The Story behind JayZ’s Blueprint album

COMING OF AGE

Riding high off the success from 2000. The Rocafella Records movement showed no signs of slowing down. Album releases such as DJ Clue’s “Backstage”, JayZ’s The Dynasty, along with debuts from Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel dominated the hip hop charts. Rocafella during this time later recruited “Freeway, ” The Young Guns, Peedi Crack, and State Property to the roster, thus putting their flagship down in the Philadelphia Hip Hop Scene. 2001 was starting to look promising with the addition of the new talent. However with that success also came drama. Jay was already going through legal drama which almost put his career in a screeching halt(The 1999 Un Stabbing). So his freedom based off how serious the charges were hanging in the ropes. The Rap Game was becoming a jungle with so many emerging stars coming so Jay had to find ways of competing with the likes of DMX, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, Nelly, Outkast, Cash Money and many others.

“Who’s the greatest emcees Biggie, JayZ, and Nas?

As the Roc was thriving commercially, JayZ and Nas were engaging into a cold war for whom was gonna be the next “King” of the New York hip hop scene. JayZ and Nas while maintained a level of respect for each other(skillset wise), Never did any songs or work together at this period. Nas was rumored to have supposed to been apart of the posse cut “Bring it On”off JayZ’s debut album “Reasonable Doubt” but to no avail.

Jay has issued the olive branch through admiration of Nas( by sampling his voice on Dead Presidents, Rap Game/Crack Game) but nothing came to fruition. This eventually led many within the industry believe that there may have been hidden rivalry involved. JayZ would also get into it back and forths(subliminally) with New York heavyweights Fat Joe, Mobb Deep, DMX, Jadakiss,. It wasn’t until Prodigy made the official declaration of war where he stated :We aint the ROC/ We aint them Faggit ass niggas”and from there. It was on.

Knowing that he had the best of the best emcees from New York coming for him, JayZ knew he really had to deliver with his new album. He had already did Summerjam 2001 calling out Prodigy and offered a open invite to Nas for the battle so this led to Jay’s album to much more heavier anticipation.

For the release of “Blueprint” He wanted to change the trajectory of music and focus more on soul sampling. He recruited then hungry producers “Kanye West”, Just Blaze, No I.D., Bink, Young Guru to work. These guys were young, ambitious, hungry, and knew this was possibly the biggest opportunity of a lifetime to make history.

The Michael Jackson Connection

When Michael Jackson made a surprise appearance at the HOT 97 Summerjam in 2001, It sent shockwaves throughout the industry. Michael Jackson has always been a recluse type of individual and very private(because of his celebrity). So to bring him out on stage at a hip hop event was possibly one of the biggest flexes you couldn’t have imagined. Not only was it seen that he crushed his competition(with Takeover) but to have Michael Jackson co-sign him, Its possibly one of the biggest wins a label could ask for.

JayZ and Michael would do work together. One of the songs being “Rock My World Remix” which was used as a B-side to promote his comeback album “Invincible”. Michael would let Jay use one of his samples from “The Jackson 5 I Want You Back” for “H to the Izzo” which was what made Kanye West a household name. Michael would also provide assistance to Girls, Girls, Girls(which he wasn’t credited for) according to Young Guru. The Jackson connection proved to be very instrumental with the direction Jay wanted to take with this album.

Becoming “The Guy”

Despite having a successful run. JayZ wasn’t seen as “that guy”. JayZ while he was selling records was never the focus point of having a dominant year or have “that album” to really make him stand amongst his peers. Many would say Reasonable Doubt but he was overshadowed by the many releases of 1996 and it would be considered Tupac Shakur’s year.. 1997 was dominated by Bad Boy Records with the late Notorious B.I.G. releasing Life After Death.

Many would say “Hard Knock Life Volume 2” but 1998 was also dominated by DMX which had him neck and neck with Jay in popularity. Plus with “Hard Knock Life Volume 2” The album was a star studded collab effort so people REALLY didn’t know who JayZ was. People knew JayZ as a great rapper who lived the big willie lifestyle and was unapologetic about it. But people wanted to see more layers beyond the surface and this was Jay’s attempt to really show he can be a complete artist. He showed signs of that on Dynasty(This Can’t Be Life and Where Have You Been) so this was the direction he wanted to go.

