November 18, 2005

Top 25 - Jay-Z

Well, here’s the deal. I planned to run an interview I did with XXL EIC Elliott wilson today, but I’ve been too swamped with work to get it transcribed. Hell or high water, you’ll see that on Monday.

Also, might have two pieces on the ESPN today. Definitely a retrospective on the brawl in Detroit last year when I compare that to the climax of “Do the Right Thing.” I also may have something run today on a brewing controversy at the University of Miami.

For you on the notification list, I’m sending this initial notification. If/When the links go live, I’ll send updates to let you know of that.

(EDIT - Here’s the piece on the brawl.)

(EDIT AGAIN - here’s the piece on the Miami situation.)

Now…

Today’s Top 25 is comes to you from the Jiggaman. I’ve gone through a strange arc with Jigga. I loved him in ’96, grew tired of him in’98—by virtue of how much then New York niggaz I went to school with bugged the hell out of me—and jumped back on the wagon big time in ’01.

But he puts me in a strange position in another way. We’re at the point where we need to consider where Jay falls on the all-time pantheon of emcees. Top 5 is hard to argue with, and there’s a legit claim to #1.

How? Jigga said it himself. Never been a nigga this good for this long. He’s been near the top of the game for ten years and at the top for the last seven plus. And he’s pulled that off releasing an album per year.

Some of those albums were snoozers, I’ll admit. At the same time, I don’t hold that too stringently against Prince. So, can’t do it with Jigga. I’d rather have a cat dropping inconsistent albums every year than a dude dropping inconsistent albums every four years.

And each of those albums has more than one classic joint. That’s something.

Moving on, here are my rules for this list. Soundtrack cuts are listed. If it’s a Jigga solo joint on someone else’s album (like “Dear Summer”), it’s eligible. If it’s Jigga on someone else’s album, no dice.

Because there are just too many of them, I’m not listing remixes and mixtape joints unless they are totally untouchable (see PSA II). And if I put a remix, I’m not listing the original. That doesn’t mean the original isn’t hot. Just means I’m not double listing.

And I’m doing 25 and not 50 because I just don’t have time. I know this needs a 50. But, that’s why we have comments.

And while I’m thinking about it, your comments cannot be processed if you put in a URL when you comment. It’s a glitch George and I haven’t been able to repair, so I apologize. If you wanna input a URL that isn’t on the blogroll, lemme know and you might get on there.

Oh, and those that really want a Top 50 are more than welcome to check this out. You can do what you want from there.

25.I Just Wanna Love You (Dynasty). Would be higher if that nigga actually tried. In fact, it shouldn’t even be this high. You’ll find I always put at 25 or 50 a song that’s seriously overrated. This should really be about 48. For real, this should be “Girls, Girls, Girls.”

24.Ain’t No Nigga (Reasonable Doubt). True story—Charlie Braxton, as well-known and respected writer out of Mississippi, gave this song a bad review in The Source. I’m not sure if they’ve let him write about a record out of NY since. I don’t agree with him on this, but I do think it’s overrated. It’s dope, but Jay’s done so much doper. Of course, Charlie didn’t know that then, but that does make him seem a little more on base, in retrospect.

23.NYMP (Vol. 3). This style of beat is one of the few things I liked about NY rap of that era. This after I lived and died on the Wu ‘nem in high school.

22.99 Problems (Blueprint). I just don’t love this one as much as I used to. It’s dope, but there’s better stuff on that album. Rick was crazy for that one, though.

21. The Watcher II (Blueprint 2). This isn’t just because there should be at least one song from that album. This is because it had me so hype for a Rakim record…that still hasn’t come up. Thanks, Dre.

20.This Can’t Be Life (Dynasty). His name is Brad Jordan. Learn about him. Now.

19. Can I Get A… (Rush Hour sdtk). You can say what you want about Ja Rule, but he absolutely obliterated this cut.

18. You Must Love Me (Vol. 1). That’s Kelly Price on vocals, FYI. Anyway, this one hits me, the perfect closer on an album that is dope for all its confusion (and four really bad tracks).

17. Dopeman (Vol. 3). You know, Jay got clowned by a few folks when this came out because it’s rather melodramatic. But did those people check those lyrics? Oh my goodness. But I think this was track 4 on Vol. 3. The tracks that precede it on are on this list. Everything after those but this list’s #6…you can keep that, shawty.

16. What More Can I Say (Black Album). It must be known how much I love this song. After all, I did name the bidness blog for a line on this song. Much was made about The Black Album was the first album Jay wrote with pen and paper instead of memorization, and it makes sense. Check how every verse is cohesive on the album, which couldn’t necessarily be said before.

15.Renegades (Blueprint). Should this be higher? Maybe, but it’s hard to view this objectively when you’ve heard the original version with Eminem and Royce, which is unquestionably superior. Jay did his thing, though.

