POLL On My Shoulders: Jay-Z's Black Album

people who count this in the top 3 of jay-z albums are assholes

anyway, 'PSA' forever and always

what ARE your top three, by the way?

I voted for "December 4th" over "99 Problems" and "Justify My Thug." The only dog here is "Change Clothes."

reasonable doubt, vol 2, blueprint

'PSA' forever and always

― J0rdan S., Sunday, September 11, 2011 10:01 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark

i mean, a fucking interlude with no chorus that ends up on a greatest hits album and noone bats an eye, that's how good it is

I don't think I've listened to this in its entirety since 2004.

In the interest of science, I will tho.

I did yesterday and it holds up quite well.

I did laugh at Em's production of "Moment of Clarity."

dirt off your shoulders

perfect desert island song like little else on this record

yeah seriously. and is it just me or is "Justify My Thug" the dullest Quik production ever? (xpost)

I forgot it was a Quik production until I read the credits. He loves those synths though.

"99 Problems" -- Jay's last real banger, imo.

"99 Problems" easy, although I do slightly prefer Danger Mouse's version.

btw in case of album ranking clusterfuck break glass: rank Jay-Z albums itt

After giving a listen, I forgot how great "Threat" is, and that's my vote. I'll put "PSA", "99 Problems", "December 4th", and "Dirt Off My Shoulder" in a top 5. "Allure" is the worst.

i'm gonna go ahead and say "my 1st song" even with the interminable shout-out outro

i coulda gone "psa" or "99 problems" without regret but they will get plenty of love

"My 1st Song" is great, yeah

this album is also sullied by it being associated with jay-z's button down era, which may be the true nadir of fashion in rap, even moreso than throwbacks or skinny jeans

After giving a listen, I forgot how great "Threat" is, and that's my vote. I'll put "PSA", "99 Problems", "December 4th", and "Dirt Off My Shoulder" in a top 5. "Allure" is the worst.

― The Reverend, Sunday, September 11, 2011 10:44 PM (16 minutes ago) Bookmark

i like allure a lot

was about to vote for it

its that or my 1st song or PSA

lucifer

PSA, Lucifer or Dirt Off Your Shoulder.

this album is also sullied by it being associated with jay-z's button down era, which may be the true nadir of fashion in rap, even moreso than throwbacks or skinny jeans

― J0rdan S., Sunday, September 11, 2011 11:56 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

button downs were kind of emblematic of him being old and out of touch at the time but wtf there's nothing actually wrong with wearing button down shirts

i agree w/ you in general but they were boring as hell & kinda lame

i mean, watching the "dirt off your shoulder" video and jay looks like my dad! and ill fitting button downs like that were a huge fad iirc

Just remembering back when I bought this (day it dropped) and played it for the first time. Target parking lots, snowing hard, wipers off, heater running full blast. When PSA finally came on and that beat dropped in with that organ... couldn't help but but to let loose, bouncing around every which way, hand in the air, yelling WHOOOOA every once in a while.

dude jay-z is old enough to be your dad

I don't think I've listened to this in its entirety since 2004.

― The Reverend, Sunday, September 11, 2011 10:24 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

same

should give it another listen but i went with 99 probs. Dirt Off Your Shoulder drove me fucking nuts that year, that and Headstrong convinced me that tim's best years were behind him at that point

lucifer was cool

yeah i was gonna save my griping for the Timbo results thread but "Dirt" is kinda ugh

the part in 'fade to black' where he plays the beat for jay is cool but yeah it's pretty eh overall

yeah that song is annoying, Jay should've chose the "The Potion" beat!

actually, come to think of it, I can't really hear Jay over that

i like 'dirt off your shoulder' but def not for the beat -- concept was lol tho

was listening to 'lord willin' today and was thinking about how that beat was supposed to be for jay & i realized i would love to read a mag feature in xxl or something on classic beats/songs that almost/were supposed to be for another artist

that beat being 'grindin' obv

"oh boy" and "i really mean it" were both supposed to be jay's as well

glad he didn't end up with either of those tbh

yall some challopian motherfuckers

From memory, "Public Service Announcement" and "Lucifer" were my favourites but I would have to listen again. As a whole-album-listening-experience this never did much for me.

