louder

see i gave both Logic and Childish Gambino a chance this week but couldn't get into them.

Logic - raps in double time flow, borrows production ideas from Kendrick and J. Cole. he can rap his ass off, but i find him a bit boring.

Childish Gambino - GREAT production but a lot of corny lines, and uh.. well, he's childish. i like his singing though.

I can't get into Gambino for shit. Zero interest.


Still loving To Pimp a Butterfly. Definitely one hell of an album. Can't pick a favorite tune.

[Severian]

* Actually, fuck that. "Mortal Man" is my favorite track on Butterfly. I don't think it has an equal in Kendrick's catalog (yet). Something about it... that rolling bass, that familiar impulse we've seen in our favorite musicians since Kurt Cobain to challenge the idea of fame, and question its purpose & meaning.... That beautiful delivery...

Song's a fuckin' masterpiece.

[Severian]

Honestly as much as I love Tetsuo & Youth, and as much as I believe it will be considered his masterpiece when all's said and done, I think THE COOL is actually my favorite (and possibly his best) album. It's not as conceptually full as Tetsuo, nor as musically unique. But for all the crap Lupe's taken about the consistency of his songwriting and production choices, THE COOL comes off without a hitch, really.

Even Tetsuo's absolute best track ("Mural") has its lyrical missteps, and due to the production of the album and the pacing of the vocal delivery, every big, epic line that falls flat does so very obviously. It's an intense and beautiful album, but it's few lyrical mistakes are not easy to ignore.

THE COOL feels tight as a goddamn vice. It makes mincemeat out of Food & Liquor, which is of course a classic. So, that's saying a lot.

These are just some of the things that have been going through my mind as I've revisited THE COOL.