Jay-Z - The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse [PA]

Artist:

Jay-Z

See Also:

Original Soundtrack - Streets Is Watching [PA]

Description:

Personnel: Jay-Z, Notorius B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Scarface, Twista, Big Boi, Killer Mike, M.O.P., Beanie Sigel, Young Chris, Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Guns, Peedi Crakk, Rell (rap vocals); Lenny Kravitz, Faith Evans, Raje Shwari, LaToiya Williams, Beyonce Knowles (vocals); Just Blaze (various instruments, vinyl scratches); Eric "E-Bass" Johnson (various instruments); Scott Storch (Fender Rhodes piano); Mike Elizondo, Camara Kambon (keyboards); Debra Killings (bass); Mark Dorsey, Michelle Rosario, Sleepy Brown, LaToiya Williams, Truth Hurts, Christy Love, Hovi Baby (background vocals).
Producers include: Kanye West, Blaze, Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, Timbaland.
THE BLUEPRINT 2 was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. "Excuse Me Miss" was nominated for Best Rap Song.
Personnel includes: Jay-Z, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G., Dr Dre, Rakim, Truth Hurts, Beyonce` Knowles, Sean Paul, Latoiya Williams, Big Boi, Killer Mike, Twista, Lenny Kravitz, M.O.P., Beanie Sigel, Scareface, Young Chris, Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Guns, Peedi Crakk, Sparks & Rell.
Producers include: Kanye West, Just Blaze, Dr Dre, Timbaland, No I.D.
THE BLUEPRINT 2 was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. "Excuse Me Miss" was nominated for Best Rap Song.
Audio Mixer: Rich Travali.
Recording information: Baseline Studios, New York, NY; Record One Studio, Los Angeles, CA; Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; Master Sound Studios, VA; The Boiler Room; Manhattan Center, New York, NY; Encore Studio, Los Angeles, CA.
Photographer: Albert Watson.
It`s hard not to somewhat admire the guts of a rapper who would lead off his album by not merely sampling a hearty slice of the hallowed Notorious B.I.G.`s "Juicy" while Faith sings in the background, but by claiming Biggie`s tacit approval on "A Dream." This is before he compares himself to Jesus at least three times. It`s exactly this sort of unyielding confidence ever teetering on the verge of megalomaniacal arrogance that propelled Jay-Z to the pinnacle of the rap world.
As 2002 wound to a close, the prolific Sean Carter dropped the sequel to the critically lauded, platinum-selling THE BLUEPRINT; two CDs, no skits, no filler, nothing but urgent poetics over tight tracks. Jay-Z may never possess the elevated prose of his arch-rival Nas, but he knows the power in brevity, in a terse, well-turned phrase. While he`s always been an eccentric sampler, on THE BLUEPRINT VOL. 2 he pares away any hint of gimmickry or excess. On "Guns And Roses," he effortlessly reconfigures a Cake instrumental as picture-perfect backdrop to a stark parable about life`s duality as Lenny Kravitz wails along. Overall, THE BLUEPRINT VOL. 2 continues and builds upon the legacy of the Queens megastar MC.

Track Listing:

DISC 1: THE GIFT:

1. Dream, A - (featuring Faith Evans/The Notorious B.I.G.)
2. Hovi Baby
3. Watcher 2, The - (featuring Dr. Dre/Rakim/Truth Hurts)
4. `03 Bonnie & Clyde - (featuring Beyonce Knowles)
5. Excuse Me Miss
6. What They Gonna Do - (featuring Sean Paul)
7. All Around The World - (featuring Latoiya Williams)
8. Poppin` Tags - (featuring Big Boi/Killer Mike/Twista)
9. F**k All Nite
10. Bounce, The
11. I Did It My Way

DISC 2: THE CURSE:

1. Diamond Is Forever
2. Guns & Roses - (featuring Lenny Kravitz)
3. U Don`t Know - (remix, featuring M.O.P.)
4. Meet The Parents
5. Some How Some Way - (featuring Beanie Sigel/Scarface)
6. Some People Hate
7. Blueprint¿
8. N***a Please - (featuring Young Chris)
9. 2 Many Hoes
10. As One - (featuring Peedi Crakk/Memphis Bleek/Freeway/Young Guns/Peedie Crakk/Sparks/Rell)
11. Ballad For The Fallen Soldier, A
12. Show You How - (bonus track)
13. B*****s & Sisters - (bonus track)
14. What They Gonna Do Part II - (bonus track)

Album Information

Release Date:

11/12/2002

Type:

Performer

Genre:

R&B

Subgenre:

East Coast Rap

Label:

Roc-A-Fella Records (USA)

Catalog Number:

063381

Original Release Year:

2002

# of Discs:

2

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Guest Artist:

Faith Evans; The Notorious B.I.G.; Dr. Dre; Rakim; Truth Hurts; Beyonce Knowles; Scarface; Sean Paul; Twista; Big Boi; Lenny Kravitz; Latoiya Williams; Killer Mike; M.O.P.; Beanie Sigel; Young Chris; Peedi Crakk; Freeway; Memphis Bleek; Peedie Crakk; Rell; Sparks; Young Guns

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