The Brooklyn-based MC reads as a man tired of hearing unfounded criticism about his name. Jay-Z sounded revived and hungry on The Blueprint. Speaking of "Izzo (H.O.V.A)," the track's sonic mirroring to The College Dropoutwould be an obvious sign to the most casual of hip-hop fans. Producing five tracks off of the album, his contributions to lead single "Izzo (H.O.V.A)" and unapologetic diss track "Takeover" catapulted him into the limelight. In many ways, The Blueprint would prove just as valuable for West as it would for Jay-Z. Jay-Z worked with Kanye West and sought lesser-known producers to curate a unique sound. "The Blueprint" Changed the Sound of Hip-Hop Foreverįrom a sonic perspective, The Blueprint was a left turn from what fans had become accustomed to. If anything, the smoother soundscapes of The Blueprint acted as a vital form of therapy for struggling New Yorkers. However, his sixth album still sold 427,000 copies in its first week. The music industry existed in a deep state of confusion and despondency as The Blueprint was released. As his record was released to the public, the world watched in horrific awe as the Twin Towers fell in New York City. The timing of The Blueprint was anything but ideal. Eminem would appear on The Blueprint's most commercially successful track, "Renegade." Outkast released Stankonia, while Eminem dropped the Marshall Mathers LP. Additionally, several Jay-Z contemporaries had released classic albums within the past calendar year. In December 1999, Jay-Z reportedly stabbed producer Lance "Un" Rivera for plagiarizing copies of his album. There was the legal drama that threatened to derail his career. It wasn't only lackluster sessions in the studio causing strife in Jay-Z's life. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives) NEW YORK, NEW YORK-JUNE 10: Jay-Z appears in a portrait taken at the Roc-A-Fella Records offices on June, 10, 1996 in New York City.
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