American Gangster
Intro (performed by Idris Elba). Pray. American Dreamin’. Hello Brooklyn 2.0 (feat. Lil Wayne). No Hook. Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)…Sweet. I Know. Party Life. Ignorant Shit (Feat. Beanie Sigel). Say Hello. Success (feat. Nas). Fallin’. Blue Magic (bonus track). American Gangster (bonus track).
Jay-Z’s Real Return: The Masterpiece of “American Gangster”
If we’re being honest with ourselves, we all know this was Jay-Z’s real return following the disenchanting release of “Kingdom Come”. Heavily inspired by the film of the same name, Jay-Z envisions his story replacing the titular character Frank Lucas. Quite frankly, Jay-Z’s “American Gangster” album is a masterpiece.
Dazzling Production and Perfect Samples
Diddy & The Hitmen took criticism from “I Know What Girls Like” personally. The sound behind this album is dazzling and illustrious in ways only Puff could evoke. Listen to joints like “Roc Boys,” “Sweet,” & “Party Life,” and tell us you don’t want to throw a black-tie gathering on a yacht off the coast. Summing up the 70s perfectly, the album incorporates flawless samples from Marvin Gaye, Barry White, Rudy Love, and Curtis Mayfield.
Addressing Criticism and Strategic Features
On “Ignorant Shit,” Jay-Z addresses baseless criticisms hurled at him since “Vol. 2,” intentionally dumbing down his message to prove a point about his lose-lose position with fans and critics alike. Sticking to essentials, Hov gets features from Lil Wayne, Beanie Sigel, and Nas, all perfectly placed. Uncredited Pharrell hooks on “I Know” & “Blue Magic” add to the album’s allure.
Mentorship and Mended Friendships
These intentional and strategic features highlight how calculating Jay-Z can be through troubled waters. Instead of competing with Tunechi for the Best Rapper Alive crown, Jay-Z establishes a mentor-mentee relationship, securing the first of several tracks they would share. After recently mending tensions with his peer-turned-foe-turned-friend, Nas appearing on “Success” feels like the perfect trade-off for Hov featuring on “Black Republican.” Which song do you prefer? Let us know in the comments. Beans gracing a Jay-Z tracklist for the first time since BP2 was also an attention grabber.
Commercial Success and Critical Acclaim
“American Gangster” became Jay-Z’s 10th #1 album, tying him with Elvis for the second most. In terms of first-person perspective mafioso storytelling rap, AG gives “Reasonable Doubt” a run for its money. With a decade’s worth of experience and countless reinventions, Jay-Z taps into a space of maturity and wisdom far beyond his years. When we say the album is polished and silky, we’re not just talking production. These are easily some of Jay-Z’s smoothest deliveries and schemes throughout his 30-year career.
Jay-Z’s American Gangster Album: A Conceptual Masterpiece
Equal parts successful both critically and commercially, “American Gangster” sold over 1 million copies just a month after its release. The album was met with universal acclaim, landing towards the top of even Jay-Z’s own rankings of his catalog. We’ll give a slight edge to “Reasonable Doubt” because of its impact, but in terms of quality, we believe AG is the conceptually mastered version of “Reasonable Doubt.”
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