I know this song from beginning to end and always dreamed of singing this song along with Jay. What touched me about this song is it displayed that tears is not the only way to display one’s feelings it can be shown in various forms such as music, art, poems, etc. Two me this showed how volatile Jay could be because it is different from other songs. The way he expressed himself was very articulate and would capture anyones attention. Till this day I can listen to this song over and over.

I PACK HEAT LIKE I’M THE OVEN DOOR.

where’s the love? It’s gonna be at MSG on friday night. get me there, please.

I’m at the young age of 23 but starting to feel like I’m getting old. The song really hits me and makes me want to be young forever. But the song helps me see that it’s really in my mind and as long as I think forever young I’ll never be old.

“So lets just stay in the moment, smoke some weed,
drink some wine,
reminisce talk some sh-t forever young is in your mind”

“Lost 92 bricks had to fall back
knocked a ni**a off his feel but I crawled back
Had A1 credit got more cr*ck
from the 1st to 5th I gave it all back
If.. I’m not a hustler what you call that?
This is before rap, this is all fact
I NEVER CHANGE”

Blueprint is simply a classic.

I picked this track cause he addressed the hate in a different way. His word play was clever and it’s so real. People will love you now, the minute your grinding/Making moves your like”where’s the love”
I also like this track cause I feel we live in a society where artist feel they can’t truly express themselves. Jay did’nt come on this track like I’ll kill ya’ll if you ice me”) or anything like that. He came at this issue like;( Ahh just do ya’ll, I aint worried about you, why you worried about me?) He came at this issue like ;( Finding ways to make more money is my problem not you.)
That line in which he says: What you eat don’t make me sh*t, is clever and real..
All the songs are obviously good but as a artist from bedstuy myself, I like that he did a chill track like that. It’s not expected when you grow up in a rough hood like Bklyn…. Some will say it’s soft like “Lucky me” from In my lifetime Vol1… I say its original and I feel being real enough to do hot tracks like that gets you to the top!!!

Fernando Santana/JimmyBiz

This song just pumps me up. I love blasting this track in the car, Jay Z at his best.

This track (along with the rest of the album) helped establish Kanye West as a producer, an amazing soulful beat with top notch thoughtful lyrics to match it. And it’s versatile as hell, can be on in the club, when youre just chillin or my personal favorite … driving around the city. Sick track.

JAY BiGS UP EVERYONE WHO iS EVERYONE iN THE iNDUSTRY.

The combination of Jay’s flow and Alicia’s vocals on this track is amazing. The beat with it’s hard hitting sound in the beginning gives way to this freshness that compels you to imagine yourself on New York city streets – sun peeking through the buildings, living your best life. It may sound corny, but as a nostalgic New Yorker recently transplanted to Boston, the track is a breath of fresh air filled with much of what I miss about my city…and my favorite emcee.

SO DIFFERENT FOR JAY BUT STILL SO IMMACULATELY DONE. ITS THE PERFECT SONG, I KNOW EVERY LYRIC.

There are so many emotions running throughout that song. At the time, I was going thru the same emotions that the implied girlfriend in the song was experiencing. Therefore, I related to the that point of view. It was funny because my ex-boyfriend actually told me that was his favorite song as well. To this day, I still rap every word from that song with so much passion and emotion as if I wrote it myself. This, by far, is my favorite Jay-Z song. The Unplugged version makes me cry because I think back on what was with my ex and I. My favorite verses are:

“We was together on the block since free lunch, We shoulda been together havin 4 Seasons brunch…”

Love him!

it’s such a genuine emotion that a lot of men go through and feel but can never put it as eloquently as jay does.

One thing about Jay is that he always knows how to tell stories through his music, and this song shows that. If you listen to the chorus for the 1st time, the first impression you’ll get is that it’s a corny ass song about how much a rapper like girls (typical, rite?). But if you really break it down and listen to the verses and what he’s sayin in the song, you can’t help but admit that this dude is a GENIUS on the mic (and quite the comedian). Best line of course is: “I got this African chick with Eddie Murphy on her skull/She like, “Jigga Man, why you treat me like animal?”/I’m like excuse me Ms. Fufu, but when I met your ass you was dead broke and naked/ now you want half” LMAO! classic…

This song did it for me, I was in a relationship with a girl that did everything for me when the song first came out. Since then, we both went our different ways and the song is played more because it relates to everything we went through. We grew up with each other and after we grew up, we came across different options and decisions we made in our life led us to separate. Even though we both cried when it was over, we got over it but the song will always paint that vivid picture of how our relationship was, and how it ended up being and how I might have did her wrong or vice-versa but its those decisions we have to live with and the song will always be there just to remind us and cry for us.

When I first heard it-like most love songs-I didn’t get it. I had been in relationships, but never really been in love. You know the story: good-girl falls for troubled-but-decent Nas-type. It was great, we did everything together. Then it fell apart. I knew he was no good for me, and he openly cheated. So I sat and cried, and cried, and cried. And I cried some more. So when I couldn’t cry anymore I let the song do it for me. The song still gives me the blues, because it really communicates the pain of a failed relationship.

