Jay Z ranks his own albums.

[Certain]

He turned 44 today and dropped this treat, a little self-awareness: http://lifeandtimes.com/the-scoreboard

The only thing I strongly disagree with is that Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life is not anything close to a classic in my opinion. But I love the little summaries.

1. Reasonable Doubt (Classic)
2. The Blueprint (Classic)
3. The Black Album (Classic)
4. Vol. 2 (Classic)
5. American Gangster (4 1/2, cohesive)
6. Magna Carta (Fuckwit, Tom Ford, Oceans, Beach, On the Run, Grail)
7. Vol. 1 (Sunshine kills this album…fuck… Streets, Where I’m from, You Must Love Me…)
8. BP3 (Sorry critics, it’s good. Empire (Gave Frank a run for his money))
9. Dynasty (Intro alone…)
10. Vol. 3 (Pimp C verse alone… oh, So Ghetto)
11. BP2 (Too many songs. Fucking Guru and Hip Hop, ha)
12. Kingdom Come (First game back, don’t shoot me)

[DLB]

Magna Carta being #6 is lulz, it's one of his worst albums, vol 1 is dead last to me tho along w/ kingdom come, Vol 3 is also way better than Blueprint 3, BP3 might also be one of his worst lol

Jay also said Vol 2 is classic which is untrue

Also, Black Album should ALWAYS be above Reasonable Doubt. Blueprint can change spots, but Jay be pushing everyone to think Reasonable Doubt is better than the Black Album. Black Album solidified Jay after the Blueprint came and he was stepping on niggas toes. Black Album was the perfect album to go out to..... then Jay ruined it

[dead man]

reasonable doubt is better than the black album.

but the black album was dope tho.

[DLB]

we can debate

but i feel like nah, reasonable doubt sounds like a whole bunch of niggas styles that Jay was riding mad hard at that time, into one. you can hear the Nas' style in Jay, the Big' style in Jay, etc. Black Album sounds like Jay Z, just Jay. nobody else, he ain't get outshined by Eminem or anybody else either, he was just bodying tracks. Black Album changed the surface of Hip-Hop in general, in terms of lyrics and beats, cause instead of sampling Nas' lyrics/etc, SON HAD THE WHOLE GAME SAMPLING HIS LYRICS and got dudes like Dangermouse making full albums w/ his lyrics on other beats.

[Zen]

I actually been listening to Magna Carta lately and it's pretty dope. Not blueprint quality but good nonetheless.

[ill nik-A]

List is on point

[Wise Wiggles]

What a faggot

[Certain]

The way I break it down among the three classics is:

Reasonable Doubt was all about establishing Jay Z as an elite rapper in the 1996 New York rap climate. It's his best album lyrically and features a lot of classic production. It holds up very well, better than most contemporaries, because of Jay Z's charisma. It's the Jay Z album for Nas fans, in a lot of ways.

The Blueprint was the commercial touchstone. It's swaggering and towering and enormous. It's the album that everyone can appreciate on some level. The songs and beats are widely varied, and the lyrics form a mission statement to conquer the world.

The Black Album was our peak behind the curtains. Jay Z has given us this in individual songs before and since, but The Black Album was his most personal work, yet it stands out just as much for the strong production and lyricism. It's his most consistent album. And unlike the off-putting and largely lazy Kingdom Come, it makes Jay Z more relatable. That's why it's my favorite.

[uh-oh]

reasonable doubt is hands down his best

the blueprint is next.

then the black album

then its all a matter of opinion, as long as kingdom come is last.

blueprint 2 and the dynasty deserve to be above most of his shit tho

[Certain]

reasonable doubt is hands down his best

the blueprint is next.

then the black album

then its all a matter of opinion, as long as kingdom come is last.

blueprint 2 and the dynasty deserve to be above most of his shit tho

It's all a matter of opinion. All of it.

[trap.]

Volume 3 should be number one. Other than that I don't really care.

