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Jay-Z Strikes $150 Million Deal With Live Nation
Member Since: 6/29/2007
Posts: 3,761
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How is Blue Magic a bonus track if it is the first single?
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Quote:
Originally posted by MusicIsGoodForYou
How is Blue Magic a bonus track if it is the first single?
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because Jay-Z didn't think Blue Magic fit the feel of the rest of the album.
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Member Since: 6/29/2007
Posts: 3,761
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bach
because Jay-Z didn't think Blue Magic fit the feel of the rest of the album.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Quote:
Originally posted by MusicIsGoodForYou
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it's not a bad thing. it'll be on all pressings of the album. it's just that i'm hearing the album is just as soulful as The Blueprint. so if Blue Magic was stuck in the middle of the album it would sound out of place and kind of throw you off from the feel of the album.
it is showing that Hov is really putting a lot of work into the album and not just throwing songs together.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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excerpt from Jay-Z's XXL Cover Story
Quote:
Jay-Z: I’ll Still Kill (Part I)
Interview:Elliott Wilson
Just when you thought it was safe, just when you thought the world’s greatest MC had left the streets behind to put his feet up on a beach chair, just when you least expected it: Jay-Z’s back. Again. With a vengeance.
There’s a party going on at New York’s Roc the Mic studios. The music is deafening, the Patrón shots are flowing, Beyoncé is shaking her rump, and everyone has stopped watching Denzel Washington on the monitors above the booth. This is where Jay-Z has been for the last two weeks, creating an album in a whirlwind of inspiration after catching an early screening of the movie American Gangster.
In the flick, Denzel plays Frank Lucas, a superduper heroin kingpin who accumulated $250 million in the 1970s. The character’s calm, cool persona reminded Jay of himself and relit a spark inside him to record music about his own checkered past. Who’s to say he said it all in Reasonable Doubt? “I lived a rich life,” he says, fiddling with his black laptop to cue up the next song. “I knew there were stories there, I just didn’t think that I would be able to get there in an honest way and really relive those emotions.”
It seems like strange timing. An album of unapologetic criminology rap at a time when—in the wake of the Imus scandal—even folks like Russell Simmons are endorsing censorship. Then again, a year after Jay’s last album, Kingdom Come, was widely panned as “adult contemporary” hip-hop, his street credibility could sure use a boost. Former hustler buddies Calvin Klein and DeHaven have gone public with accusations that Jay is out of touch and dishonorable, while disgruntled Def Jam artists like LL Cool J complain about getting the back-burner treatment as their label’s president puts out his own music.
Speaking of the corporate side, Jay’s contract is up at the first of the year, and rumors have him bouncing to join his old Roc-A-Fella protégé Kyambo “Hip-Hop” Joshua and Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin in rebuilding the venerable Sony/Columbia (though the pair just signed one of Jay’s most vocal antagonists, Dipset’s Jim Jones). Looks like it’s gonna be a hot winter. But in the meantime, Jay-Z’s 10th album is on par with some of his finest work. And, for now, he’s lost in the music.
It’s not every day in hip-hop you hear a legendary rapper say he saw a movie that inspired him to create an album.
Yeah. When I saw the movie, the way Denzel portrayed the character, you know, we never seen a Black guy ascend this high in a movie before, to being over the mob. So immediately that struck with me. Like, the success of it all. Like, “Wow, go!” [Applauds] The reason we applaud Oprah—no matter what she says about us—it’s ’cause she’s gone so far. One of the most important scenes [in the movie] to me was when Denzel and the T.I. character sat down, and they had that talk. T.I. was a pitching prospect. Denzel’s character got him that tryout with the Yankees, and he blew it off, and Denzel was like, “Why did you blow it off?” And he’s like, “I want to be like you.” They didn’t show the scene after that. Denzel in the corner reflecting. Denzel in his bedroom crying. You know, like in The Godfather. The Godfather didn’t want Michael in the business, right? I’m sure Denzel felt the same way about his nephew. But he couldn’t say that. So what I did was take emotions from [scenes like] that. Like, I took that emotion and pulled it into my song [“Sweet”]. So it’s my own movie. I call it an indie film now—that’s my new ****. It’s the indie-film version of American Gangster.
