Jay-Z Special...

Should Jay-Z have stayed behind his office desk?...

It seems apt that at a time when everyone is looking forward to christmas Jay-Z releases the comeback album that we always knew was coming since that 'retirement'. Like that feeling you get when you grow older, christmas is something you don't get too excited about any more and is all over with little fanfare. This is how I would describe Jay-Z's return disc Kingdom Come.

It's a shame really as everything starts off so well with the opener Oh My God and the single Show Me What You Got.

The title track really makes you think why Just Blaze hasn't received as much credit as his production deserves as he chops up to bits Rick James Superfreak for Jay to boast about being Hip-Hops saviour. It's a shame that the album tales off towards the end as he really had us believing it at the start.

The Dre produced 30 something answers the critics that say rap is a young persons game now over a nice head nodding beat that would work well on radio and as a club warm-up. But the highlights from there are few and far between.

The track Trouble will satisfy the Heat magazine readers out there as it half addresses the rumours he answered Rihanna's S.O.S - the housewife's will enjoy R'n'B flavoured Hollywood and their favourite pubehead Chris Martin on Beach Chair.

This album would be a decent effort if it was released by a Ja Rule or a Fat Joe. But this is Jay-Z we are talking about. We all knew that he was going to come back eventually but I get the feeling this album is more a reflection of someone stuck in 3rd gear and not quite ready yet to push on into 5th. For me Kingdom Come is on a par with The Black Album but doesn't touch The Blueprint.

This album was always going to be criticised by everyone for variety of reasons and its better that it's now been released and out there so the anticipation can stop. I would say it's a good bet that he won't be Def Jam president once his contract runs out at the end of the year and if we get another album, which I'm sure we will -it will be more like it from Jay-Z.

Jay-Z Lost Ones Video



Hip-Hop figures are the new action man, although I doubt action man will be quaking in his boots when he sees the Jay-Z doll...