“*"Damn right I love this life I live/ 'Cause I went from negative to positive/ And it's all... good."* --Biggie Smalls, "Juicy" "H to the Izzo" wasn't a summer jam for me. No TV, sadly, means no BET. I'm too far from ATL to get good radio, and the only thing bumping out the trunk at stoplights was that fucking White Stripes album. I was so deprived that when Nas pondered if Jay-Z might be "H to t”
“This is how the rap game works: when someone is pushed, they push back harder. That’s why the more someone like Eminem is criticized, the more unapologetic and extreme his lyrics become. There’s something about being persecuted, or at least believing oneself to be persecuted, that makes people embrace and reaffirm their own identity — […]”
“Great album from JAY-Z, arguably his best next to ‘Reasonable Doubt’. A lot more melodies on this album compared to his usual hard rap and for the most part it pays off. I think the highs on this album are higher than ‘Reasonable Doubt’ but that album is a lot more consistent than ‘The Blueprint’. Top songs for me are ‘Takeover’ ‘Izzo(H.O.V.A.)’ ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ ‘Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love)’ ‘Never Change’ ‘Song Cry’”
“The Blueprint for how any great hip hop album should be. Full of great songs with great production from Ye. JAY-Z's rap performances meet the high expectations and creates a great listening experience altogether.”
