A Movie Is the Muse for Jay-Z's Next Album

BuzzSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:48:24 -0700

One of my problems with the last Jay-Z album, Kingdom Come, is that his favorite subject - himself - gets a bit tiresome. But I think Jay-Z has an incredible amount of talent, so I can't wait to hear how this turns out: According to an article in today's New York Times, the CEO of hip-hop plans to release another album in early November, inspired by the upcoming Ridley Scott/Denzel Washington movie American Gangster.

That's less than a year after Kingdom Come's release, but apparently Jay was so moved after viewing the film that he simply had to head into the studio. But Jay-Z, who says his drug-dealing past helped him identify with the '70s-set tale of a Harlem heroin kingpin, isn't writing the soundtrack. His album will merely be released around the same time. For more details, read more

According to the article:

Following the underwhelming critical and commercial reception for his Kingdom Come CD late last year - and as Jay-Z grapples with whether to stay on in his post at Def Jam - the tie-in to a major motion picture gives him a chance to rebound strong and extend his reach to a wider audience.

At the same time, it could help Universal Pictures excite younger moviegoers, whom it will need to make money on a costly film with a troubled history. Though it’s not uncommon for films to be released alongside “inspired by” albums, it is rare for them to be recorded by a single artist, let alone by a major star who had no role in the movie.

I feel like "inspired by" gets slapped on a lot of mediocre soundtracks, but in this case, the phrase is truly an apt description and makes me especially excited to hear it. Apparently, Jay-Z has already recorded nine songs, each one related to a different scene in the movie. Maybe this unusual partnership will prompt the return to glory that Jay-Z fans have been waiting for since The Black Album. What do you guys think?

Source

CD Review: Jay Z, Kingdom Come

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 10:25:18 -0800

I got Kingdom Come with the hopes of including it on my Top Albums of 2006 list, but Jay-Z's lackluster eighth album didn't quite make the cut. Yet, while the music isn't as revolutionary as earlier Jay-Z, the biographical bent forges new ground in terms of what a rap song can be about - namely, settling into and accepting adulthood.

Though some have criticized Kingdom Come for its narcissism - as if that's unique among hip-hop records - only occasionally does the self-focus get tiresome, as on the predictable momma homage, "I Made It." But in the spotty but thoughtful "30 Something," the Def Jam CEO justifies his veteran status, boasting "I'm young enough to know the right car to buy / yet grown enough to know not to put rims on it."

For more on the highs and lows,

The strongest tracks on Kingdom Come arrive early on as a staggering one-two punch. With its "Good Lord!" gospel refrain and getting-back-into-the ring vibe, "Oh My God" positions Jay-Z as a an aging champ poised for a spiritual comeback. And on "Kingdom Come," Jay-Z proves he just might be deserving of such a return, combining slightly cautious lyrics with an ingenious spin on Rick James' "Super Freak."

Admittedly, the album is marred by a few duds, like the watered-down Hurricane Katrina protest song, "Minority Report." But most of the weaker points are still enjoyable enough. "Show Me What You Got" may not be a masterpiece, but with the coaxing vocals and punchy brass, Jay-Z proves he can still fire up the ladies with the best of 'em. Rather than being a letdown, Kingdom Come is an early indicator of what happens when hip-hop grows up.