I would have to say that my favorite track from one of the Blueprint albums, and actually one of my favorite tracks of all time is “Excuse me miss”. Excuse me miss was released as a single off of his seventh album, the Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse. The song is an absolute classic that will be played on radio stations for years to come. With the laid-back neptunes beat and Pharell on the hook, the track puts you into a mood unlike no other. Lyrically, Jay murders the track and makes you envy him and love him at the same time. I remember the first time i heard the track i was in my brothers car. He was dropping me off at this girls house who i had liked at the time. The track came on the radio and it gave me the confidence i needed to bring out my A game that night. From then on whenever i took a girl out i would always listen to that song before. Jay-z, best rapper alive.

This song is one of my favorites because there is so much talk about who the better rapper is. Is Jay-Z or Eminem the better rapper. I love how they both wrote a song with each other about who the better rapper is. Personally, I don’t even think it’s close. I think Jay-Z is the better rapper…”UH-HUH” It shows that you can say whatever is on your mind. You have the right to have your own opinion on who the better rapper is. Jay-Z is and will always be my boy. HOVA! I love Pop Burger too especially the fact that it’s a Jay-Z favorite.

this track just shows how far Jay-z has come. The beat is ridiculous as well and the Dr. Dre and Rakim verses are sick. It shows how much you have to love music to be in the business. They’ve been through so much and made it so far and Jay-z is still on top! All the blueprints albums are fantastic, but my favorite album is still the black album. I would LOVEEE so much to see Jay-z!!! oh and I make frequent trips to pop burger because of Jay-z! HOVAAAA

BLUEPRINT HAS TO BE MY FAVORITE ALBUM OF ALL TIME, EVERY TRACK IS MY FAVORITE BUT I GO ALL DAY LISTENING TO “SONG CRY” BACK TO BACK TO BACK. IT HAS THE MOST PLAYS ON MY ITUNES THEN ANY OF THE OTHER 3,000+ SONGS I OWN. ANYTIME I HEAR IT I HEAR IT I GET EMOTIONAL, I’M THE BIGGEST JAY-Z FAN AND KNOW ALL THE LYRICS TO THE SONG!

This is my favorite track because it’s the most honest and personal song that Jay-Z has written in
my opinion. He talks about his life in Marcy and basically puts all of his thoughts on paper. There are lines about the people who helped him out when he was young. He also drops a line about his father (who left him at age twelve) where he says “Pop I miss you, God help me forgive him I got some issues” This line is so raw because he admits he still has some animosity towards his father. What makes this song so special is that he puts away his usual talk about cars, money, and girls (all of which we love) and tells us about his humble beginnings. This is one of the few tracks where fans have the opportunity to see Sean Carter instead of Jay-Z.

The Track as a whole is just the BluePrint as a whole to me. Its just the basics about keeping yourself and your integrity. Don’t let this world change you. Stay truthful and real. Its what the Blueprint Trilogy is about.

….I just honestly am dying for a pair of tickets to this show and have entered into every contest around to win tickets, if there is a god up there I will win…. and by the way my favorite jay-z track is off vol. 1 and its streets is watching…no need for explanation, listen to the track and you will see why jay-z is jay-z. Thanks for the opportunity. Now on to my next contest to try and get these tickets.

I went from growing up in a small town, the university had more people than where I grew up. But the idea of staying real, remembering where you came from and still growing up to be something ‘more’, resonated deeply. “Knocked a nigga off his feet, but I crawled back”.

Yes, “Takeover” is one of the greatest diss tracks of all time and solidified Jay’s position as a raw MC. Yes, “U Don’t Know” is epic. Yes, “Song Cry” shows a rare emotional and humble side of Jay. Yes, “Bonnie and Clyde” was the beginning of the unstoppable Jay and Beyonce partnership.

You can say all you want about the tracks on Blueprint 1 and 2, but nothing – I repeat nothing – compares to the impact of “Izzo”.

This is the track that officially announced Jay-Z to the world. It marked Jay’s transition into the public conscience and set the platform for Jay to become a mainstream icon. You will not meet a single person who does not know the words to the hook. You will not meet a single person who did not bump this song in their cars with the windows down when it came out.

“Izzo” forced everyone – including myself – to pay attention to someone who was on the verge of grabbing music by the neck and refusing to let it go for a decade. The sample was audacious, the rhymes were simple, and the impact is immeasurable. To look beyond this track is to not respect Jay-Z’s impact on music and culture. You remember the song word-for-word, you remember the video, you remember the way you felt when you first heard it, and chances are, you now remember that “Izzo” is your favorite song as well.

makes me feel like i’m right in the city listenin’ to jay do what he does best

CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC. He doesnt even need a hook. When you think about Jay-Z you think about “U Don’t Know” among others. a timeless banger.

I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell
I am a hustler baby, I’ll sell water to a well

I. will. not. lose. ever.

The beat is murderous, and Jay-z on top of the “Five to One” Doors sample is genius. The lyrics and the beat mesh so well and the imagery comes across so strongly. You listen to that track and you KNOW that the ROC is nothing to eff with. Its a sick diss track and, even outside of that, and it illustrates everything to love about jay: his ego, his cleverness & wit, wordplay, and intellect. And the last line is priceless.