It also gave you a chance to do an album with content more in the vein of Reasonable Doubt, right? More street content.
Exactly. I never thought I would make it back there. I never thought I would be in that place. Because I wasn’t going to do it for the sake of doing it. That’s corny, and that’s fake. If I don’t show the world growth, how are we going to grow? And I represent hip-hop as well, you know, with what I do. What I do is a reflection on hip-hop. And if I don’t show growth, then they going to be like: “This guy right here, he’s successful. Why is he shooting at people in his raps?”
It’s interesting that, in a year where we had the Imus scandal and all these attacks on hip-hop, you would make a record like this, at this level in your career. Do you worry about being misunderstood?
I don’t really care about that, ’cause it’s true emotions. You can’t just fix a curse and fix a neighborhood. If you told me tomorrow that if I stop saying “*****,” that the neighborhood would be fixed, I’ll never say “*****” again. I’ll never say **** again. I deal with that on this album, with the “Ignorant ****.” Scarface the movie did more than Scarface the rapper, to me, but still that ain’t the blame for everything that has happened to me. If you’re going to attack a section of entertainment, you have to attack it all. You can’t just attack music. You have to attack films and video games—they killed more people in the opening of Grand Theft Auto than 50 Cent killed on any one of his albums. All his albums put together.
How did you feel when all that went down? Did you think it was just something that was going to blow over?
Yeah. I didn’t even think it was worth my attention. Because I was really upset that—like, how did we get there? We just took the argument and moved it. Imus is a racist. Hip-hop are entertainers. They’re entertainers. That’s two different issues. Imus is not a fan of hip-hop. He couldn’t name three songs off of any rapper’s album. He’s not a fan of hip-hop. He’s not listening to hip-hop. So he’s not influenced by hip-hop. That’s his choice and his feelings. Or even his playing and going way too far. Which is cool. If he stood behind that, like: “I’m just entertaining. I’m acting a fool.” That’s cool. That’s not what he said.
The hip-hop community was mad ’cause Russell said we should clean it up and—
I had a conversation with Russell, to be perfectly frank. I’m like: “Russell, man, you gotta be careful in how you go about doing that. You represent us. You can’t do that. At least have a conversation with everybody about it. You just can’t speak out like that.” And I don’t agree. You know, I ain’t agree with everybody going on Oprah. I thought it was really a bad move for us, because there’s no way to win. That show, it’s not edited by us. You can’t win. It’s not an equal forum. I don’t think that was the right forum for that type of conversation. If you have the conversation, really have the conversation. Have a conversation. Don’t talk at me.
This new music is coming after Kingdom Come, an album where you showed maturity and growth and laid off of the street content. Do you feel like the rap audience misunderstood where you were going with Kingdom Come?
Art is subjective. It’s subjective, right? So, you know, you gotta be careful with—you don’t have to be careful. You’re really supposed to do what you gotta do, and if people follow you… But the space I was in, it’s very difficult [for the audience] to relate to those emotions. Like, you can relate to the emotions on Blueprint. You know, that’s more—universal feeling. That’s the struggle. It’s hard to relate to the feeling on the other side. And I think it was too much of that, but it was an honest feeling at the time. Like I said, I love that because that’s what I’m supposed to be doing—whether it’s accepted by everybody or not. I’m supposed to be pushing the envelope and trying new things. And people are supposed to say, “Hov, you might have went too far.”
It’s the new generation of fans and rappers who are gonna judge you the harshest. Do you think it’s fair that you’re compared to every new sensation, like Lil Wayne?
I don’t think it’s fair to me, and I don’t think it’s fair to them, with the amount of work that I put in. But it’s human nature. So I gotta do what I’ve been doing. I gotta compete with my work. Not to take anything away from him. I think Lil Wayne is extremely talented. I think he’s one of the most talented ones out there. I mean, even more so how his delivery is than what he says. I don’t think some of the things he says sometimes are the greatest things, but the way he delivers it, that’s part of it. People got to look at that, too. That’s a big, important part of the puzzle. But do I think me and Lil Wayne should be in the same sentence? Me? No. I mean, hopefully one day. He has to accumulate work. Put some classics under his belt.