[dull boy]

Black Album is also my favorite. Blueprint being 2nd.

[Ghost1]

Lol@black album better then reasonable doubt

Lololol.

Reasonable doubt is the definition of east coast hiphop.

Better then illmatic too (srry.had to)




But um.....yea he has wierd taste lol....tho his top3 are on point tho id put vol3 a reallllly close 4th


And am i the only one that tbought bp2 was heat rock?

[Certain]

The Blueprint 2 had like 10 great tracks and five bad tracks and a lot of mediocrity. The "U Don't Know" remix with M.O.P. makes me want to run through a wall, and "Meet the Parents" and "Some How, Some Way" are high on my favorites list for his deeper songs. Those three tracks all came back-to-back-to-back on the second half, though, so I listen to that much more often than the rest.

[dull boy]

Reasonable Doubt was dope when it came out, and as previously mentioned, holds up well, but it's not as good as The Black Album... IN.MY.OPINION

[Ghost1]

U are growing dull boy

*tear

[Malachi]

Only listneed to Reasonable Doubt

[Ghost1]

At least u heard that one i guess......

U fucking suck malachi

[dull boy]

U are growing dull boy

*tear

Your lack of punctuation, and assumption makes me want to fuck my own face with a machete.

[dull boy]

By machete, I mean Danny Trejo.

[Destroyer]

nas better tho

[Malachi]

when yall listen to artist and u think they cool do u listen to every album or try to?
maybe this is what i should start doin cause im behinndd

[ill nik-A]

nas better tho

Nas can start his list right after kingdom come

[dull boy]

It's an OCD thing for me. I need to know the whole story. It was worse when I first started getting into music. Would listen to entire catalogs in days. Needed to hear every Hip Hop album ever released. Now it's all over saturated. Too much music and not enough time. Falling behind. Don't wanna listen to lil Wayne's albums. Fuck him. Not listening to the new Drake. Don't care who's talking about it. But then I'm out of the loop. Not relevant. Can't make fun of what isn't cool, because I don't even fucking know what it is. Gotta catch 'em all.

[Certain]

when yall listen to artist and u think they cool do u listen to every album or try to?
maybe this is what i should start doin cause im behinndd

I usually do, but I'm a completist. But for Jay Z, you really fucking need to get on the fucking horse, young man.

[dull boy]

Nas can start his list right after kingdom come

ohhhhhhh

I hate you, but that was a doozy there.

[Ghost1]

Nah.....its harder to back track like that

I grew up with jays catalogue

So one would drop every year....or every other year....and id just grab it

But when i hear of new dudes ill generally just do like u did an grab their first project....thats hard tho cuz sometimes they got better shit....

Its just too much rap music anymore.....

[Certain]

Also, Malachi, don't post a thread in two days going "Man, have y'all heard this album The Blueprint?! Shit is dope!"

We already know.

[DLB]

Illmatic is rated above any Jay album if RD is the top tho, that IS the album

[ill nik-A]

ohhhhhhh

I hate you, but that was a doozy there.

See, why the hate? U don't know me

[ill nik-A]

Illmatic is rated above any Jay album if RD is the top tho, that IS the album

Ur music taste is void

Thx

[dull boy]

Anyone heard Eminem has a new album? He's stronger than he was before.

[dull boy]

See, why the hate? U don't know me

Because you've proven yourself to be a colossal moron on multiple occasions. I give credit where it's due, though.

[DLB]

Ur music taste is void

Thx

wait wait wait

Jay BEGGED Nas to hop on that dead presidents hook and he didn't, so son sampled his shit(From Illmatic). please chill, Jay has the longetivity of the career but don't act like Illmatic isn't THE hip-hop album.

[ill nik-A]

Because you've proven yourself to be a colossal moron on multiple occasions. I give credit where it's due, though.

I'm not gonna get into it but u have proven to be vagina juice for quite some time, hating a man on an internet board displays leakage

I put in commas just for u

[Suthaveli]

what happened to S. Carter?

