Jay-Z is back

Shawn Corey Carter, professionally known as Jay-Z, has been quite a time known for his ability to compose rhythms almost without writing them down and create an unusual blending of street and popular hip-hop. Today he is the president and CEO of Def Jam Records, one of the most influential companies in the USA and recently he has formed another one, Roc-A-Fella Records which has brought to fame such artists as Kanye West, Young Gunz and Feeway. Jay-Z is also a part owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA team and quite a successful fashion designer. All these achievements have made him one of the most prominent rappers of the past decade, and MTV list has named him the Greatest MC of All Time. When in 2004 he decided to retire from music industry it came as a real shock for his devoted fans. Luckily this year Jay-Z is back with a new record Kingdom Come, which has already become his best selling work during a week and the ninth album to reach number 1 in the world charts. Kingdom Come has a lot of surprises and especially interesting is Jay-Z’s collaboration with Coldplay’s vocalist Chris Martin. Produced by such significant figures as Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, Kanye West and Just Blaze, the record is rightfully one of the year’s best rap creations and a brilliant continuation of Jay-Z’s career.

More deep thoughts on Kingdom Come

Jay-Z’s lyrics have always been disturbing and full of emotions. On the new album he again turns to urgent problems and there are a number of politically oriented songs on Kingdom Come. On the opener The Prelude the rapper reminds the listeners of what he has already mentioned on The Black Album: a bridge between commercial and critical acclaim and his attitude to it. Just Blaze produced song Oh My God is remarkable for the best beat on the album, and title track Kingdom Come is one of the tensest compositions on the record. The single Lost One with Chrisette Michele is a song about relationship: it tells about Jay-Z’s split with Damon Dash, with whom they have founded Roc-A-Fella Records, discrepancies with Beyonce Knowles and the death of his nephew. 30 Something is a very mature track with the rapper claiming to have new values in life, whereas composition Trouble is the closest to the gangsta that the rapper’s fans are used to. Quite an outrageous composition Minority Report featuring Ne-Yo is devoted to Hurricane Katrina. Here Jay-Z seeks for justice and criticises the government for its attitude towards the victims of the disaster and accuses himself of giving only his money and not his time to help them. A retrospective creation Beach Chair, refined by the splendid vocals of Chris Martin presents a new Jay-Z who is trying to figure out the principles of karma and prevent unhappiness for his children. The album closes with Can I Live, another philosophic composition, which completely persuades the listeners of Jay-Z’s becoming a more serious and deeply thinking person.

Jay-Z can teach a great deal of things

During almost three years of his retirement Jay-Z has probably thought his life over and has turned into a rapper who is trying to open his listeners’ eyes on many things. The stake this time is made not on the consequitive flow of practically spontaneous verses but on their sense. Perhaps some of those who are fond of an old Jay-Z are going to be disappointed with such changes, but there is not a single doubt that a 36-year-old artist strives for finding a suitable niche for him, and these attempts cannot be underestimated. Then again he has achieved much more than many of his contemporaries and could well boast it on Kingdom Come, but he never even tries to. The only thing he is trying to deliver is his spiritual growth. Thus realizing he has already done a lot for the rap culture as an author of famous rhythms and a professional freestyle performer, Jay-Z has recorded his most mature album, which is sure to attract new fans to him. A collaboration with a rock band lead singer also witnesses of the fact that the rapper is decisively inclined to conquer new heights and is ready to experiment that bravely for that. Kingdom Come proves that despite all his mistakes Jay-Z remains a wisest rapper who can teach many a great deal of things.

05.12.2006