So you’re not ready to hand him or anyone else the torch yet. This isn’t gonna be your last album?
I want to never say that again. Just make the albums, man. And if one day people wake up and it’s four years later, and you haven’t made another, they go, “Wait a minute, you’re retired!” I think that’s best for me. I think I pulled the retirement ripcord too many times. People looking at me like, “Please shut up.” I was looking at Fade to Black the other day. I was embarrassed. I couldn’t watch. I’m not playing with you. I had to turn it off. I was cringing. Like, I’m about to put out another album, man. Another one. Not only was that not my last, I put out another one, and I’m about to put out another one. I wasted a great film! I’m about to make another film, though. Not on retirement, just another film. I want to make a movie with this album. Like a short film, a better Streets Is Watching. I want to get the Hughes brothers to direct it. I’ll be doing a disservice if I didn’t deliver it [American Gangster] in a proper way.
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http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=15128
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Member Since: 5/30/2007
Posts: 2,388
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I am so hyped for this album...CANT WAIT!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Part 2 of the excerpt from Jay-Z's XXL Cover Story
Quote:
When you look at the last project, you had an incredible marketing promotion campaign behind it. I guess—
I love when people talk about the marketing campaign of the last album. They talk about it as if I spent the money. I’ve been watching this for a year, like, what’s wrong with you? No one’s figured this out? I didn’t pay Budweiser. They paid me. They shot my video and put it on TV and paid me. They paid me to do that. I don’t pay HP. They paid me. I didn’t pay AT&T to run them clips. They paid me. Yeah, so when people go and talk about the marketing of the last album, I find it very funny. You think I put all that on TV? I paid for that? I didn’t pay for none of that. Budweiser paid me. HP paid me. AT&T paid me. All the things that ran, they paid me. I received money. I didn’t spend it. Def Jam was happy as ****. And then I didn’t shoot no more videos. I shot two videos, and I shut it down. I was the president. I shut it down, big man.
Ha! Are you staying at Def Jam, big man? Are you staying or going? What’s up? Or is this album a convenient distraction for you not to make that decision yet?
I’m giving myself some time. It’ll be hot out there for a minute, so—I don’t know. I love what I’m doing. I love the artists that I’m developing. I love the whole thing about it. Once again, I have to really look at it for the next three years and say, “Am I doing it for the right reasons?” ’Cause all I want to do is make history at this point. They got to pay me for making history, of course. But that’s my goal. I want to sit there with people really into making history. I mean everybody. I don’t mean just artists. The interns—if everybody’s not committed to making history every time I go into that meeting, and if I can’t look in their eyes and I don’t see the fire, then I gotta move on. ’Cause, you know, I don’t have time. I don’t have the luxury of time to just blow off three years. I do, but I don’t. But I’m not looking to have a job. That’s not hot! If there was a place or a new situation where it was exciting and, you know, it was about making history and doing something so epic, then I’d do that. I’m not just gonna go to Columbia and just sit down and collect a check.
Speaking of big checks, word on the street is Jim Jones just inked himself a nice situation at Sony. Would that have any effect of deterring you from going over there?
First of all, I don’t look at none of that **** as real. If it’s a real thing, then it’s a real thing. Then it’s nothing to talk about in the magazine. There’s nothing to talk about on radio. Go get your crew, go sit on some mattresses, and we gotta finish this thing until it’s over. ’Cause I’m not walking around the street, chilling, and eating at Cipriani’s outside if we got a problem. I’m not doing that. That’s stupid. I’m just going to wait for you to catch me off balance? Like, they ain’t no problem to me. And as far as business, I never been like that. Juelz Santana is on Def Jam. I try to do anything to try to make the guy comfortable. My name is on every single paper in that building. That’s how we work… It’s all good with me. I don’t give a ****. What I care? I hope he gets a ton of money. Then the next lil’ guy is going to take shots at him. I love that. I hope he makes a ton of money.
