American Gangster
Oh thank Valhalla that the new Jay-Z album, American Gangster, is fucking dope. The last one, Kingdom Come, was the weakest damn coming out of retirement that I have ever witnessed. First of all, rappers need to learn the word "hiatus". Yes, hip hop is not like rock music - hip hop stars tend to be only as relevant as their last single. Take a rock band like Tool. They wait 5 years between albums, and then finally release them in a shroud of mystery, fake track and album names, and go on to sell a million copies in two weeks. Most rappers do not have this luxury. But, to return to my original point, if you want to pursue other interests, then just take a break from recording! Don't announce your retirement! You hear me, Sean? I mean Jay. When you announce a retirement and then three years later announce your comeback you build up some heavy expectations. And then when you do not deliver (and Jay-Z did not with Kingdom Come, sorry) the disappointment is crushing. The secondary point is that an established industry force like Jay-Z can afford to take a three year break. I don't think this is a man that would be forgotten by the populace. He used to sell kilos of coke, I'm guessin' he can sell CD's.