About a week ago Jay Z put out his 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3. The hype surrounding the release of this album was absolutely phenomenal, with critics waiting, ready to rip the album into shreds with every possible column inch spare. But pens down lads, start clapping. Jay Z has done it again and I for one am not surprised. An unbelievable passion for work combined with a raw unharnessed talent has carried him through his career spanning almost 15 years, and he has barely put a foot wrong.

 

The new release The Blueprint 3 is nothing out of the ordinary for Jay Z, but this is extremely reassuring. As the old saying goes, if it aint broke then don’t try to fix it. So why change a winning formula? Consistent innovative production, lyrics that punch with every line and collaborations that appeal to even the most un-urban of listeners, means that Jay Z has released nothing short of the perfect commercial hip hop album.

 

15 tracks deep and a rumour that has us believe this is the pick of a very big bunch means that each and every tune delivers in unexpected ways. Not only lyrically, but the structure and melody behind some of the beats is unparalleled and leaves you wanting more and more, it really is a blueprint to the top of the charts. 

 

As if to take it for granted we expect at least 3 super hot pre release singles before each iconic Jay Z album and oh boy did we get them. Tempted us into pre purchase before the launch date was the relentless street track D.O.A or Death Of Auto-tune, which combines a heavy hip hop beat with the whining of a solo electric guitar, a refreshingly deafening combination. Next up saw the collaboration of a tried and tested partnership, with Jigga and Rihanna making a long awaited return to the charts with Run This Town, a chart track with an uber catchy chorus. Thirdly, we had the awesome Mr. Hudson follow up track to Super Nova, called Forever Young. Mr. Hudson seems to have his fingers deep into the hip hop pie right now, which is quite a funny thing to get your head round considering he sings like some plum mouthed English school boy and is as pale as the sheets I sleep on, but hey if it works, and by gosh does it work, then who am I to comment.

If you caught the MTV VMA’s this year, yes the one where Kanye West decided to air his rather personal feelings about Taylor Swift and Beyonce, then you would have seen the amazing live performance by Jay Z and Alicia Keys of Empire State of Mind, another absolute classic that is situated deep into the Blueprint 3’s rugged track list.

Something that comes with being such a seasoned artist like Jay Z is the ability to work with pretty much whoever you want and the Blueprint is no different, featuring such names as Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Mr. Hudson, Kid Cudi and Rihanna to name just a few. In essence, The Blueprint 3 stands for more than just the final part in the blueprint trilogy, it works hard to set the precedent for the albums to follow leaving Jay Z with even bigger shoes to fill, but if anyone can? 

Top marks for this album and I highly recommend you take a listen. If you want to get involved then grab yourself The Blueprint 3 for just £8.98 from Amazon.co.uk with free delivery. Enjoy.