Speaking of taking shots, there’s a certain veteran Def Jam artist who continues to blame you for his recent sales problems. Are you surprised at what LL’s been saying?
Yeah, I’m definitely surprised. ’Cause, you know, like, I got a lot respect for him. He’s a legend in the game, and you can’t market LL. You’re LL. That’s it. Nobody really wants to look at themselves. He’s had a long, long career. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don’t work. Sometimes the stars line up and magic is in the right place. Sometimes it ain’t. Who can I blame about my last album going two million? L.A., you piece of ****! [Laughs] That’s just how it goes. You can market to death. The people ultimately decide. And the people are not saying that was a great album they missed. Are the people saying that? Let’s be honest with each other. Are the people saying, “That’s a great album we missed”? No one is saying that.
How is your relationship with L.A.? People are fascinated about that, too. Like, when he hired Jermaine Dupri, did that mean he was trying to protect himself in case Jay leaves?
We absolutely tried to get Jermaine when I first got there. I was like: “Jermaine, we can do co-president—I don’t have no ego with that. Whatever you want to do.” I don’t know what led to his decision to go to Virgin, but me and L.A. absolutely sat in the office with Jermaine trying to convince him to come over from day one, when I first got there. I think the more talented people you have there, the better. And for protection, it’s a great thing. It’s a smart move as well. I don’t see anything wrong with that.
Some of your old hustler buddies have been poppin’ up lately, saying you did them wrong. Especially a guy named DeHaven. You address him on American Gangster, on the song “No Hook.”
Right, I pulled up some things.
Did you feel like you needed to address that, or was it naturally something that just came out of you?
Yeah, it’s just me. Like, when I’m recording, the things that come out, I don’t deny them. I just let it happen, and let the chips fall where they may. I don’t ever feel the need to do anything I don’t want to do for the sake of, Hov better say something or Hov better-—I’m not under that pressure, because I know who I am so much. That’s it. It was quick, too. End of the story. “I followed the code, I cracked the safe/Other *****s ain’t in the game, so they practice hate.” You ain’t in the game, so you practice hate.
Is that also directed toward Calvin Klein, who also spoke ill of you?
Nah. I know Calvin through a friend of a friend. Like, it wasn’t like we was—that was it. So we really have nothing to talk about. It was shocking, I guess, but that was about it.
You usually try to keep your personal life private. But you put a whole verse about Beyoncé on “Party Life.” Do you feel like that’s going to satisfy the gossip hounds?
I didn’t say that verse was about her. But it sounds hot. [Laughs] The only reason I don’t deal with that aspect of my life is because I think people are only interested in it three times: when you get together, when you break up, and when you have a baby. Other than that, people don’t give a ****. They don’t have good intentions. People just want to manipulate the situation to benefit them. I think relationships are broken up because of the media. That’s a difficult thing when you live it out through the media. They’ll take something—you know, like, you sign Rihanna—and then everybody is like, “’Cause she’s a girl artist, put them together. He slept with her! It’s a great story! Let’s run with it.” But you don’t realize there’s people involved there. Like, you know, how about if it ain’t true?! Right? So you got to be private with your ****. And you got to be strong in your relationship to know each other.
But it seems like you guys have overcome all that by now, right?
Overcome what?
The scrutiny and being together and like—
Oh yeah, that’s ’cause we don’t deal with it. If we woulda dealt with it, like, on magazine covers together and **** like that…
[Laughs] I wouldn’t try to get that one.
[Laughs] I’m not saying you, man. But you may be the only one! But everybody else…
Unless B starts rapping, I can’t really justify—
Yeah, exactly.
She gotta put a 16 together.
[Laughs] That’s going too far, man! She got to do at least one verse! But the more you get into it, then the more it comes back on you.
Alright, we’ll switch gears. What’d you make of the whole Dipset drama this year between Jim and Cam?
