Even the greatest of rap music’s most revered troubadours are largely ignorant of the editorial concept of ‘trimming the fat’. For every championship trophy (e.g. 'Streets Is Watching'), there seem to be as many tin cups (e.g. 'Money Cash Hoes'). The majority of rap discographies are plagued with cretinous sonnets that disrupt otherwise great records, whether it be due to sponsorship obligations, put-your-homie-on gestures, or dead rapper tributes.
Jay-Z is a different breed nowadays. If one was to accuse him of flabbiness on his new record, American Gangster, it’s not altogether unwelcome. There are two 'filler tracks' that one may identify as being rather tacked on; 'Blue Magic' and 'American Gangster'. They may be labelled as filler tracks on the basis that they are not stylistically similar to the body of work preceding, but if truth be told, they're just too damn good not to be there.
This in essence is what will always differentiate Jay-Z from the also-rans.Jay-Z can't help but be good. However, in having rediscovered his vigour, he has also showed signs of weakness for the first time. Kingdom Come, his last release, dealt with themes of Jay-Z's open armed embrace of his celebrity status, and how comfortable the cushion on his throne had become. However, the introspective acknowledgement of his career mortality and the issue of his age did not sit well with the ageism of rap culture.
Having realised that his audience were not altogether appreciative of his superstar reality, American Gangster sees Hovi return to an adolescent brashness not seen since his watershed debut, Reasonable Doubt. There is no doubt that Jay-Z has made a terrific record. The production is well balanced; buoyant vocal samples drenched in 70's soul, offset by paranoia inducing organ and sparse snares that accentuate the foreboding danger in the lifestyle Jay-Z portrays as a hip-hop Frank Lucas. The lyrics resonate with confidence and self-assurance; "I don't know what the fuss is, my career's illustrious, my rep is impeccable, I'm not to be fucked with".
However, there is still a seed of doubt within this record. Questions first posed post-Kingdom Come still linger. Will Jay-Z get away with making records referencing events and slang that he hasn't engaged in for over a decade? For the first time, Jay-Z has made a record detailing what he used to do, disguising it as a concept record reportedly inspired by the Denzel Washington motion picture of the same name, and it does not represent the reality of the fact that he is a rap legend, CEO of hip hop's most beloved record label, a celebrity, and nearly 40. Jay-Z is now more accustomed to bar charts and American Express than the ghetto antiquities of gats and 40’s.
Jay Z’s next record will present his greatest challenge. He must balance the confidence and focus of this record with the acceptance that the inspirations of the past can no longer sustain artistic credibility in the present and the future. Jay-Z's may now seek to retain his creative streak and apply it to the reality that he now lives in. Hopefully, any fat on the next record will be similarly welcome.
4 out of 5
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