As 9/11 approaches, somber memories of the terrorist attacks on New York City are rekindled but there were several other events that occurred that day. Mariah Carey released the album Glitter, Fabolous debuted his first album and Jay-Z’s delivered the classic album The Blueprint.
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The Blueprint was released a week early to combat bootlegging and sold 426,000 copies in the first week despite being released the same day as the 9/11 attacks. It debuted number one on the Billboard charts, received the coveted “5 Mics” (when they actually meant something) from the Source Magazine and the highest rating (XXL) from XXL Magazine!
Hov’s “Takeover” spawned beefs with rappers Mobb Deep and Nas causing one of the greatest hip-hop rivalries ever!
Jay worked with super-producers Timberland, Kanye West, Just Blaze, Trackmasters, Eminem and Bink. The Blueprint uses samples from David Ruffin, Al Green, Jackie Moore, The Jackson 5 and more which gave it a soulful vibe.
*Eminem was the only guest appearance on The Blueprint, his verse is excluded from this list.*
Jay’s lyrical content on The Blueprint consisted of heart-felt stories of accomplishments and struggle. It resonated with Hip Hop heads and anyone who has ever endured hard-ships and heart-ache. It wasn’t flashy like Watch The Throne, or unmemorable like Kingdom Come.
Here are seven great verses from The Blueprint:
“The Ruler’s Back”
“Mr. District Attorney I’m not sure if they told you, I’m on TV every day, where the f*ck could I go to plus – Hov’ don’t run, Hov’ stand and fight Hov’s a soldier, Hov’ been fightin all his life so What could you do to me? It’s not new to me Sue me; f*ck you – what’s a couple dollars to me? But you will respect me, simple as that Or I got no problem going back. I’m representin for the seat where Rosa Parks sat Where Malcolm X was shot, where Martin Luther was popped So off we go, let the trumpets blow and hold on, because the driver of the mission is a pro-The ruler’s back”
“Takeover”
“I don’t care if you Mobb Deep, I hold triggers to crews You little f*ck, I got money stacks bigger than you. When I was pushin weight, back in eighty-eight you was a ballerina I got your pictures I seen ya Then you dropped “Shook Ones,” switch your demeanor Well – we don’t believe you, you need more people”
“H To The Izzo”
“Hov’ is back, life stories told through rap. Nigg*s actin like I sold you crack Like I told you sell drugs; no, Hov’ did that so hopefully you won’t have to go through that I was raised in the pro-jects, roaches and rats. Smokers out back, sellin they mama’s sofa Lookouts on the corner, focused on the ave ladies in the window, focused on the kinfolkMe under a lamp post, why I got my hand closed? Cracks in my palm, watchin the long arm of the lawSo you know I seen it all before I seen hoop dreams deflate like a true fiend’s weight”
“U Don’t Know”
“And if somebody woulda told ’em that Hov’ would sell clothing, not in this lifetime, wasn’t in my right mind that’s another difference that’s between me and them. I smarten up, open the market up , one million, two million, three million, four in eighteen months, eighty million more. Now add that number up with the one I said before, you are now lookin at one smart black boy momma ain’t raised no fool put me anywhere on God’s green earth, i’ll triple my worth Motherf*cker – I, will, not, lose {*”You don’t know.. what you’re doing, doing, doing, doing..”*}I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell I am a hustler baby, I’ll sell water to a well I was born to get cake, move on and switch states, cop the Coupe with the roof gone and switch plates Was born to dictate, never follow orders D*ckface, get your shit straight, f*cka this is Big Jay”
“Song Cry”
“A face of stone, was shocked on the other end of the phone. Word back home is that you had a special friend. So what was oh so special then? You have given away without gettin at me. That’s your fault, how many times you forgiven me? How was I to know that you was plain sick of me? I know the way a ni**a living was whack but you don’t get a n*gga back like that! Sh*t I’m a man with pride, you don’t do shit like that. You don’t just pick up and leave and leave me sick like that, you don’t throw away what we had, just like that I was just f*cking them girls, I was gon’ get right back.They say you can’t turn a bad girl good but once a good girl’s goin bad, she’s gone forever.. And more forever, s*it I gotta live with the fact I did you wrong forever”
“Renegade”
“I penetrate pop culture, bring ’em a lot closer to the block where they pop toasters, and they live with they moms Got dropped roasters, from botched robberies niggaz crotched over Mommy’s knocked up cause she wasn’t watched over knocked down by some clown when child support knocked no he’s not around – now how that sound to ya, jot it down I bring it through the ghetto without ridin ’round hidin down duckin strays from frustrated youths stuck in they ways Just read a magazine that fucked up my day How you rate music that thugs with nothin relate to it?I help them see they way through it – not youCan’t step in my pants, can’t walk in my shoes Bet everything you worth; you lose your tie and your shirt”
“Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)”
“Momma raised me, pop I miss you God help me forgive him I got some issues Mickey cleaned my ears, Annie shampooed my hair Eric was fly – shit, I used to steal his gear I was the baby boy, I could do no wrong Yeah it’s goin past fast – let’s move along Kitchen table – that’s where I honed my skills Jaz made me believe the sh*t was real Clark sought me out, Dame believed Primo laced me, Ski did too ‘Reasonable Doubt’ classic, shoulda went triple”
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