14.Heart of the City (Unplugged). After the Unplugged album dropped—featuring the spectacularly talented and certifiably disturbed Jaguar Wright—the album version became useless. Not because it’s not dope, but because Jag showed her entire ass on this one. And to think Kanye says he wanted to give this beat to DMX. What was on his mind?

13.Can’t Knock the Hustle (Reasonable Doubt). Big problem with this one—that sucker Pain in Da Ass. For the uninformed, that’s actually the dude’s name.

12.Imaginary Player (Vol. 2). Wh-wh-what’s the difference between a 4.0 and a 4.6?

11.A Million and One Questions (original on Vol. 1). You’ll just to hear it yourself.

10.So Ghetto (Vol. 3). I admit I’m a sucker for a dope Primo beat (PV, stand up!). This was the first song I’d heard on Vol. 3, the one that convinced me to listen to the record. The New York niggaz had me resolved to never listening to anything from Jay again. I’d hear enough out of their walkmans. Not their cars cuz none of ‘em had whips. But they had the nerve to try to clown cats without designer jeans but pushin’ whips. Clowns.

9.22 Two’s (Reasonable Doubt). I admit I’m also sucker for a dope concept. And that shut the fuck up at the end is hysterical.

8.Dead Presidents II (Reasonable Doubt). Nas made it a hot line. Jay made it a hot song. However, why didn’t Nas ever mention that the line he put the song on is hotter than “Dead Presidents?”

7.Where I’m From (Vol. 1). “Where we call the cops the A-Team/cuz they jump out of vans and spray things/and life expectancy’s so short, we be makin our wills at eighteen.” Whoa.

6.Big Pimpin (Vol. 3). I don’t listen to this one too much because I’m working on how much misogyny I ingest, but what a collab. This was also the second part of Jigga endearing himself to the South (the first was the “Ha” remix with Juve). Doing a song with UGK, the greatest group in the South not called OutKast, over a Timbaland beat covered every base. Surprisingly, no one sounded out of his or her element.

5.PSA II (Original on Black Album). This is kind of a dual entry. “Public Service Announcement” was absolutely incredible and perfectly sequenced on The Black Album. However, the remix is doper. The beat perfectly flips Isaac Hayes “Walk on By” and turns it into something incredible. Ladies and gentlemen, his name is Just Blaze.

4.U Don’t Know (Blueprint). Again, his name is Just Blaze. Interesting how Blueprint is Kanye’s coming out party as a producer, but Blaze had the hottest joint. First time I heard this cut was in JR’s van in DC. We completely stopped our conversation until the song was over. Then, we couldn’t remember what we were talking about. The only other time that would happen—when our memories were more functional—was when this chick named LaDonna would wear that dress. Man, that dress.

3.Hard Knock Life (Vol. 2). I’m allowed to like this song again. I swear, them New Yorkers had me ready to chuck this record out of the window because they beat it to death. But goodness gracious, this is incredible. Jigga found Mark the 45 King somewhere and knocked the dust off him, bringing a Broadway sample to hip hop for an incredibly gutter anthem. Blazin.

2.Takeover (Blueprint). What’s better—the genius of Kanye sampling “Five to One?” That Jigga put Prodigy’s career in a coma with one verse and classic performance? That the scathing verse he put on Nas may have been the most focused bars ever put forth in a diss record? Better question—what’s a better diss record?

1.Brooklyn’s Finest (Reasonable Doubt). I bet you’re thinking, “Bo, you just put this on there because Biggie’s on it.” Fuckin’ right. Look, the chemistry they have on this one is unfair, as is the perfection of the Ohio Players sample. One of the greatest musical losses of Big’s passing is that we only got one more (lackluster) collab from them. Also, were Big alive, I’m convinced that Jay wouldn’t have sleepwalked from Vol. 1 to the Dynasty Roc La Familia.

13 Comments »

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1. This list is OK. The most glaring omissions are “D’Evils” and “Regrets”–they’re arguably his best 2 songs ever.

   Other older tracks that should be on the list:

   “Coming of Age f. Memphis Bleek,” I love the Eddie Henderson sample, but this track is fascinating for the homoerotic undertones. They couldn’t have done it intentionally, but how could they NOT hear it?

   “A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More” and
   “A Week Ago” are also excellent.

   Newer joints:

   “Hovi Baby”–another Just Blaze banger, strange 5 bar loop, and Jay kills it.

   “Fuck All Night”–better than its inspiration, BIG’s “Fuckin You Tonight.”

   “Meet The Parents”–Nice to see him using a metaphor for something other than drug-dealing. He’s very underrated as a storyteller.

   “Encore” and “Lucifer”

   And your Arc with Jay isn’t that strange. A lot of college educated black folks had the same experience (though some, especially the headwrap crowd, have never grown out of their irrational hatred).