[ill nik-A]

wait wait wait

Jay BEGGED Nas to hop on that dead presidents hook and he didn't, so son sampled his shit(From Illmatic). please chill, Jay has the longetivity of the career but don't act like Illmatic isn't THE hip-hop album.

Illmatic and that's it... And it's right there with reasonable doubt

Again I'm not getting into it cuz this is an ongoing saga but Nas albums after that cant fuck with Jays bottom list

[Ghost1]

Thats vol 3 Suth

[Suthaveli]

Thats vol 3 Suth

bam. ok

never called it that. lesson learned

[DLB]

Illmatic and that's it... And it's right there with reasonable doubt

Again I'm not getting into it cuz this is an ongoing saga but Nas albums after that cant fuck with Jays bottom list

Illmatic is at the top b. that's not an arguement.

i'd vary this list around a bunch tho, cause Magna Carta Holy Fail being #6 doesn't seem like it's doing any of his other shit below it justice because i hate that album so much, it's trash to me

[dull boy]

I hate everyone. You're not special, you're just more annoyingly stupid and obvious about it.

[ill nik-A]

Illmatic is at the top b. that's not an arguement.

i'd vary this list around a bunch tho, cause Magna Carta Holy Fail being #6 doesn't seem like it's doing any of his other shit below it justice because i hate that album so much, it's trash to me

That's ur opinion like Nas is trash to me

Holler

[ill nik-A]

I hate everyone. You're not special, you're just more annoyingly stupid and obvious about it.

Sig check

Haters usually got picked on

Write a rhyming paragraph about it homie

[Ghost1]

Lol@thats not an argument

U are literally arguing aboit it with sum1 right now.

Why is the internet like this? !?!??@(@(#(?"?

I hate it here, bros.

Help me leave.

[DLB]

bags, stop being a faggot.

[Destroyer]

nah but nas goat tho

[Certain]

Lol@thats not an argument

U are literally arguing aboit it with sum1 right now.

Why is the internet like this? !?!??@(@(#(?"?

I hate it here, bros.

Help me leave.

When I get home from work, I'm going to write about you dying, if that helps.

[ill nik-A]

nah but nas goat tho

Like the animal?!?!
Whoooa

[Ghost1]

When I get home from work, I'm going to write about you dying, if that helps.

Lmfao. Word.

[Destroyer]

nik, have u ever heard that one diss track nas did against jay back in the day?
he kind of murdered him

[uh-oh]

i prefer reasonable doubt to illmatic

but illmatic is probably better from an overall standpoint.

i mean really they are equal lets be real

the only difference is nas never made anything else that could be viewed as a solid album. in my opinion of course.

[ill nik-A]

nik, have u ever heard that one diss track nas did against jay back in the day?
he kind of murdered him

Ether was tight... Album was eh ok... First half was decent, the rest was wack

Takeover had more quotable and the album was classic

Yea jay really killed him if u ask me

[Certain]

This is a Jay Z thread, guys. It's not 2001. Not everything has to be Jay Z vs. Nas.

I kind of hate "Ain't No Nigga."

[Joe Metts]

Blueprint
Black Album
Reasonable Doubt
Vol. 3
Dynasty
Vol. 2
Blueprint 2
Vol. 1
Blueprint 3
Magna Carta
American Gangsta
Kingdom Come

[Untold]

why are people thinking that Black Album should be so high on the list?

i mean, don't get me wrong but i thought that American Gangster was better???

maybe i need to relisten to the Black Album

[Malachi]

idk i listen to take over and at first and was like this shit aint that hot

see nika talkin bout more quoetables
just relistened

im not sure about ether no more idk idkkk

[Joe Metts]

Black Album was almost number one for me. Shits ridiculous.


When I come back like Jordan wearing the 45
It aint to play games wit you, it's to aim at you




Too raw on that whole album.

[Greed]

Vol 2 is a fucking classic you fucking idiots fuck you.