I said it in one of those records on the R. Kelly album: “You know your friends when they don’t need you no more.” Y’all see if y’all really like each other. When people don’t need you, you never know. ’Cause if they need you, they’re going to be quiet about the situation. [Whispers] “I hate this *****! This ***** wear pink one more time…” It’s like, okay, now let’s see if you can deal with success. That’s just how life is.
I think because you obviously repaired your relationship with Nas, people wonder if you’d do the same in this case.
The marketing plan they came up with was: This guy did this to Dame. They didn’t have no problem with me. I ain’t do nothing but great things for them. Everything that they do is based on us. Their work ethic is based on watching us being in there. Cam’s biggest album was based on us. We put those records on there. Those are Just Blaze records. I ain’t never do nothing to them. Nothing bad. Great things. Made them money. Everybody made money with me. That’s the thing. Look back at my history. Everybody made money with me. I’m Hyman Roth in The Godfather. “I made all my partners rich!” It’s true. Every single person.
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http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=15179
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Member Since: 8/1/2007
Posts: 798
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Quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Spaceman
1. Intro
2. Pray produced by Puffy & The Hitmen
3. American Dreamin’
4. Hello Brooklyn 2.0 ft. Lil Wayne
5. No Hook produced by Puffy & The Hitmen
6. Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)… produced by Puffy & The Hitmen
7. Sweet produced by Puffy & The Hitmen
8. I Know produced by Pharrell
9. Party Life produced by Puffy & The Hitmen
10. Ignorant **** feat. Beanie Sigel produced by Just Blaze
11. Say Hello produced by DJ Toomp
12. Success feat. Nas produced by No I.D.
13. Fallin’ feat. Bilal produced by Jermaine Dupri
BONUS TRACKS
14. Blue Magic produced by Pharrell
15. American Gangster produced by Just Blaze
looks very solid. no idea who produced the Intro, American Dreamin' or Hello Brooklyn 2.0 so that's why there isn't a credit right now.
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that's a fake list. wayne is CERTAINLY NOT on his album. he has the i get money remix on it and that's really the only collabo
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Member Since: 5/30/2007
Posts: 2,388
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GOT MY TICKETS FOR THE NYC SHOW AT THE HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM ON NOVEMBER 11TH!! Im super excited!! Jay Z concert in NYC!!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Quote:
Originally posted by Queh
that's a fake list. wayne is CERTAINLY NOT on his album. he has the i get money remix on it and that's really the only collabo
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you are still following by that old ass tracklist? what I posted is 100% confirmed. the I Get Money remix won't be on the retail version. maybe only the iTunes one as a bonus track.
if you need more proof snippets of all the songs came out today, and which tracklist does it go by? oh yeah, the one I posted. please sit yourself down.
http://www.7digital.com/artists/jay-...ican-gangster/ for snippets of all the songs on the album. I'm not listening to it before it comes out in full, but it's very tempting.
to yerboylc3, that's awesome! hope you have a great time.
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Member Since: 5/30/2007
Posts: 2,388
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^ Thanks for the updates!! I will be sure to bring you back some videos and pics!!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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new Jay-Z story from MTV News: discuses Lil Wayne collabo, more
Quote:
NEW YORK — The Mike Jordan of rap says he's coming through in the clutch with his American Gangster album, much like he's done time and time again.
"That's my thing," Jay-Z smiled on Wednesday night at Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Jay was there to tape an episode of "VH1 Storytellers," and before showtime, he was scribing some last-minute additions to his November 6 release, including a track called "American Dreaming" that samples Marvin Gaye vocals, and "Hello Brooklyn," which features Lil Wayne.
"I'm the fourth-quarter man," he added. "At the end of the album, I stand up stronger. I made '[I Just Wanna Love U] Give It 2 Me' at the very end of the [recording of The Dynasty: Roc La Familia]. 'PSA' was the last record [I wrote for] The Black Album. I believe in finishing up strong."
