So this is it huh? You're just going to innundate me with so much Jay-Z music, videos, Budweiser (not Heineken anymore, by the way) commercials, NFL mash-ups until I have no choice but to either stop listening to this "Show Me What You Got" joint or like it? That's your plan, huh?
Well, I don't think it's going to work...Not this time. Maybe from a rapper of a lesser caliber like a Jim Jones or a Young Jeezy perhaps. I can accept being force-fed ad-libs and ultra-swagger by rappers who have no real lyrical talent and are far from being truly creative or real hip-hop artists for that matter. But with you Mr. Carter...Excuse me, Sean. [Eh-hem] I've seen true lyricism...creativity...flow...swag'. So right now, with all the hoopla surrounding...YOU! I expect more. I expect you to respect me more as a true fan of your work and I expect more from you!Change Clothes Part II might do it for me off of 3 Ciroc and Pineapples in some pseudo-plush Baltimore lounge or in a drunken stupor at a house-party. But in my car on that hour-long ride from Bmore to Capitol Heights - in the immortal words of Stacey from Menace II Society - "that shyt gets no play in this ride!" No really, I'd rather listen to Little Brother. Sheeeeeit (shot out to Clay Davis)! I'd rather listen to Young Buck. Seriously!
So I sincerely hope that all this promotion doesn't come without a higher quality of music in the next few releases and ultimately in your "back like Jordan wearing the '45" album, Kingdom Come. The single, "Kingdom Come" is a step in the right direction I will admit, but it's just a step. If you want your fans and hip-hop heads in general to take the leap of faith that you'll have more to talk about than your Audemar Piguet watch, your newfound disdain for Cristal, how you B's the block (whateverthef*ckthatmeans), or how you're the savior of New York and hip-hop...Well, you better take the leap from "Show Me What You Got" and get on that Blueprint (slash Reasonable Doubt) shyt real quick homie.
Otherwise, CamRon's prediction might just come true:
"He outta retirement, Jordan on the Wizards!"While it IS definitely an impressive feat for a rapper to get his music video "premiered" during halftime of a Monday Night Football game, but think about how much more you could have done with that 1 minute spot! Think about what some "other" artists may have used that 1 minute of promotion for. What would Mos Def have done? Katrina Clapped for America? What would Kanye have done? Gave more of his political thoughts? We can guess, but we'll never know. But we now know and see exactly what you did. Wasted a minute of all of our time for what? A subpar track by our AND your standards (I would hope) that is probably just the lead "party track" for what is a highly-anticipated album. But why? If all you want to know is what WE HAVE. NIKKA, what the F*CK DO YOU GOT????
Sincerely,
Your #1 FAN
7 comments:
You want him to get on some Blueprint type shit? Dawg one thing you gotta remember is that as good as Blueprint may be as a whole he still had "Jigga that Nigga" and "Hola Hovito" on that album. And BOTH of those songs are just as bad if not worst than "Show Me What You Got" but I definitely feel you on what you are saying. What I don't understand is how you can listen to Jeezy, Joc, Dro,.....but turn around and not like the Jay-z club hit...??? And trust me it is gonna be a hit in the clubs!!!
You make good points.
As far as Jeezy and them, I don't expect much from those dudes. They're just their for my entertainment so-to-speak. I don't take what they say seriously or expect them to be lyrically sound, creative, etc. (though 'Dro can actually rap, contrary to what people probably think). But anyway, Jay-Z and Young Dro/Joc/Jeezy shouldn't really be mentioned together in terms of comparing what you would expect from them individually as artists. Those guys have their place and Jay (the self-proclaimed savior of hip-hop and NYC) comes out and does the same shyt they do on his first release off the post-retirement album? WTF?
I simply expected more and I KNOW FOR A FACT that I am a part of the majority. It's a cool, clubby song, but seriously man...This dude could have come out with anything he wanted and people still would have listened and bought into the shyt. And he CHOSE to do the same ole same ole.
There's nothing saviour-istic or omnipotent in that, is there? There's nothing new or creative in that? Since when has Jay-Z ever been overshadowed by the production of a track? Justin Blaze outdoes Jay on that joint man! I just think this guy could use his influence/popularity/whateverthef&ck to do more than just that bullshyt.
I mean he started with the mash-up stuff with Linkin Park and he piggybacked the Roots with the live band on stage with a rapper shyt...That was all cool and different. But then you come out of "RETIREMENT" and the first thing you drop is Change Clothes part II? Don't make sense. But I guess it makes dollahs so that's sense/cents for Jay...
"I just think this guy could use his influence/popularity/whateverthef&ck to do more than just that bullshyt. EXACTLY!
Yeah, Jay makes such a big deal about himself and this unretirement that it's like you gotta do something more than just provide us with another party track. I mean jeez.
Dogg don't get me wrong. I hear what you are saying and I definitely understand what you are saying and agree he CAN do more than what he is doing. But for some reason I just can't seem to get with the complaints about Jay this time around...and I have never been that dude to stick up for him. I don't know, maybe it's because of who it's coming from (like you and Jon) knowing that you all have been the biggest fans of his added to the fact that I feel like you were feeling this same shit 2 years ago (i.e. Change Clothes). Or maybe I just don't understand why you think he would do anything different than what he has always done. He made a blueprint...why wouldn't he follow it? Like I told Jon...you gotta TRUST people to be who they are. But whatever it is, for some reason, everyone's gripes seem to be falling on dead ears with me. And that's not to say I love the song AT ALL.
kudos! job well done on the curse out. lol.
i think it was on the black album where dude went on about how he "dumbed down for [his] audience to double [his] dollars" while truthfully he'd "rather be rhymin' like common sense." with all the grandeur and status that he's ASSUMED (and rightfully accumulated in some respects) you'd expect that now would be the perfect opportunity for him to be on that "conscious rap" time without having to worry about sales. if this dude's financial portfolio is diverse enough to support freeway's no hit ass for life (as it were), then there are no excuses :\
p.s. i'm on the fence about the new single. i'll bang it outta principle though. call me what you will.
It's wild DANE because you know I'm usually the ONE nikka that takes up for Jay all the time. But this time I don't feel the same way about it. And you're right. I was feeling Change Clothes. I still like it even though most people hate it. And admittedly, when Show Me What You Got comes on in the club this weekend I will undoubtedly be dancing to it. But in my car...Nope! At work...Nope!
My point is that this shyt is nothing different than anything he's done before. Without the hiatus/retirement, it might have been acceptable. But with a retirement and all these average azz features he's done, and all the hoopla he's created for himself, he should have released Kingdom Come (the single) first and saved this Show Me shyt for the album or something. I just expect more after all this time and all this indirect and direct self-promotion.
Trust people to be who they are? Puhlease. Half these dudes are faking it till they make it anyway.
Good point by Chantele in that right now you'd think it'd be the perfect time for Mr. I Don't Wear Jerseys to take it to another, more mature level with his lyrics. Not necessarily even conscious but just some grown man shyt. I mean dayum. To do the same cookie-cutter shyt just to get some sales (as if he needs to do that to get sales) is just WEAK! Dude could come out with the wackest song you ever heard in your life and he'd still move half a mill the first week just because people would think it's a fluke and the rest of the album would be dope. So why come out with a "safe" azz single like Show Me What You Got.
Plain and simple, since the highly-promoted (by him) retirement, the bar has been raised for this guy. It's nobody's fault but his own and now he has to live up to the self-propagated hype he's created. Kingdom Come (the single) is a step in the right direction. Show Me...is a step back to 2002 or whenever it was his azz retired.
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