| Product Summary | | Label: Universal Records | | UPC: 00044007729625 | | Release Date: 4/8/2003 | | Buy.com Sku: 60595914 | | Item#: M7G3VQ | Format:  CD |
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(P) 2003 Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC
(C) 2003 Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC
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Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel includes: Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Rakim, M.O.P. Beanie Sigel. Scarface (rap vocals); Faith Evans, Beyonce Knowles, Truth Hurts, Lenny Kravitz, LaToiya Williams (vocals); Ken Lewis (guitar, percussion, background vocals); Eric "E-Bass" Johnson (guitar, bass); Erve Pope (keyboards); Just Blaze (scratches); Kanye West. | | Producers include: Kanye West, Just Blaze, Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, Heavy D. | | Jay-Z kept The Blueprint incredibly tight, focusing on a single sound and letting nothing interfere with some of the best raps of his career. The Blueprintý: The Gift & the Curse was a radically different record, with the most respected rapper in the business trying on a range of styles, collaborating with a lot of guests and working with an army of producers (Neptunes, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Heavy D, Kanye West). Four months after its release, Roc-A-Fella issued Blueprint 2.1, a version of the record that cut in half the running time of the original and delivered most of the best material -- the Neptunes' bounce track "Excuse Me Miss," the horn-driven blast of "The Watcher 2" produced by Dr. Dre (featuring Truth Hurts), and the record's biggest hit, "'03 Bonnie & Clyde," a slick R&B crossover with Beyonc? Knowles. Just like the original, Blueprint 2.1 ranges from unapologetically sexed-up party joints to theatrical epics and even takes in a feature for the prince of rock Lenny Kravitz ("Guns & Roses"). Yes, it is slightly more focused than its two-disc predecessor, but it's still a sprawling commercial monster that lacks the creativity of The Blueprint. ~ John Bush | | Mere months after its release, Jay-Z pared down his platinum-selling BLUEPRINT 2: THE GIFT AND THE CURSE to fit on one disc featuring his most solid material. While the original Part 2 of BLUEPRINT was hardly rife with filler (and impressive in that lack), when the strongest tracks are culled an even more powerful, sharper record emerges. Jay-Z still leads off with the provocative "A Dream" which not only features a mock discussion with Biggie Smalls during which the late rapper approves Jay-Z's skills, but directly samples a bit from the legend's hit "Juicy." Of course "Bonnie & Clyde '03," the ubiquitous hit-single duet with Beyonce Knowles, shows up a few tracks later. Then the listener benefits from not having to switch discs and wait for easily the most stunning track, "Guns & Roses," with its Cake sample and Lenny Kravitz guest vocal. While some may prefer the full BLUEPRINT with all its twists and turns, BLUEPRINT 2.1 offers fans, particularly those who know Shawn Carter more for his hits, a more focused option. |
Musical Guests | | Faith Evans | | The Notorious B.I.G. | | Dr. Dre | | Rakim | | Truth Hurts | | Beyonce Knowles | | Lenny Kravitz | | M.O.P. | | Beanie Sigel | | Scarface | | Latoiya Williams | | Kanye West |
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