"Hello Brooklyn" is the tag-team combination that has been talked about by hip-hop fans for the past year or so, as it features Weezy F. Baby, MTV News' Hottest MC in the Game. What compounds the excitement even more is that the two haven't exactly had the fondest of words for each other in the recent past. Jay described "Hello Brooklyn" as not being a back-and-forth lyrical exercise — like, say "Renegade" or "Black Republican" — but more of a conceptual song.
"[Wayne's camp] sent the record and it was done," Jay elaborated. "So it wasn't like a collaboration thing. It was done already. Gee [Roberson] and [Kyambo] 'Hip Hop' [Joshua], who came from Roc-A-Fella and went on to do great things — I'm very proud of them — manage Wayne. That whole thing came through them. It's more of a great record than a lyrical slugfest. It's more a creative, great record than two guys spitting. 'Success' [another American Gangster track] is more of what people wanna look at when you judge that type of [collaborative] stuff. It's me and Nas going at it."
Wayne said "Hello Brooklyn" was actually made for his delayed album, Tha Carter, Vol. 3. "It was produced by my homeboy Big D a long time ago," he said. "Jay heard the song some type of way, and when he heard it, he said, 'Ask the homie if I can get this.' When I was asked the question, I told them it wasn't even a question — he's got it. Everybody in the world knows how I feel about Jay. ... He's the king, utmost respect.
"The song has a sample on there that says, 'Hello Brooklyn,' " Wayne added. "I made it so that I'm talking to a woman and the woman has the traits of the actual place [where the song is set]. I say, 'She love B.I.G. but she like Tupac, and every time I say, "Jay-Z," she say, "It's the Roc." ' Me not being from Brooklyn, I think it's cool because you always wanna know what an outsider thinks of your place."
Just like Wayne called Jay a "king," Hov proved that he is the reigning king of BK when he was treated like royalty at his hometown show on Wednesday night. He had plenty to share during his "Storytellers" set, during which he performed seven songs from his new album and told the story behind them for an audience that featured Beyoncé, Beanie Sigel and L.A. Reid. Songs included "Blue Magic," during which a female audience member came out of the stands and did the Wop with Jay, and "Party Life," for which Hov specifically requested red lighting, because the song reminds him of old-school house-parties. "Hola Hovito, cooler than zee-ro, bee-low/ Fresh one blade, no chemo," he rapped. "Art with no easel, please there's no equal/ Your boy's off the wall, these other n---as is Tito."
"The band is great," he said earlier in the night of his accompanying musicians. "I went to Puff and snatched up a couple of his people 'cause he ... and Snoop [recently] went on an international tour. I know him, he's like a drill sergeant. He put them through the wringer. So I knew they would be ready. I didn't have to do much. I just let them hear the songs, and they learned the songs in one day."
Jay and his band, which he dubbed "The Roc Boys" on Wednesday night, will be going to several major cities at the start of November for a promo run. Next year, probably in the spring, he wants to do a full tour, hopefully with his roster of Roc-A-Fellas.
"We're slowly getting our legs to make another run," Jigga said, before rattling off the label's recent and upcoming releases. "First Kanye, then my record, then Free and Beans. [Memphis] Bleek's got a smoker out there. We're gearing up for Tru-Life at the beginning of the year, and [to] make that Dynasty 2 [album]."
It looks like one person will be added to Jay's dynasty soon: The LOX's Jadakiss is apparently on the way to Roc-A-Fella/ Def Jam by way of Ruff Ryders. "It's not done," Jay said of the deal. But, he added, "It's about 90 percent [complete]."
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http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/157...25/jay_z.jhtml
I would love if there was a Dynasty 2. great to see that Roc-A-Fella is coming back with the classic roster. the Roc is back in the building!
also cool news of Jadakiss coming over to the Roc. he should make a great album over there.
also, here's the American Gangster production credits:
1. Intro
Performed by Idris Elba
Produced by Chris Flame for Earbrain Productions
Co-Produced by Idris “Driis” Elba for HEADSHELL/HEVLAR Recordings
2. Pray
Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
3. American Dreamin’
Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
Co-Produced by Mario Winans for Yellow City Entertainment/The Senate
4. Hello Brooklyn 2.0 feat. Lil Wayne
Produced by BIGG D for Bigg D Entertainment, LLC.
