Album Review 2: Jay-Z – ‘Kingdom Come’

By Bill James Jan 30, 2007, 15:12 GMT

Whether you’re a fan of hip-hop or not, Jay-Z’s beats are impossible to ignore.

The king is back!  That’s right Jay-Z is back with a solid album.  I will admit I had my doubts that rather than bringing enlightened grooves, ‘Kingdom Come’ would be a parcel of tired rhymes.  But I can tell you, ‘Kingdom Come’ is a good effort, not great, but it is good. 
 
Following a short-lived retirement and his noteworthy farewell album, 2003’s ‘The Black Album,’ Jay-Z decided that he couldn’t stay away from the mic and the fame anymore.  ‘Kingdom Come’ is a two-disc offering:  Disc one has fourteen tracks and disc two consists of three live recordings from his 1996 smash debut, ‘Reasonable Doubt.’  The title, ‘Kingdom Come’ is taken from the DC Comics classic from the mid-90’s by the same name.  The comic series depicts an apocalyptic world portraying Superman as a savior of humanity.  In like fashion, the title track finds Jay-Z proclaiming to be the “savior of hip-hop” – an arguable title, and certainly not one to be self-imposed.

Nevertheless, there are several constants throughout ‘Kingdom Come’ - the infectious beats, Jay-Z’s samples are amazing, and his solipsistic rhymes. He’s rich because he’s a great rapper and a great rapper as attested only by his wealth and fame. But by the end of the album, one can’t help but notice that this savior’s message has staid moments.

But whether you’re a fan of hip-hop or not, Jay-Z’s beats are impossible to ignore.  ‘Kingdom Come’ starts easy with the track, “Prelude” that you could listen to all day.  But as soon as you’re comfortable, Jay-Z and Just Blaze start the sway with “Oh My God.”  The track, “Anything,” with Pharrell and Usher, is irresistible and impossible not to bump to.  Even “Hollywood,” Jay-Z’s testimonial about the hardships of fame and featuring Beyonce, surprised me with its groove.

And based simply on sample quality, ‘Kingdom Come’ is beyond reproach.  Jay-Z has an artful style with his samples. They flash through the track like a vague but familiar childhood memory.  It’s hard not to smile when you hear how skillfully Jay-Z slides snippets of “Superfreak” by Rick James or “Shaft in Africa” by Isaac Hayes into his tracks. If you’re a Gen-Xer, it will take you back to those Saturday afternoon movies from the 70’s.  And just when you think Z’s samples are only R&B or rock based, he craftily busts out with a sample from the opera great, Luciano Pavarotti.  He hits all the genres in this album.

Beyond Jay-Z’s samples, I want to point out the two stand-out tracks from this album: “Minority Report” and “Beach Chair.”  “Minority Report” is a selfless rap about the lives ravaged by Hurricane Katrina and the painful reminder that race and class differences are still present in the United States.  The track is so true that I can’t help but wonder what Jay-Z could do if he put his fame and money to work for the people.  “Beach Chair” is a musical stretch and really the only one of the album.  Jay teams with Coldplay’s Chris Carter to create an ethereal track that finds our Superman waxing philosophical about life and his legacy.  If you need proof that Jay-Z can still be a relevant musical force, “Beach Chair” is it - proven by the song’s sheer transcendence of the hip-hop form.

So what’s the final word?  I can’t say that Jay-Z is the savior of hip-hop.  Let’s be serious: Jay is 38-years-old, filthy rich, just returned from a four year retirement, and curls up with Beyonce by the fireplace at night - that’s just not the song of the streets.  The saviors of hip-hop are a couple of 16-year-old boys from Atlanta or maybe Phoenix or possibly a girl from Compton; the voice of the people must be part of the people.  That having been said, ‘Kingdom Come’ still deserves a place on your iPod.  

‘Kingdom Come’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the music database for more information and a complete track listing.