[Witty]

Joe Metts hang your head in shame for putting American Gangster so far down your list.

Some of the songs on that album are among my favourites from Jay Z.

[Witty]

x2

[Ghost1]

That cd sucked.lol

[Certain]

Verse three, though.

Y'all niggas deal with emotions like bitches
What's sad is I love you cause you're my brother
You traded your soul for riches
My child, I've watched you grow up to be famous
And now I smile like a proud dad, watchin' his only son that made it
You seem to be only concerned with dissing women
Were you abused as a child, scared to smile, they called you ugly
Well life is harsh; hug me, don't reject me
Or make records to disrespect me, blatant or indirectly
In 88 you was getting chased through your building
Calling my crib and I ain't even give you my numbers
All I did was gave you a style for you to run with
Smiling in my face, glad to break bread with the god
Wearing Jaz chains, no Tecs, no cash, no cars
No jail bars Jigga, no pies, no case
Just Hawaiian shirts, hanging with little Chase
You a fan, a phony, a fake, a pussy, a Stan
I still whip your ass, you thirty-six in a karate class
You Tae-bo ho, tryna' work it out, you tryna' get brolic
Ask me if I'm tryna' kick knowledge
Nah, I'm tryna' kick the shit you need to learn though
That ether, that shit that make your soul burn slow
Is he Dame Diddy, Dame Daddy or Dame Dummy
Oh, I get it, you Biggie and he's Puffy
Rocafella died of AIDS, that was the end of his chapter
And that's the guy y'all chose to name your company after?
Put it together, I rock hoes, y'all rock fellas
And now y'all try to take my spot, fellas
Feel these hot rocks fellas, put you in a dry spot, fellas
In a pine box with nine shots from my Glock, fellas
Foxy got you hot cause you kept your face in her puss
What you think, you getting girls now cause of your looks
Ne-gro please
You no mustache having, with whiskers like a rat
Compared to Beans you wack
And your man stabbed Un and made you take the blame
You ass, went from Jaz to hanging with Kane, to Irv, to Big
And Eminem murdered you on your own shit
You a dick-riding faggot, you love the attention
Queens niggas run you niggas, ask Russell Simmons
Ha, R-O-C get gunned up and clapped quick
J.J. Evans get gunned up and clapped quick
Your whole damn record label gunned up and clapped quick
Shawn Carter to Jay-Z, damn you on Jaz dick
So little shorty's getting gunned up and clapped quick
How much of Biggie's rhymes is gonna come out your fat lips
Wanted to be on every last one of my classics
You pop shit, apologize, nigga, just ask Kiss

[Certain]

Damn it, I'm done talking about Nas vs. Jay Z like it's 2001.

I love American Gangster. I'd probably put it fifth. I also always liked In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 more than the other two in that trilogy, but maybe I need to give Vol. 3 ... Life and Times of Shawn Carter a harder listen.

[dull boy]

Just read that whole verse.

[Joe Metts]

Witty


I love every Jay album man. Even Kingdom Come. So its really not a diss to AG or any album hes put out.

[Certain]

Your brother loves Kingdom Come.

[Joe Metts]

Does he?

Its a good album tho. Had to be last tho due to the high levels of album making jay is accustomed to.

[...the Nagger]

Volume 2 always will be my fav jay album

[Fart]

lol who gives a shit. fucking jay z
i will now rank my own poops in order >>>

[dead man]

"regrets" often pops into my head at random moments during the day. i sold it all from crack to oh pee em, in third person. it is one of my favorite songs of all time along with "cashmere thoughts".

[Witty]

Witty


I love every Jay album man. Even Kingdom Come. So its really not a diss to AG or any album hes put out.

Fair enough, I forgive you.

[...the Nagger]

so basically

hov da god

[King Ra.]