5. No Hook
Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/ The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
6. Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)…
Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
7. Sweet
Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
8. I Know
Produced by The Neptunes
9. Party Life
Produced by DIDDY and LV & SEAN C for Grind Music/The Hitmen/Bad Boy Entertainment
10. Ignorant **** featuring Beanie Sigel
Produced by Just Blaze for F.O.B. Entertainment/N.Q.C. Management, LLC and Hip Hop Since 1978
11. Say Hello
Produced by Toomp for Zone Boy Productions
12. Success feat. Nas
Produced by N0-ID for So So Def Productions, Inc.
Co-produced by Jermaine Dupri for So So Def Productions, Inc.
13. Fallin’
Produced by Jermaine Dupri for So So Def Productions, Inc.
Co-produced by No-ID for So So Def Productions, Inc.
14. American Gangster
Produced by Just Blaze for F.O.B. Entertainment/N.Q.C. Management, LLC and Hip Hop Since 1978
15. Blue Magic
Produced by The Neptunes
http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=15480
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Member Since: 5/30/2007
Posts: 2,388
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Im so excited for this its not even funny
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ATRL Administrator
Member Since: 8/27/2006
Posts: 5,277
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I like the Eminem reference in the beginning of Success. The song itself is great aswell
Hello Brooklyn is pretty good too, but I expecting better from Lil Wayne.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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American Gangster: Just Blaze speaks on "Ignorant ****"
Quote:
The Internet’s favorite record gets dissected in a semi-intelligent quick convo between two dudes who get along.
How did “Ignorant ****” first come about?
Just Blaze: That was the first record we did for the Black Album. We did that on the road actually.
What made you flip the “Between the Sheets” song?
You know what—obviously we know that one year where it was used 80,000 times between Keith Murray, Da Brat, Biggie, Rob Base tried to do a comeback off of it, Lil Vicious—it was like million records that used that part and I always thought the other part was the ill break. But, it wasn’t the obvious part, everybody kept going for the same break. That’s kinda something that’s always been in the back of my mind.
Nobody ever tried to flip that right?
Not that I know of. No one’s ever used that. And I brought back the main part to keep it familiar [hums break] ‘cause that’s the part everybody’s familiar with. So I kept that in there just to give it some familiarity, but used a different part of the record and we did it between my bus and my hotel room in Chicago.
What tour was this?
Roc The Mic.
With Jay and 50 right?
Yeah, Jay and 50. We just went to the bathroom, pause, and hung up some blankets from the hotel and we just did it straight like that. A lot of times when an artist is first starting an album they don’t want keep the earlier records ‘cause they still trying to get in their zone. So you know, it kinda just sat for a long time and then the dude that was kinda part of the extended family got tricked into giving it away. Demarco tricked him and he gave him the record and it leaked obviously. I was super mad at the time, just more so of the circumstances and because of what it could have been used for later. But the good thing about it leaking is if it hadn’t, Jay would’ve probably never realized how dope the song was.
The original version of the song has become notorious.
Exactly, ‘cause it’s like Where’s Waldo? Everybody’s trying to find the No DJ version. A couple people have the spliced No DJ version together, but none of them are really the official joint. So basically when it came time for Kingdom Come—the record was always in the back of my mind, but I just didn’t feel like it fit Kingdom Come. Looking back, you know obviously it should’ve been on the Black Album, and I kinda have an idea what song it should’ve replaced but I won’t say. But me and Jay both agree it should’ve been on there in place of another record that was on there. But, what’s done is done, but at least when it came time for this album, that’s one of the first things he wanted. When me and Jay first talked about the album, if nothing else, this song has to go on there. We both agreed that since people were familiar with the song in general that we got to switch it up a little bit. So the light bulb just went off, and I was like, “Yo, you gotta get Beans.” He was like, “What you mean?” “The first thing I’m a do is free Sigel. Boom. That’s where he needs to come in.” And then, we went and got Beans, he did his 16 or whatever it was, Jay just came back and finished it off.
