Staking claim as monarch of the hip-hop dynasty, Jay-Z has arisen from the ashes of his alleged “retirement” with new LP Kingdom Come, only three years after the critically acclaimed Black Album. However, with the new album comes a new look —“Hov” actually exposes himself, finally revealing the cracks in the armor that he’s worn since 1998’s Reasonable Doubt.
“I need a new hustle…/ I say that reluctantly ‘cuz I do struggle/ As you see I can’t leave so I do love you.” – Jay-Z, “The Prelude”
All hail, ladies and gentlemen -— the king is back.
Perhaps the most surprising revelation on Kingdom Come is Jay’s delving into a situation that he once only dared to scratch the surface of: his relationship with Beyonce. On “Lost Ones,” which features ethereal vocals by new artist Chrissette Michelle, he expresses the dilemma of being in love with the “hottest chick in the game” (as he’s so eloquently termed her before). “I don’t think it’s meant to be, Bee/ For she loves her work more than she loves me,” he candidly spits over a simplistic piano phrase. However, he seems to empathize with the star, as he says, “Honestly, at 23/ I would probably love my work more than I did she.” Does this mean the two are over? The sweet lament “Hollywood” seems to answer “no,” as Jay-Z and Beyonce’ juggle thoughts about the fame and accolades they’ve accumulated — both separately and together.
The king doesn’t stop there with the emotional honesty, reflecting on how much he’s matured and confronting perceptions about his age on the Dr. Dre-produced “30 Something.” “Thirty’s the new twenty/…I’m so real, still,” he brags, attempting to put to rest the rumors of him losing his Midas touch at 37 years old. On “I Made It,” “Hov” salutes his mother for “laying the foundation” for his success and “repairing the relationship with [his] father before he passed, while on the aforementioned “Lost Ones” he mourns the death of his nephew. “My nephew died in the car I bought/ so under the belief it’s partly my fault,” he regrets. The proud rapper who usually walks around with his chest poked out is shown here finally exhaling, giving listeners the opportunity to finally make a genuine connection with him.
But this is not at all to say that Jay-Z has forgotten how to have a good time — he’s in full party mode on the uptempo “Show Me What You Got” and “Anything” featuring Usher and Pharrell. Even on the slower “Do U Wanna Ride” featuring John Legend, in which he invites listeners to ride away with him from such misfortune as the projects, jail, and crime, Jay invokes a sense of happiness and triumph. However, it is his self-proclamation as “hip-hop’s savior” on the title track that sums up the accomplishment of this album. No matter how much he reveals to us, Jay-Z will always — intentionally or not — be what other rappers aspire to be.
Tags: Jay-Z, Vocalz
WHAT NOW?