I remember thinking how genuine the beat is; and this was just as i was getting into hip-hop so the bar was set and this album was a great introduction to my new adventure in this genre. I was curious who made the beat and who was on the chorus as well, cause not only did Jay’s verses move me the instrumental did the same. Love the feeling this track gives me, everytime, never expires.

“That’s how it is now, that’s how it always be,
I’ll never change this is always me”

<3

Simply put this song is classic. The watcher 2 features the legendary Dr. Dre, and Rakim. Doesn’t get anymore legit than that. This track was crazy ahead of it’s time too when it dropped in ‘04. This song sounds like something that could have dropped this year.

“Know the shit I DON’T write be the illest shit that’s ever been recited
in the game word to the hyphen in my NAME!”

Jiggaman is def gonna top the charts with Blueprint 3.

Inspiration ~
Put me anywhere on God’s green earth, I’ll triple my worth
Motherf****r – I, will, not, lose

My brother and I would bump this song every day driving to school. The words out of Jay’s mouth flow just like the perfect beat made by Kanye. You can tell that they sat in a room for hours trying to find a good hook from an old school soul record and they found it right here. Nothing better than listening to this song while cruising through your neck of the woods. The song seemed to reemerge when it was put in the advertisement for the movie “American Gangster”, which is fitting because that what Jay is….an American Gangster

The reason why I love this song so much is not necessarily because it showcases Jay’s undeniable abilities but that Jay throws all the gun/coke talk and braggadocio out the window (not that I don’t love me some and got reflective. “Momma Loves Me”, from the slow build of the beat (a gem by Bink!), to the way Jay-Z keeps coming back to the “my momma loves me” line, this song is straight hypnotic. For someone so guarded about his personal life, this was one of the only songs where Jay opened up about his family and how, for better or for worse, they were the backbone to his success. From Mickey dressing him, to Marcy (projects) raising him, he pays homage to brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, the streets, and of course his mother. It is a truly honest record, and that’s where Jay-Z is at his best. He even has a line for his estranged father, who he ripped on The Dynasty for being an absent father, the fact that he even declares he misses him on the song provides some insight into Jay’s mindset during this record: that the hardships he dealt with laid the blueprint for his future success. This is a humbling record, Jay lifts the iron curtain on his family and what we get in return is a perfect closer to a classic album.

What I’m trying to say is that Jay possess the best of both worlds (no Kellz) in my opinion. On the one hand, he can wax poetic about all the harsh realities that came w/ his former street life, and boast about all the experiences therein, but then with the same breath – he demonstrates complete consciousness and awareness of what the consequences, both micro and macro, that those actions can elicit. And “Diamond is Forever” is definitely the song that hammered that realization home for me.

From the production to the truth Jay-z was spitting is just classic.

“This is Jay everyday… who you you know like Hov”

By the way this was very hard because almost all his songs are special for different reasons!

Jay-z is GENUIS!

Strong homage piece

Somewhat climactic progression

Decent power hook from Ms. Cook.

I hope this contest isn’t over yet. I just moved back to NY from FL a few days ago. My girlfriend is coming to visit me for the first time tomorrow and she loves Jay-Z as much as I do. Her favorite song is “Heart Of The City” too, but she loves that Unplugged version. Tickets to this show would be amazing!

PS:

When the Twin Towers dropped, I was the first in line
Donating proceeds off every ticket sold
When I was out on the road, that’s how you judge Hov, no?
Ain’t I supposed to be absorbed myself?
Every time there’s a tragedy, I’m the first one to help

I’m in NJ right now on vacation and earlier in the day I drove around Trenton for roughly 45 mins trying to find the social security office to get a new ssn card. Now I love Trenton, always have, but I was born in NY and live back in the city now and just think no other place can possibly compare to it. When I’d visit, before moving back, I used to say I could feel the city in my blood. I haven’t heard much of the new album (I’ll wait until the 11th), but I did d/l Empire State of Mind b/c of the good things I was hearing.

So, I’m on vacation, preparing to leave for a extended weekend at the beach, and I’m cruising through Trenton listening to Jay speak on NYC and all I can think is “Man, I can’t wait to get back home!” I won’t be back from the beach until Tuesday, but I know the second I step out on the street I’ll feel the city alive in me again.

I’m glad someone captured the almost indescribable feeling of being in/and a part of NYC.

Good show Jay!

I have to say that this is my favorite because it encompasses the ‘foolish pride’ of a man, while still allowing you to feel his sorrow. Lyrically, Jay was on point, but it wasn’t just words; there was so much feeling that resonated through that I could imagine the tears on the track. As a female, that song was very helpful in me recognizing that while a man may not readily express his sorrow or regret, he may pour it out in another forum and it could be just as effective.

This was the hardest song for a long time and the best back and forth ever. I saw Hov in LA one night and he performed the song…and then Em came on stage! This song definitely picks me back up whenever I need a swagga reboost.