Were you surprised with the Imus direction on the third verse?
I just didn’t know. Sometimes you just need someone of that stature. Jay-Z’s obviously not the first to say something. But “Scarface the movie did more than Scarface the rapper” deals with the way people crucify music. It’s not just hip-hop, it’s music in general. ‘Cause there was a phase where rock and heavy metal was getting the same treatment. If not worse. And it’s like, when it comes down to it, it’s all just different forms of entertainment. Obviously, we should be smart enough to realize that most of these rappers are not running around doing everything they portray on records. If you look back even on the original OG version of the song, he says something to the effect of “Believe half of what you see/Even if it’s spit by me.”
“And with that said I will kill *****s dead.”
Exactly. He’s telling you right there, like we going to paint the picture. But at the same time it’s something he can relate to very well cause he’s rhyming about where he comes from.
On the original version, he had the Beyonce verse on end which he started to do in concerts. How did that develop?
I know sometimes he would do it at shows, but it wasn’t with the “I Need Love” music yet. And then I think it was during the Fade To Black show, we was in rehearsals, and I honestly don’t remember exactly who’s idea it was, it coulda been mine, it coulda been Ahmir’s. But that’s when it came about in the rehearsals, like “You should flip “I Need Love” and do that verse over that.” We knew that he was going to get a strong reaction so that kinda became a staple of his shows. So we couldn’t go back and use that part on the record now after he’s done it a million times in public.
Yeah it’s funny cause he mentions B on that and on “PSA,” another song you did. Why is dude always mentioning his girl on your tracks?
I don’t know.
[Laughs]
Maybe it’s the aggression of the song. [Laughs]
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http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=15630
Just Blaze and Jay-Z really have amazing chemistry. I would say (imo) that Jay's best chemistry with a producer is with Just. they have done so many classic songs over the years. they bring out the best in each other. even on something like Kingdom Come Just Blaze was there to save the day and gave Jay three real monster songs (Oh My God, Kingdom Come, Show Me What You Got).
so American Gangster has finally leaked for real now. not that half-assed version that leaked over the weekend that didn't have "Party Life" or the new version of "Ignorant ****". I gave it a listen today, and it's really such an amazing record. it lives up to all the crazy hype. early favorites include "No Hook", "American Gangster", "Ignorant ****", "Say Hello", "Fallin'", "Success", oh **** it the whole album is amazing.
album is in stores in exactly one week!
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Member Since: 5/30/2007
Posts: 2,388
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All Things Jay-Z: American Gangster
Release Date: November 6, 2007
# Title Featured guest(s) Time
1 "Intro" 2:03
2 "Pray" Beyoncé 4:26
3 "American Dreamin'" Marvin Gaye (sample) 4:49
4 "Hello Brooklyn 2.0" Lil Wayne 3:58
5 "No Hook" 3:16
6 "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is...)" Kanye West 4:14
7 "Sweet" 3:28
8 "I Know" 3:45
9 "Party Life" 4:31
10 "Ignorant ****" Beanie Sigel 3:43
11 "Say Hello" 5:29
12 "Success" Nas 3:32
13 "Fallin'" Bilal 4:08
* "Blue Magic" Pharrell 4:12
* "American Gangster" 3:41
SINGLES
Blue Magic:
US: 55
-Pop 100: 52
-Hot RnB/Hip Hop Songs: 31
-Hot Rap Tracks: 17
Roc Boys (And the Winner is...):
US: 101
-Hot RnB/Hip Hop Songs: 25
-Hot Rap Tracks: 18
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Member Since: 5/30/2007
Posts: 2,388
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Member Since: 1/27/2006
Posts: 51,546
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has he been promoting this? giving it hype? i smell a mediocre debut coming.
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ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 12/21/2002
Posts: 20,569
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I need to jam to this soon.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Quote:
Originally posted by Break The Ice
has he been promoting this? giving it hype? i smell a mediocre debut coming.
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who gives a **** what it debuts at. Jay has nothing left to prove sales wise. he made one of the best albums of his whole career which is really all what should count.
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