"Dirt" is a classic beat, fuiud

When "PSA" hit, I'd already been bumping Black Moon's "Stay Real", so that was kind of ~spoilers~.

PSA without doubt

lucifer is one of my favorite kanye beats

am i gonna get beaten up if i admit a preference towards danger mouse's "PSA"

Yes.

Send the hounds

my 1st song

It turns out Christgau reevaluated this album last week:

History has vindicated this album. On a meticulously hyped valedictory no one believed would be his actual farewell, the fanfares, ovations, maternal reminiscences, and vamp-till-ready shout-outs were overblown at best. But on an album where the biggest rapper of all time announces that he's the biggest rapper of all time, they're prophetic. Bitch about Kingdom Come and American Gangster if you must, but not The Blueprint 3 or Watch the Throne, and not his label presidency, amassed fortune, or close personal relationship with Warren Buffett. He's got a right to celebrate his autobiography in rhyme because he's on track to become a personage who dwarfs any mere rapper, and not only can he hire the best help dark green can buy, he can make it sing. Tracks four through nine enlist Kanye West, the Neptunes, Timbaland, 9th Wonder, Eminem, and Rick Rubin. Each one sounds different, each one means different, and each one kills. I'm also touched when "Justify My Thug" tag-teams Madonna and Run-D.M.C. Hova if you hear me. A

so much ugh

nana nana

oh sorry, wrong dude

anyone who doesn't vote psa are scum tbrr.

or kneejerk voted before listening to the entire album

http://s3-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/web04/2011/6/1/13/anigif_gif-courtesy-of-che-r-20783-1306950247-57.gif

^ sayin

black album still holds up for me as the last one where he sounded like he was trying. psa, dirty of your shoulders, encore (love the horns, the weird talking drum sample, and the sung hook), lucifer.

Kind of agree re: Dj Quik's production on Justify My Thug. The beat just keeps hammering without any variation. I will say that the song has grown on me over the years, quite a bit, its kind of weirdly hypnotic.

i like this album a lot

i like dec 4th, encore, my 1st song, dirt off your shoulders, 99 probs, lucifer a ton

but it's gotta be "PSA" though

"justify my thug" & "change clothes" are so bad

i remember someone got mad at geir once and posted

"allow me to reintroduce my self my name is GEEEEIR
H to the ongro
i used to post bullshit by the bongload"

i always think of that when i hear psa

threat's so sincuuur stuff kinda makes me lol in a good way

haha i totally forgot about this

Al (sitcom) wrote this on thread I am Geir Hongro on board I Love Music on Nov 15, 2003
ALLOW ME TO REINTRODUCE MYSELF, MY NAME IS HONGRO, H TO THE ONGRO, I USED TO POST BULLSHIT BY THE BONGLOAD

i feel like i hear more quotes and samples of jay-z's voice from this album than any other (for the latter, that's probably just because of easily available acapellas though).

yeah Swizz Beatz sampling vocals from this album on two big singles in '04/'05 was what kind of set off the whole trend of everyone using Jay samples for hooks

Beyonce is pregnant. Jay-Z now has 100 problems..
Reptil3NINJA 2 weeks ago 229

Al (sitcom) wrote this on thread I am Geir Hongro on board I Love Music on Nov 15, 2003
ALLOW ME TO REINTRODUCE MYSELF, MY NAME IS HONGRO, H TO THE ONGRO, I USED TO POST BULLSHIT BY THE BONGLOAD

haha this is seriously one of my favorite ilm posts of all time.

cracking up at my desk atm

H TO THE ONGRO

Yes.

― Tim F, Monday, September 12, 2011 3:32 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Send the hounds

― Anakin Ska Walker (AKA Skarth Vader) (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, September 12, 2011 7:00 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark

in defense: i love the original beat, but "long long long" is so great and it works really perfectly with the entire song, esp the dialogue samples

NOPE

I always gravitated towards "Encore" myself.