Touching the Soul

The Blueprint album was completed within a impressive two weeks, The production was a reflection of the musical transition Jay wanted to go following Dynasty. The music(which were sampled from 70s classics from Al Green, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Tom Brock, The Doors, Otis Redding, Natalie Cole and many others provided the perfect sonical backdrop for JayZ to showcase vurnablity and actually talk about his personal struggles and at time insecurities’. When you listen to songs such as “All I Need” where he talks about growing up poor, selling crack, and the pitfalls of being rich. “

Song Cry” is another favorite of mines where JayZ talks about how he took a good woman for granted after being caught up in the new lifestyle. Especially when he says “When a Good Girl gone bad/She’s gone forever” It’s a definite farcry from his mindset two albums prior. Far from the days of “Thug em, Fuck em, Love em, Leave em, Cause I don’t fucking need em” from Big Pimpin.

JayZ cements his name as a heavyweight

Listening to the opener of “The Ruler’s Back'” JayZ sounds more precisely focused than ever before. Yes Jay has laid down many boisterous raps of being the flyest guy on the block. But it was something about the Blueprint album that gave the shit talking alot of weight. The Ruler’s Back has JayZ setting the tone that he’s ready to be takened serious as being “The Guy”. This then follows up with the “Takeover” which he already gave a sample at that year’s Summerjam.

This time he adds a extra verse aimed directly to Nas and a 3rd verse aimed at his foes. Provided with the heavy sound drop of “The Doors classic 5 to 1 and KRS One’s Sound of Da Police, JayZ is determined to take the throne and at that time, He had accomplished that. Another favorite of mine’s is “U Don’t Know” where he gives the breakdown of success in both the drug game/rap game(which is basically Rap/Game Crack Game 3). He also cemented his new slogan “I Will Not Lose… Ever.

As for guest appearances.. The only one that made a appearance was Eminem on “Renegade’. This was a track that helped JayZ also tap into a different side of himself many never seen, Him in a defensive at his craft against critics whom feel that he’s limited in terms of his subject manner.

Motherfuckers say that I’m foolish, I only talk about jewels (Bling-bling)Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?See, I’m influenced by the ghetto you ruined :

Eminem not only produced the beat but he managed to make the song his own as he lashes out on hypocrites whom label him a negative influence to the youth:

Since I’m in a position to talk to these kids and they listenI ain’t no politician, but I’ll kick it with ’em a minute‘Cause see, they call me a menace and if the shoe fits, I’ll wear itBut if it don’t, then y’all’ll swallow the truth, grin and bear it Now who’s the king of these rude, ludicrous, lucrative lyrics? Who could inherit the title, put the youth in hysterics

BLUEPRINT DROPS THE DAY OF THE TOWERS

The album flow structure was beautifully coordinated. Ranging from songs about Jay’s growth as a business man to JayZ has never sounded better, The Blueprint album changed the signature sound for New York City hip hop in the same fashion Notorious BIG’s “Life After Death” album did in 1997. What was supposed to be JayZ’s moment to be crowned hip hop’s new king became a very somber but tragic moment for the country. The day “The Blueprint” was released was also the day The Twin Towers ere attacked and what was to be the biggest tragedy to take place on American Soil.

Despite this horrific event, JayZs Blueprint album still managed to literally go GOLD its first week, making it the highest selling album of the year first week and went number 1 with a bullet. The Blueprint managed to sonically change the landscape of hip hop culture with artists going back to using soul samples, chipmunk fast pitches and loops. The sound would be a imprint on Rocafella’s later albums such as Beanie Sigels B.Coming, Camron’s Come Home with Me, and Kanye Wests’ Late Registration. JayZ didn’t create the sound but he sure deserves credit for popularizing it and making it trendy. This was the album that made JayZ a major player within the game.