DJ Criminal drops amazing new music video “Mountain Tops” featuring Slug of Atmosphere, Blueprint and Jennifer Charles. This track is a new leak from the forthcoming LP The Smuggler’s Candle, set to drop digitally on August 26th. The album is Criminal’s most ambitious and varied work to date. In addition to a myriad of musical textures (which includes several instrumental tracks rife with transitions, scratches and samples) Criminal acts as curator for an underground hip-hop wish list of collaborators.
Kxng Crooked is the latest respected Hip-Hop lyricist to segue into driving dialogue in the music media. Recently, the Long Beach, California lyricist also known as Crooked I launched Crook’s Corner. Taking a concept from his hashtag of longstanding Hip-Hop discussions on social media with peers and fans, the MC has partnered with HipHopDX to host guests in conversations about Rap music and culture. Following a recent appearance by Tech N9ne, the C.O.B. O.G. welcomes his Slaughterhouse co-founder Royce 5’9 to the Corner. With the full episode arriving Saturday (June 1), a segment released previewing the discussion. “The most debated song, in my opinion, in Hip-Hop history, is ‘Renegade,'” Crooked I begins, referring to JAY-Z and Eminem’s 2001 Blueprint collaboration, embedded below. “That is a split down the middle: ‘JAY-Z had the best verse’ [versus] ‘Em’ washed JAY-Z on his own sh*t’ debate. That argument goes on forever.” Royce 5’9’s Most Powerful Song Of His Career Is A Call For Solidarity & Pride Crook’ points out that Royce 5’9 was originally on “Renegade,” before JAY-Z. That version of the Eminem-produced song is embedded below. “I was signed to Sony/Columbia [Records], and Marshall was executive producing my album. We were gonna do two songs that were gonna make the album.” The other song, “Rock City,” ended up on Royce’s debut LP of the same name, which eventually released independently in 2002. “Rock City” became a video single ahead of the album, even though both tracks had been recorded. “I just thought it was okay,” Royce recalls of “Renegade.” The track was made a few years removed from the pair’s Bad Meets Evil material in the late 1990s. “We had did so many songs together where we was just kind of rapping. I just thought it was okay, and it just one of them joints that was just kinda sitting.” Eminem called Royce some time later, expressing his desire to send the track to JAY-Z. “I’m such a fan of both. Jay is definitely one of those people that I definitely always wanted to see [Eminem] work with. So when he sent it to him, and he did it, that’s when it started sounding great to me,” Nickel Nine admits with a laugh. “I think what people are arguing is they’re arguing preference at that point. You’ve got two guys that do two different things, and they’re so good at what they do that they figured out a way to join the two worlds together. People who prefer JAY-Z’s content, what he talks about and the way that he approaches the beat, they’re always gonna say that he got the better verse—because they like his style of Rap better. But whether one is more lyrical than the other, like we said, it’s subjective.” Kxng Crooked Discusses The Times Hip-Hop Tried To Cancel Eminem & Defends Him At 2:50, Kxng Crooked asks Royce if he would like to “weigh in on that debate.” Nickel responds, “I don’t think it’s one of them kinda songs, man. I don’t think it’s one of those kinda songs ’cause it didn’t sound like they were trying to tear each other’s head off; they made a song. I mean, I prefer the way that Em’ attacked the beat a little bit better,” Royce admits. Crooked adds, “Yeah, his cadence was crazy on that.” Royce continues, “I’ve heard both of them go crazier, just on some super-lyrical sh*t.” Although 2018 saw the disbanding of Slaughterhouse, Royce, Kxng Crooked, and Joell Ortiz rapped together on the “Timberlan’d Up (Remix),” a free download supplement to Apollo Brown and Joell’s Mona Lisa album. Royce 5’9 Discusses His Relationship With J Dilla (Video) Notably, Royce 5’9 is currently producing a project from Kxng Crook’s proteges, Family Bvsiness (formerly Horseshoe Gang). Crooked confirmed the news during a recent and comprehensive sit-down with adam22 and the No Jumper Podcast. #BonusBeat: A playlist of JAY-Z and Eminem’s “Renegade” followed by the Royce 5’9 version:
IOS users can rejoice. Some of Jiggaman’s finest work is back on Apple.
As spotted on BillboardJAY-Z’s Blueprint series has finally returned to iTunes. While those albums have been in circulation for many years on other platforms they have been unavailable on Apple since 2016. This is the year Hov launched his own streaming service thus certain LP’s from his discography were exclusively on Tidal. While we get the “I only play for the team I own” move the exclusion left many of his hardcore fans sour for several summers.
Luckily Carter has seemingly loosened his grip and now The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2 and The Blueprint 3 are playable on iTunes. The only JAY-Z LP left missing on Apple his stellar debut Reasonable Doubt. Meanwhile his entire catalog is still noticeably absent from Spotify but #GoodLuckWithThat.
Every year, The Library Of Congress selects 25 musical titles to add to its National Recording Registry. This act is meant to honor pieces of art for their cultural significance for future generations. A National Recording Preservation Board decides the annual inclusions. This week, JAY-Z’s The Blueprint album became the most modern addition to the archive. It also becomes Shawn Carter’s first work of art to receive this prestigious honor.