Should've just said, "I gravitated towards Encore" w/0 "myself". Damn sugar rush.

http://s3-ak.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/web04/2011/6/1/13/anigif_gif-courtesy-of-che-r-20783-1306950247-57.gif

heh i voted allure. kinda boring thematically but i like the hook and the production a lot so hey

weird tho cuz the other neptunes track on the album is for sure shitty. cant believe it was the lead single

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

it's funny to me that this is like his least gangsta album yet it has probably more gun sound effects than any other Jay-Z album (on Threat, Allure, and Dirt Off Your Shoulder iirc)

this album is also sullied by it being associated with jay-z's button down era, which may be the true nadir of fashion in rap, even moreso than throwbacks or skinny jeans

― J0rdan S., Sunday, September 11, 2011 11:56 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

lol jay has never looked good like one doy in his life

i mean http://www.playahata.com/images/celebpics/jayguevara2.jpg

dude u r rich idgi

http://www.hollywoodtoday.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/beyonce-and-jay-z-at-nba.jpg

on this album he even brags abt knowing abt clothes but clearly it is not true!

http://cdn.necolebitchie.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/jay-z-at-carols-daughter.jpg

yeah jay's conservative dress style is such an embarrassment, why can't he rock face tattoos or jeggings or colored shades or BAPE jeans with logos on the crotch like more dignified rappers

it has nothing to do w/conservative/outrageous he just always always looks v terrible

He really is a p unlikely icon

totally -- kind of a point in his favor, though

'PSA' forever and always

― J0rdan S., Sunday, September 11, 2011 10:01 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark

― some dude, Sunday, September 11, 2011 10:08 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

he has some good tunes but his inconhood is built on a p tedious foundation

"PSA" probably the last time a jay track made me go "wow"

my overall ranking would be like: psa > my 1st song > encore > what more can i say > 99 problems > lucifer > december 4 > allure > dirt > moment > threat > justify > change clothes

are there any rappers who actually dress well? i will confess to having a weakness for kanye circa mullet but mostly they are horrible horrible dressers

i voted change clothes cause its jay-z talking abt clothes which is hilarious and more compelling than hearing for the five millionth time abt how he omg dealt drugs

feel like plenty of rappers know how to look good in clothes even if theyre not like tasteful or whatever

http://i.imgur.com/PeHYV.jpg

loll

T.i. is always v sartorial

http://i.imgur.com/iSem4.jpg

ha maybe ur right max

but imo jay stands out even amongst these dudes

BEST YOUNG DRO OUTFIT

rap nagl

troll cr?m

shit, missed this - one of the first rap albums i bought w/ my own money

"my 1st song" or "PSA" or "dec 4"

U guys hating on how rappers dress is is both otm and thatsracist.gif depending on example tho

racism is not otm ok, nagl doood

W/e t.i. dresses good e.o.s. (end of story)

Jay looked good on the Reasonable Doubt cover, should've stuck with the Rat Pack thing.

http://www.thesource.com/content/5206_w5f9imfgmf825_al.jpg

I kind of like this Cuban scoundrel look of more recent vintage:

http://www.rapflavor.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/jay-z.jpg

smh u guys

I am now finding pictures of Jay-Z very funny.

http://blog.newsok.com/gossip/files/2009/10/Jay-Z2.jpg

Oh hell. Trying to link to this one:

http://blog.newsok.com/gossip/files/2009/10/Jay-Z2.jpg

oops now it works. Anyway. It's like a mug shot of a guy who's not sure if he's actually been arrested.

the truth is that these days there are very few musicians who are dressing well

http://www.billboard.com/photos/artist/509854-kings-of-leon.jpg

sickening

*vomits*

even springsteen fucks with that soul patch, what is he thinking

Yeah jazz dudes might be the last bastion of respectable dress. Jazz dudes and Beyoncé.

