Jay Z ranks his own albums.

[Certain]

He turned 44 today and dropped this treat, a little self-awareness: http://lifeandtimes.com/the-scoreboard

The only thing I strongly disagree with is that Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life is not anything close to a classic in my opinion. But I love the little summaries.

Originally Posted by Jay Z

1. Reasonable Doubt (Classic)
2. The Blueprint (Classic)
3. The Black Album (Classic)
4. Vol. 2 (Classic)
5. American Gangster (4 1/2, cohesive)
6. Magna Carta (Fuckwit, Tom Ford, Oceans, Beach, On the Run, Grail)
7. Vol. 1 (Sunshine kills this album…fuck… Streets, Where I’m from, You Must Love Me…)
8. BP3 (Sorry critics, it’s good. Empire (Gave Frank a run for his money))
9. Dynasty (Intro alone…)
10. Vol. 3 (Pimp C verse alone… oh, So Ghetto)
11. BP2 (Too many songs. Fucking Guru and Hip Hop, ha)
12. Kingdom Come (First game back, don’t shoot me)

[DLB]

Magna Carta being #6 is lulz, it's one of his worst albums, vol 1 is dead last to me tho along w/ kingdom come, Vol 3 is also way better than Blueprint 3, BP3 might also be one of his worst lol

Jay also said Vol 2 is classic which is untrue

Also, Black Album should ALWAYS be above Reasonable Doubt. Blueprint can change spots, but Jay be pushing everyone to think Reasonable Doubt is better than the Black Album. Black Album solidified Jay after the Blueprint came and he was stepping on niggas toes. Black Album was the perfect album to go out to..... then Jay ruined it

[dead man]

reasonable doubt is better than the black album.

but the black album was dope tho.

[DLB]

we can debate

but i feel like nah, reasonable doubt sounds like a whole bunch of niggas styles that Jay was riding mad hard at that time, into one. you can hear the Nas' style in Jay, the Big' style in Jay, etc. Black Album sounds like Jay Z, just Jay. nobody else, he ain't get outshined by Eminem or anybody else either, he was just bodying tracks. Black Album changed the surface of Hip-Hop in general, in terms of lyrics and beats, cause instead of sampling Nas' lyrics/etc, SON HAD THE WHOLE GAME SAMPLING HIS LYRICS and got dudes like Dangermouse making full albums w/ his lyrics on other beats.

[Zen]

I actually been listening to Magna Carta lately and it's pretty dope. Not blueprint quality but good nonetheless.

[ill nik-A]

List is on point

[Wise Wiggles]

What a faggot

[Certain]

The way I break it down among the three classics is:

Reasonable Doubt was all about establishing Jay Z as an elite rapper in the 1996 New York rap climate. It's his best album lyrically and features a lot of classic production. It holds up very well, better than most contemporaries, because of Jay Z's charisma. It's the Jay Z album for Nas fans, in a lot of ways.

The Blueprint was the commercial touchstone. It's swaggering and towering and enormous. It's the album that everyone can appreciate on some level. The songs and beats are widely varied, and the lyrics form a mission statement to conquer the world.

The Black Album was our peak behind the curtains. Jay Z has given us this in individual songs before and since, but The Black Album was his most personal work, yet it stands out just as much for the strong production and lyricism. It's his most consistent album. And unlike the off-putting and largely lazy Kingdom Come, it makes Jay Z more relatable. That's why it's my favorite.

[uh-oh]

reasonable doubt is hands down his best

the blueprint is next.

then the black album

then its all a matter of opinion, as long as kingdom come is last.

blueprint 2 and the dynasty deserve to be above most of his shit tho

[Certain]

Originally Posted by uh-oh

reasonable doubt is hands down his best

the blueprint is next.

then the black album

then its all a matter of opinion, as long as kingdom come is last.

blueprint 2 and the dynasty deserve to be above most of his shit tho

It's all a matter of opinion. All of it.

[trap.]

Volume 3 should be number one. Other than that I don't really care.

[dull boy]

Black Album is also my favorite. Blueprint being 2nd.

[Ghost1]

Lol@black album better then reasonable doubt

Lololol.

Reasonable doubt is the definition of east coast hiphop.

Better then illmatic too (srry.had to)




But um.....yea he has wierd taste lol....tho his top3 are on point tho id put vol3 a reallllly close 4th


And am i the only one that tbought bp2 was heat rock?

[Certain]

The Blueprint 2 had like 10 great tracks and five bad tracks and a lot of mediocrity. The "U Don't Know" remix with M.O.P. makes me want to run through a wall, and "Meet the Parents" and "Some How, Some Way" are high on my favorites list for his deeper songs. Those three tracks all came back-to-back-to-back on the second half, though, so I listen to that much more often than the rest.

[dull boy]

Reasonable Doubt was dope when it came out, and as previously mentioned, holds up well, but it's not as good as The Black Album... IN.MY.OPINION

[Ghost1]

U are growing dull boy

*tear

[Malachi]

Only listneed to Reasonable Doubt

[Ghost1]

At least u heard that one i guess......

U fucking suck malachi

[dull boy]

Originally Posted by Bags Payne

U are growing dull boy

*tear

Your lack of punctuation, and assumption makes me want to fuck my own face with a machete.

[dull boy]

By machete, I mean Danny Trejo.