Jay-Z's Tragic "Kingdom"

Here's an excerpt from my Jay-Z/Kingdom Come review, the entirety of which will grace your Tuesday edition of the St. Petersburg Times. For the most part, this one's bumming me out. Blame it on high hopes. Blame it on a track record with few potholes. Whatever the case, the album's a letdown...

When you hype your new album as the biggest career comeback since Lazarus and Mariah Carey combined, you better back up your boasts with big beats and even bigger hooks. But alas, as Jay-Z shows on the surprisingly ho-hum Kingdom Come, the recently unretired rapper is much better at goodbyes than hellos.

In 2003, Jay-Z was the greatest rapper in the world, a multiplatinum-selling star with charisma and talent to spare — so he quit. Hip-hop was a young man’s game, reasoned the then-33-year-old artist, the rare talent whose cred was as solid on the streets as it was in Middle America. His adieu disc was the thrice-platinum Black Album, a hit-stuffed farewell featuring the Rick Rubin-produced 99 Problems, a pounding marriage of thunderous beats and lightning-quick social commentary.

Despite please-don’t-go protestations from his fans, the Brooklyn native shelved his mike and pulled on a suit, becoming the CEO and president of Def Jam Recordings. Although he hinted at a Michael Jordanesque comeback at the end of The Black Album, the corporate Jay-Z said he was done rapping. Never mind his guest spots on dozens of tracks, including some by gal pal Beyonce. To paraphrase the man himself, Jay was now a businessman, not “a business, man.”

But the game, it seems, wasn’t quite done with him.

“As you can see, I can’t leave,” the 36-year-old says at the start of Kingdom Come, powerless to fight his fate. So here we find Jay-Z, player and coach, executive and artist, a former drug dealer turned self-made mogul working all sides of his comeback. Even more juicy: a 36-year-old star, an old coot by hip-hop standards, going to battle against young rappers on both coasts.

If only the results were as exciting as the buildup.

For his return, Jay-Z commissioned all manner of uber-producers (Kanye West, Dr. Dre, the Neptunes) and star performers (Usher, John Legend and, naturally, Beyonce). The samples are just as bold-faced; if you swipe a chunk of Rick James’ Super Freak, you better bring your A game, lest you get chumped by MC “U Can’t Touch This” Hammer.

But for a hip-hop icon addicted to big and brash inventiveness, Kingdom Come is often just kind of . . . blah. I never thought I’d say that about Jay-Z, but it’s true. On Oh My God, produced by Just Blaze, our hero is challenged to rhyme over a rickety go-go beat, with keyboards squealing and backing singers cooing the titular hosanna. “I’m feeling like the world’s against me, Lord,” he spouts in his limber fashion, “but call me crazy, but strangely I love the odds.” For any other rapper, the song would be a statement; for Jay-Z, however, the underdog notion rings false. The odds aren’t against you when you’re betting the house’s money.....

Comments

[haha]

i dont see the point of all these reviews when u can always go to a clearchannel website or a clearchannel RADIO station website to listen to the album yourself.why did he incorrectly paraphrase on that business man line?

[Mike T]

I've got a couple of issues. If you can get your own review from another site, then why don't you? I don't get it. You're going to get onto Sean for allegedly using an incorrect paraphrase, yet you can't take the time out to type with proper grammar. Being that Clearchannel fired both Bubba and Cowhead, they don't exist in my opinion. Back to the blog...nice MC Hammer reference! I loved that album. That and Kool Moe Dee got me pumped up for PPAL football games when I was a kid!

[haha]

why are u mad?reviews are written by PEOPLE and everyone might have a different opinion on the album.i hardly ever see any review with a disclaimer!==>trying to "push" your OPINION on other people.
the "businessman" paraphrase is the DIRECT OPPOSITE of what jay said!
please correct my grammar:I know that you know that i am right.

[GlennS.]

This is being hyped as a "comeback" and his last album was in 2003? Give me a break. Maybe we should make a new law: Nothing shall be labeled a comeback unless at least five years have passed, and the person has truly dropped off the face of the earth (not starred in commercials, etc.)

At any rate, I'll wait for the inevitable mash-ups. Wonder if Danger Mouse is planning anything this time around?