jazz dudes dressed ridiculously while totally goin in

lets face it, we live in a sad degraded world

jay-z has dressed well for a few years now

since he started wearing only purple label

but all black fashion icons now are basketball players

and kanye dresses really well like 95% of the time, altho i've found that his college dropout era all polo everything look hasn't aged well at all

also back then kanye's style was different but his clothes didn't always fit

no he has access to the best tailors in the world

r u posting via some sort of bot jordan

like i said i was feeling the kanye+mullet+gloves+tuxes era. i dont really know how he dresses now but i dont have high hopes

btw

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MQeNMZxDayw/SGBeZ5_m4rI/AAAAAAAAAeY/4JvxNN-EQqk/s320/pharrellGQ1.jpg

looks like hes doing a lot of big flowy dress shirts unbuttoned halfway

feel like it doesnt really count to post shit thats clearly from a magazine shoot w/a stylist, also that hats dumb

this is how every male fashion designer dresses except cool and not "fat slob with soup stains" (aka michael kors)

http://www.accesshollywood.com/content/images/103/230x306/103775_kanye-west-and-amer-rose-step-out-at-the-amfar-milano-2009-red-carpet-the-inaugural-milan-fashion-we.jpg

let me also reiterate who the best dressed man in america is

http://thebeatdfw.com/files/2011/05/109327712.jpg

every one of the big 3 dresses exquisitely

ban jordan from ilh for 3 days for suggesting jay-z dresses well

i mean, jay-z's taste is pretty generic, but like, it's pretty hard to fuck up when your whole wardrobe is "the most expensive shit in the world that is the color black"

jay-z wears well tailored suits

http://mrldavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/jay-z_kanye.jpg

why is wearing grandad clothes considered "dressing well"

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rDgHabR9Ulo/TA0jYuxpmiI/AAAAAAAAC-s/rp7vEmfYcRQ/s1600/243736291_2962_original-1.jpeg

http://www.robertchristgau.com/icon/n3.gif

haha

The Gay Che phase.

http://www.sojones.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ti-im-back.jpg
http://images.askmen.com/fashion/style_icon/36_style-icon-ti.jpg
http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawler/2009/03/ti-jail-weapons-charge-community-service-kids.jpg
http://stophotnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/TI-and-wife.jpg

"fukk all yall"

jay-z wears well tailored suits

― J0rdan S., Wednesday, September 21, 2011 12:17 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

omg jordan THATS NOT EVEN A SUIT

j0rdan's turnaround from "button down shirts are a war crime" to "all tailored suits are a-ok" itt is hilarious

DYING at Jay as Gay Che.

I agree that now that it's "expensive, black and well tailored" Jay's style is getting better. I like to think it's Bey's influence?

Meant to vote Lucifer but pretty sure I voted for JMT there :(

also dur, it's cool to wear Grandpa suits because that generation knew how to dress, the hippies broke style and it's a slow climb back to the top!

check it out yall so many people luvd my jayz tweet

http://i.imgur.com/dTmOn.png

I like Pitbull's style. He must sweat like crazy under there.

http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/pitbull-pitbull-concert-mardi-gras-universal-dV6p1B.jpg

way too much clothes for miami

Voted for the underrated "What More Can I Say."

Something new. Or old.

Christgau comes close to a nabisco otm.

cept his love for The Blueprint 3, which I count as a seventysomething's crochet.

haha xp

PSA is truly a work of enduring excellence

ehh thats a well written piece from a dude who wrote off jay-z when he was actually good :-/

jays career hypecycle is kinda unusual and fascinating

i feel like at some level hes just sorta filling a space that rap fans in the broadest sense need filled, the GOAT talk about him seems so ridic when you put it in perspective

the way he basically ran for goat is kinda unseemly imho

youre unseemly

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

can we poll COLLISION COURSE ft linkin park? p sure i hear that more in public than i do the actual black album

on reconsideration i dunno why i didn't pick 99 problems... was prob too obvious or something

smh @ the big 3 singles all being in the top 5

who the fuck voted for "change clothes"

ice cr?m

top 4 winners here are my top 4 songs on this album

http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusmlbexperts/99probs062013.jpg