1. Reasonable Doubt (without question)
2. The Blueprint (you can argue this to be #1, but a solid #2 isn't bad)
3. Vol.2 (one of my personal favorites)
4. The Black Album (I need to listen to this through again, but this was solid)
5. American Gangster (Say Hello is one of my favorite tracks from Jay. I thought he did justice with this following that Kingdom Come fiasco)
6. Vol. 1 (could be in the top 5)
7. Blueprint 2 (fully loaded. I use to listen to this from start to finish, both discs)
8. Vol. 3 (I liked all the volumes, they produced a lot of bangers, especially this one, more commercial power imo)
9. Magna Carta Holy Grail (Holy Grail with Timberlake is my favorite track. Very different from his past albums but it's still dope. This low ranking isn't bad, but all the ones above are better imo)
10. Dynasty (solid work)
11. Blueprint 3 (isn't better than the other two, but it's solid)
12. Kingdom Come (clearly not his best collection, but has some tracks that shines)

[...the Nagger]

LOL
kingdom come is like, def not his worst imo

[Certain]

Kingdom Come is his worst. At least The Blueprint 3 had some bangers.

[Ghost1]

American gangsta and kingdom come had me to the point like yo.....he shouldve never came back this is sad.....first em now jay?

They git a few on each but i remember being pissed.......ill have to re listen....

[Certain]

American Gangster was good in a quiet sort of way.

[...the Nagger]

kingdom come was for old people tho

so I can understand ppl in their 20s and lower (like me too) not appreciating it

but I appreciate it for what it is. A concept album dealing with being a grown man

[Ghost1]

I mean even he said.its his worst one


Its not bad

But its prolly his least good album.....if saying like that helps you lmao


I mean which album u think is worse tho?

[Certain]

Jay Z is not in his 20s.

[Suthaveli]

in my lifetime vol 1 wasn't a gd album. I remember only 2 gd songs on it. I had the album
this is just my opinion

[Certain]

"Where I'm From," "Rap Game/Crack Game," "You Must Love Me," "Imaginary Player," "Streets Is Watching," "Lucky Me" and "The City Is Mine" are all on In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. You're saying you don't like four of those?

[dead man]

i was always under the impression that beans recorded his verse on 'where i'm from' in prison.

it seems doubtful but it is beanie sigel.

[dead man]

oh this is why

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQtQGYKuWRs

[...the Nagger]

in my lifetime vol 1 wasn't a gd album. I remember only 2 gd songs on it. I had the album
this is just my opinion

agreed

[Suthaveli]

"Where I'm From," "Rap Game/Crack Game," "You Must Love Me," "Imaginary Player," "Streets Is Watching," "Lucky Me" and "The City Is Mine" are all on In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. You're saying you don't like four of those?

imaginary player & face off.
those are my 2.

[PancakeBrah]

Jay-Z should've stayed retired after The Black Album.


This is a fact.

[Certain]

Why? More music is a good thing. He has made some good songs since. We would never have had "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)" or "Murder By Excellence" or "Never Let Me Down" or "Get By (Remix)" or "Black Republicans" or "Mr. Carter" or "Free Mason" or "Umbrella" had he stopped rapping after The Black Album, even if you actually dislike all of his solo work.

[Destroyer]

hahaha
so much of that is because of kanye

[PancakeBrah]

Because I enjoy the romantic idea of someone actually doing what they say they're going to do. Coming back tarnishes some of the mystique of The Black Album. Nothing he's done after it's release is really all that important or listenable, to me. I'd give up WtT if it meant he didn't release his other solo work.

[Wise Wiggles]

lol who gives a shit. fucking jay z
i will now rank my own poops in order >>>

Lolikr?

[Geno]

I agree that vol.2 is classic
Easily in my top 3 hov albums

My personal 3 is..
Reasonable doubt
Vol. 2
Bluprint

No real order. But they get the most play tbh

[Pakistani Hand Cannon]

the word classic dont even mean shit with the way ya'll throw it around

but yea

reasonable doubt is hands down his best

the blueprint is next.

thiss