   Comment by eauhellzgnaw — November 18, 2005 #

2. This list is OK. The most glaring omissions are “D’Evils” and “Regrets”–they’re arguably his best 2 songs ever.

   Other older tracks that should be on the list:

   “Coming of Age f. Memphis Bleek,” I love the Eddie Henderson sample, but this track is fascinating for the homoerotic undertones. They couldn’t have done it intentionally, but how could they NOT hear it?

   “A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More” and
   “A Week Ago” are also excellent.

   Newer joints:

   “Hovi Baby”–another Just Blaze banger, strange 5 bar loop, and Jay kills it.

   “Fuck All Night”–better than its inspiration, BIG’s “Fuckin You Tonight.”

   “Meet The Parents”–Nice to see him using a metaphor for something other than drug-dealing. He’s very underrated as a storyteller.

   “Encore,” “Lucifer,” and “Dear Summer” also belong in any discussion of his recent best.

   And your Arc with Jay isn’t that strange. A lot of college educated black folks had the same experience (though some, especially the headwrap crowd, have never grown out of their irrational hatred).

   Nothin to do with being collegiate. All to do with them New Yorkers. And I view “Regrets” and “You Must Love Me” as the same song in a lot of ways, so only one was added.

   Comment by eauhellzgnaw — November 18, 2005 #

3. You forgot “2 Many Hoes” off the Blueprint II. Top ten for the humor alone.

   “She got dressed up, just to get messed up. She got her hair done. Just to get it sweated up.”

   That’s Jigga’s secret. He knows what women are thinking.

   Comment by Sister J — November 18, 2005 #

4. Seeing as “Can’t Knock the Hustle” is the soundtrack to my life, I cant seen it anywhere except for #1. Its all good though.

   As a side note, Jay’s best collabo work:
   f/ Mya “Best of Me” Remix
   f/ MJ “You Rock My World” Remix (yeah I said it)
   f/ Juvi “Ha” Remix (fire)

   Comment by Left Coast Vic — November 18, 2005 #

5. 30 to 40 grand cocksucker beat it!…

   But what happened to “Can I Live” from Reasonable Doubt (which was better than Ready to Die)…”We became fiends, kinda like the ones we’re accustomed to serving.”

   and that “Jigga my nigga” from Ruff Ryders Vol 1.

   but Imaginary player is my shit..

   and the hidden track remix to “Girls, Girls, Girls” from Blueprint 1

   Comment by Fred Batiste, A Weapon of Mass Destruction — November 18, 2005 #

6. Your ESPN piece is trash. Calling David Stern delusional? You’re the one who has a few screws loose.

   Comment by Josh — November 18, 2005 #

7. Yet it compelled you to come check out the site. And you read the piece.

   It’s a shame you weren’t aborted.

   Comment by Kirk — November 18, 2005 #

8. I’m surprised no one has mentioned “Lucky Me”. That has to be one of jays 10 best songs ever. there are others as well:

   soon you’ll understand,
   where have you been,
   regrets,
   come and get me,
   rap game, crack game,
   marcy to hollywood.

   the list was okay, but these were just a few of the songs that should have made it over some of the ones listed.

   Comment by dewfish — November 18, 2005 #

9. First — I don’t know if it has been said, I didn’t really glance over the comments, but — “99 Problems” appeared on The Black Album.

   In place of “Can I Get A…” — I think “Resevoir Dogs” was an absolute mean posse cut with Jay stickin’ out with an ill line.

   The freestyle with him and Big L from ‘97 was raw as well. It was Jay at his fast-rhyming stage. I do agree with “D’Evils”, but “Regrets” — I must admit are very similar. But… “Politics As Usual” is a mean cut. That’s all I have to say. Peace. :)

   “Reservoir Dogs”…please. Whack Erick Sermon beat, tired sample…please.

   Comment by Kevin L. Clark — November 19, 2005 #

10. Thanx! The Duell was pleased with the tribute, but . . . You are rating objectively for which ones are the best. When it is this personal though it’s hard to seperate the best from my favorite. You know are they the best because they are my favorite or are they my favorite because they are the best? Not to mention that you CANNOT seperate the lyrics from the beats. They are so much a part of his flow.

    (Did I mention that Annie is my favorite movie? Not that new crap, the original 1982 version!!) Can we get a best (favorite, dopest) line?

    My favs (this is hard):

    “I’m the franchise like a Houston rocket, Yao Ming?”

    “Your heart pumps project kool-aid, you sweet.”

    “Put you on the n*gga news, UPN @ 11.”

    “I think I might wife her, you know powder blue Rocawear suit, white nike her.”

    “I had very bad credit, she help me lease that whip. You helped me get the keys to that V.6, we were so happy poor but when we got rich, that’s when our signals got crossed and we got flipped.”