Jay’s sixth album released on September 11, 2001, the same day as the attacks on the United States. Arriving less than a year afterThe Dynasty: Roc La Familia, The Blueprint marks the strongest pivot in Jay’s career. An artist with ties to The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac (in very different ways), to own the #1 spot squarely. One of the most poised contestants, Eminem, was a producer and lone guest MC on the album. The other contestant, Nas, was in Jay’s cross-hairs of high profile usurp, “The Takeover.” On The Blueprint, JAY-Zreinvented his sound with Kanye West, Just Blaze, and others during a series of sessions over just several days. The Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder found the ultimate five-year progression from debut Reasonable Doubt. With a D-boy’s confidence and an exec’s get-it-done mentality, he pivoted to his 2000s stand as a Rap magnate. Often criticized for his resistance to vulnerability, Jay let the songs cry on his behalf. As the Roc Boy was lunging for the top, he made some of his most relatable music. The writing on The Blueprint is ultra-specific, but the themes, sounds, and attitude of the double platinum campaign seemingly spoke to all. Jigga had transformed to Hov’, and when he put his legacy on the line for the belt.
“The Takeover” was Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots-meets-Monopoly, as JAY-Z, perceptively an artistic underdog to Nas, knocked the Queensbridge icon off of his block. Also addressing Mobb Deep’s Prodigy, Jay was naming names—unlike his ’90s tussles on wax. “U Don’t Know” was the ringside celebration after the fight. Once dismissed as a drug-dealer MC, Jay-Z used the cold Just Blaze sample chop as a chance to show his “Michael Corleone”-like transition from New York crimes to The New York Times. The title track would also prove significant. The cold exterior of Hov gave way to an MC unafraid to not only acknowledge pain in his childhood, but one who said thank you to his circle. That, and “Song Cry” were hyper-aware reactions to Jay’s often lack of intimacy in songs. Together, the Roc’s in-house hit-makers of ‘Ye, Just, and BINK! made an album that may as well have been produced by one set of ears. The prominence of Soul, intricate slices, and broad instrumentation made this man’s words sound like prophecy. “Renegade” placed Jay and Eminem back-to-back, with a song that put the comparisons in the backseat, and the lyrically-dense message in the front. The Blueprint cemented Jay’s pole position, and it showed how a great MC and a gripping story still needs patience and refinement. In the Hip-Hop landscape, The Blueprint is a skyscraper.
Jay’s specificity, his sound, and his confidence gave way to 50 Cent, Cam’ron, T.I., Young Jeezy, The Game, Rick Ross, and a host of other dominant 2000s voices. Notably, Jay followed with two additional volumes of The Blueprint. However, few can argue that nothing compares to the double-platinum, chart-topping debut article.
Joining Jay’s album is Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly soundtrack album, Nina Simone’s Civil Rights outcry “Mississippi Goddamn,” Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” Cab Calloway’s “Minnie The Moocher” (which he performs in Blues Brothers), Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man,” Richie Valens’ “La Bamba,” and others.
Every year, The Library Of Congress selects 25 musical titles to add to its National Recording Registry. This act is meant to honor pieces of art for their cultural significance for future generations. A National Recording Preservation Board decides the annual inclusions. This week, JAY-Z’s The Blueprint album became the most modern addition to the archive. It also becomes Shawn Carter’s first work of art to receive this prestigious honor.
Jay’s sixth album released on September 11, 2001, the same day as the attacks on the United States. Arriving less than a year afterThe Dynasty: Roc La Familia, The Blueprint marks the strongest pivot in Jay’s career. An artist with ties to The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac (in very different ways), to own the #1 spot squarely. One of the most poised contestants, Eminem, was a producer and lone guest MC on the album. The other contestant, Nas, was in Jay’s cross-hairs of high profile usurp, “The Takeover.” On The Blueprint, JAY-Zreinvented his sound with Kanye West, Just Blaze, and others during a series of sessions over just several days. The Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder found the ultimate five-year progression from debut Reasonable Doubt. With a D-boy’s confidence and an exec’s get-it-done mentality, he pivoted to his 2000s stand as a Rap magnate. Often criticized for his resistance to vulnerability, Jay let the songs cry on his behalf. As the Roc Boy was lunging for the top, he made some of his most relatable music. The writing on The Blueprint is ultra-specific, but the themes, sounds, and attitude of the double platinum campaign seemingly spoke to all. Jigga had transformed to Hov’, and when he put his legacy on the line for the belt.
“The Takeover” was Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots-meets-Monopoly, as JAY-Z, perceptively an artistic underdog to Nas, knocked the Queensbridge icon off of his block. Also addressing Mobb Deep’s Prodigy, Jay was naming names—unlike his ’90s tussles on wax. “U Don’t Know” was the ringside celebration after the fight. Once dismissed as a drug-dealer MC, Jay-Z used the cold Just Blaze sample chop as a chance to show his “Michael Corleone”-like transition from New York crimes to The New York Times. The title track would also prove significant. The cold exterior of Hov gave way to an MC unafraid to not only acknowledge pain in his childhood, but one who said thank you to his circle. That, and “Song Cry” were hyper-aware reactions to Jay’s often lack of intimacy in songs. Together, the Roc’s in-house hit-makers of ‘Ye, Just, and BINK! made an album that may as well have been produced by one set of ears. The prominence of Soul, intricate slices, and broad instrumentation made this man’s words sound like prophecy. “Renegade” placed Jay and Eminem back-to-back, with a song that put the comparisons in the backseat, and the lyrically-dense message in the front. The Blueprint cemented Jay’s pole position, and it showed how a great MC and a gripping story still needs patience and refinement. In the Hip-Hop landscape, The Blueprint is a skyscraper.
Jay’s specificity, his sound, and his confidence gave way to 50 Cent, Cam’ron, T.I., Young Jeezy, The Game, Rick Ross, and a host of other dominant 2000s voices. Notably, Jay followed with two additional volumes of The Blueprint. However, few can argue that nothing compares to the double-platinum, chart-topping debut article.
Joining Jay’s album is Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly soundtrack album, Nina Simone’s Civil Rights outcry “Mississippi Goddamn,” Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” Cab Calloway’s “Minnie The Moocher” (which he performs in Blues Brothers), Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man,” Richie Valens’ “La Bamba,” and others.
