Two Mics

Kingdom Come0
adam posted in Rap on December 12th, 2006

Here is my take on Kingdom Come and really it is more of a paradigm for review. A close friend recently asked, is it as good as the Blueprint? The better question I think, is it even comparable? Do you really compare the White Album to Revolver or do you take it for what it is at the point in time the Beatles were living? A lot goes into a great record by a true artist, much of that to do with their surroundings, what is influencing them and their take on the world in general. At least that’s what should be expected of anyone writing their own music. It is for these reasons that I propose that Kingdom Come is as good as the Blueprint in that I believe it accomplishes the goals that it was meant to. Blueprint was made to be that redemption album (after the Dynasty) and that album that truly separates an artist from radio hits to classics. Jay-Z brought out all the stops with producers and made classics out of songs like “Heart of the city,” even if it wasn’t a number one single.

With Kingdom Come, Jay-Z is not so much interested in making that redemption album. He has already proven himself. He doesn’t need to make a platinum album. He has done that ten times. He doesn’t need to make a bunch of number one singles he has done that a dozen times over. For once he made an album for himself. One that truly reflected how he was feeling both with subject matter and musical style. Jay is pushing 40 and the music he is interested in has changed. Thus his music has as well. He isn’t trying to work with the hottest producers; he is working with the people that make him the hottest.

Kingdom Come is a good album and I think it will be a great part of an overall legacy. However there is still more to be seen. He calls himself the Mike Jordan of recordan, but that isn’t necessarily a good thing because Mike didn’t know when to walk away. Is Jay done after this? I hope not, but if he is its still a good note to end on.

What Happened Mr. Shady?0
david posted in Rap, Pop, Music on February 6th, 2006

You blew us away with the Slim Shady LP. This unknown white guy from Detroit managed to do it all. Singles that flew to the top of the charts, and stayed there. Deeper tracks that pissed people off and fired up the kids who were buying it. You even got sued by your own mother for things you said in your rhymes. Of course we started to learn about Kim and how you grew up. That was just the beginning.

Then you did something even more unexpected. You followed it up with the Marshall Mathers LP. Now things were really getting interesting. People were even more outraged at this scandalous new artist. People blamed you for all that was wrong in the world, and yet the album just kept selling. Let’s face it, this album was ridiculously good. With Dre producing beats you were unstoppable, and the verses put it all together. The Way I Am fired back at the critics. Stan was an ode to the crazed fans you must have dealt with every day. The Dido samples were just that Platinum touch. The Real Slim Shady was pure pop rap, but it was hot enough to be #1. Kill You was a lyrical assault. That would have been enough, but there were still more tracks just as good as the rest.

They say once is happenstance, twice is cooincidence, but three times is enemy action. The Eminem Show sealed your credibility as a rapper. Not only was every song on The Eminem Show a hit-worthy single, but you had something to say. White America attacked all the hypocritical fools who couldn’t admit to what was going on. America loved Eminem. Square Dance, Superman, Sing For The Moment, the list goes on. After Eminem Show, we could only wait and see what would happen next.

Encore was more of a flameout than an extra performance. What happened? Did you just decide that America would buy whatever you put out? Did you spend the recording advance on bling? Evil Deeds was pathetic. We get it Marshall, you destroyed Ja Rule. We didn’t need Toy Soldiers as an apology. You could have buried him with a Takeover-esque hit, but we didn’t get that. Puke isn’t even fun to listen to. Who were you kidding with Ass Like That? The singles from that album were so forgettable, its hard to even remember what was on the radio.

Let’s just pretend like Encore didn’t happen, and put out a real album next time. Otherwise Eminem, you fell off.