    “Ma, get it together or forget it forever, when I get at you hard I can get it through leather. You act like like Jigga can’t get it whoever, talkin’ you got a man. Ok, ma AND? That’s high school makin’ me chase you ’round for months, have an affair act like an adult for once.”

    “I storm in and she storms out, it’s like the war of the roses goin’ on in my house. It’s a little seperation but I know how to fix the situation
    Mami just sufferin from d*ck deprevation.” Actually that whole song, the idea, the verses, the beat even R. Kelly–that’s one of my favorites. “You ain’t that mad I left the cap off the toothpaste.”

    “The only time we don’t speak is during Sex and the City. She gets Carrie fever, but soon as the show is over, she’s right back to being my soldier.”

    “She sees more than the Benz wagon, the friends taggin along with a flashy nigga braggin on the song. She gets a glimpse of Shawn and she likes that, he 2-ways her, so she writes back, Smiley faces after all of her phrases, either she the one or I’m caught in “The Matrix,” But f*ck it, let the fish-burne, Red or green pill, you live and you learn.”

    “The combination of Pappy Mason and Larry Davis
    Martin and Malcolm, this is the bigger than a album.”

    “I never asked for nothin I don’t demand of myself
    Honesty, loyalty, friends and then wealth.
    Death before dishonor and I tell you what else
    I tighten my belt ‘fore I beg for help.
    Foolish pride is what held me together through the years I wasn’t felt, which is why I ain’t never played myself. I just play the hand I’m dealt, I can’t say I’ve never knelt before God and asked for better cars at times to no avail.
    But I never sat back feelin sorry for myself,
    if you don’t give me heaven I’ll raise hell.”

    “Guess who’s back in my motherf*ckin house
    Half black, half white chick, I call her Minnie Mouse. We always hook up when we out, we do what we like to do and then we out. But lately I’ve been havin the strangest feelings, your boy Young Hov’ catchin feelings and it’s messin up my dealings cause mami’s not willin to leave her boyfriend, she call me her toy-friend. Said, “We was just ’sposed to hook up and have a blast,”
    She called me her emergency dick-in-a-glass.
    I had to laugh for a second–check myself, get my mackin back in perspective.”

    Just a few. Feedback is good, insert your favorite/ the best here.

    Comment by Stephanie — November 19, 2005 #

11. Bo

    With respect to number two, there are two diss songs that are classic. They are:

    1. “No Vaseline” by Ice Cube
    2. “The Bitch in You” by Common concerning Ice Cube

    I feel you on the Jigga list. It is so hard to boil it down to the top twenty-five.

    Comment by Rodprime — November 21, 2005 #

12. I know it probably belongs in the top 50 and not the top 25, but “Song Cry”. Sentimental, perhaps. But hot enough for Keyshia Cole to take the theme and expand it for her own song.

    Everything else on here I agree with, especially the top 4…Takover’s been on repeat in my iPod for weeks…

    What about Super Ugly for the diss records, though?
    “Me and the boy A.I. got more in common than just ballin and rhymin/Get it? More in Carmen”

    Wasn’t that the one that Jay’s mama made him apologize for?

    It was that song, but I think it was the line about condoms on the baby seat that was just too much. After all, he intimated that he slept with the woman on “Takeover.”

    Comment by aliajsmith — November 21, 2005 #

13. Good list Bo. I am a big Jay-Z fan, been to many concerts, I’ve seen or heard anything he’s done on the professional level, heard tapes with him and Big L, know all his rhymes but I would agree that “D’Evils” has to be on the list and you have to put the “In My Lifetime” original or remix on the list cause those songs were in perfect harmony with lyrics that only Jay could pull off. I would also make a strong case for Politics As Usual. Also, 99 problems was NOT on Blueprint, rather it’s on The Black Album. Honorable Mentions: Bitches and Sisters (Blueprint 2, kind of a spin-off on Tupac’s “Wonder Why They Call You”). The opening cut off of Blueprint, “The Ruler’s Back” has many clever lines and it’s got the horns on the beat, very similar to the Public Service Announcement as far as both of them impress lyrically and keep you wanting more. “Just A Week Ago” with Too Short, I didn’t really like the collaboration but I do think that Jay is an under-rated storyteller and the song will definitely prove that he CAN tell stories. Btw, there’s no way Brooklyn’s Finest can be considered his best song. I don’t think any critic would agree with that…if you listen to the song, both Biggie and Jay do not impress lyrically, in fact, Jay’s way hotter than Big on that track, and at best Jay is luke-warm on it. How can you consider yourself a Jay-Z fan and not mention “Feelin’ It” off of Reasonable Doubt??? Or “December 4th” off The Black Album??? That’s his strongest track lyrically on the whole Black Album, if you asked him, he’d tell you the same. As far as the number one spot on your countdown…”Never Change.” Without a doubt…”this is me everyday…”

    Comment by Auroon — November 23, 2005 #

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