The Blueprint 3
What We Talkin’ About (feat. Luke Steele). Thank You. D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune). Run This Town (feat. Rihanna and Kanye West). Empire State of Mind (with Alicia Keys). Real as It Gets (feat. Jeezy). On to the Next One (feat. Swizz Beatz). Off That (feat. Drake). A Star is Born (feat. J. Cole). Venus vs. Mars. Already Home (feat. Kid Cudi). Hate (feat. Kanye West). Reminder. So Ambitious (feat. Pharrell). Young Forever (feat. Mr Hudson).
Jay-Z’s Revolutionary “Blueprint 3” Album
If you like his old music, then buy his old albums. Remember that cool Rhapsody commercial where Jay-Z recreated all his album covers? That was a genius way of marketing “The Blueprint 3’s” arrival. Jay-Z’s “Blueprint 3” album was a complete overhaul of anything he had done before. There was no face on the cover, just a polished futuristic sound and two of the next generation’s brightest prospects. Jay-Z had a crystal ball when he made this joint.
Unique Album Cover and Sound
Instead of using Photoshop to make the album cover, Jay-Z and his team stacked real instruments and used a projector to get the right perspective. Entering his 40s triumphantly, Jay-Z delivered bold cuts like: “Run This Town,” “On To The Next One” & “Young Forever.” With “Off That,” we get post “So Far Gone” Drake before he and Kanye locked in for “Thank Me Later.” Even more noteworthy, “A Star Is Born” is the first time we see J. Cole appearing on a national stage.
Experimental Tracks and Hits
Not everything Jay-Z experimented with worked on here. The up-tempo tech production hit a wall on “Venus vs. Mars,” falling flat and halting the album’s momentum. Jay-Z explained his process to Rolling Stone, stating that he takes contributions from multiple producers as long as they contribute greatness. This explains his occasionally incohesive sounds.
Iconic Collaborations and Grammy Wins
We have to give Jay-Z his props for “Empire State Of Mind.” Juxtaposing Nas’ vision of a “N.Y. State Of Mind,” Jay-Z and Alicia Keys perfectly translate the image outsiders have into Jay-Z’s only solo #1 hit. We can’t lie though, Young Jeezy was the surprise performance of the album. “Real As It Gets” sounds, feels, and hits like a Jeezy track. Jay-Z shouldn’t have given Jeezy the hook and verse, that was a 2-piece combo. Now you can’t convince us otherwise that Jay-Z isn’t the feature.
Record-Breaking Success
Jay-Z ended up beating himself at the 52nd and 53rd Grammys, winning a combined 6 awards from singles off the album. His record-breaking 11th #1 album held more milestones than we knew at the time. Real quick, there are a couple of flowers we have to give out. No I.D. went crazy on this joint, grabbing producer credits on the first 4 songs, while Kanye West put his stamp on “Run This Town” & “Young Forever.” We’re glad Jay-Z could redeem himself from BP2, leaving the series a net positive.
Fun Facts and Iconic Moments
Fun Fact: Jay-Z mentioned buying a Jeep and taking the doors off on the song, “On To The Next One.” If you recall, Jay-Z and Kanye would buy and customize a Maybach 57 while shooting their now-iconic “Otis” video, indeed taking the doors off. It’s also funny he mentioned passing the torch to Wayne in “A Star Is Born” like he hadn’t already snatched it on “Dough Is What I Got.”
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