A track-by-track review:
Jay-Z is one of the most recognizable names in
entertainment, and when he aired a three minute commercial during Game 6 of the
2013 NBA Finals, he garnered the world’s attention. The commercial contained beats that seemed
like eventual classics, especially because some of today’s best non-classical
producers worked on them. Everything
about Magna Carta was to be special…
but does it live up to the hype?
Holy Grail- This
title track definitely sets the tone for the album. Although the highly anticipated
speaker-bursting downbeat from Jay’s three minute commercial is not fulfilled, “Holy
Grail” is a song that begs to be played over and over. It is not the flow of Jay-Z’s lyrics, but the
simple piano before the beat drops in addition to the crooning of Justin
Timberlake on the ever-captivating hook that makes this song so easy on the
ears.
Picasso Baby- The
beat in this song immediately commands your head to bop. The lyrics are sort of boastful, but
rightfully so. The best example is at
the end of the song where Jay claims to have artistic abilities that establish
him as “the modern-day Pablo… Picasso, baby.”
Tom Ford- Get up
on your feet and dance. That is what “Tom Ford” wants you to do. Jay is a rare case of someone rapping and
staying relevant past the age of forty.
This is an example of why he is still very much respected because he is
able to connect with a younger audience.
This song is also a cool way of discouraging kids from popping the
popular club drug known as molly.
F***withmeyouknowigotit-
Rick Ross fans: Unfortunately, the self-proclaimed ‘Teflon Don’ doesn’t utter a
single “uhhh” on this track. He does,
however, deliver a memorable verse that creates a smooth transition into Jay’s
verse. This beat continues with a dance
feel like the last song.
Oceans- The mood
of the album is mellowed with this darker, slower track. Frank Ocean adds another chorus that you will
be humming well after the remaining time hits 0:00.
F.U.T.W.- Magna Carta has been consistent thus far in that
every beat is enjoyable, and it doesn’t stop here. For the first time, though, there isn’t much
of a hook or chorus. We finally get straight
rapping, and there are no disappointments.
Somewhereinamerica-
This song talks about how old money (people who inherited money) looks down on
new money (people like Jay-Z, who made a fortune himself). Jay-Z rubs it in their faces, though, as he
brilliantly observes that times are changing and the same young white girls all
over America who come from privileged families are the ones that support him
and contribute enormously to his paychecks… Hence the memorable reference to
Miley Cyrus.
Crown- The chorus
and verses of this song are clearly meant to show that although people will
always try to put you down, you must keep your goals in mind and pay no
attention to the haters and doubters.
Jay-Z has created an entire money-making empire (mostly outside of his
lyrics) and has proven that it is possible to exceed expectations.
Heaven- “Have you
ever been to heaven?” This thought-provoking
question, among many others, is brought to our attention. According to Jay, it’s not his belief that “a
just God will make you burn for eternity for free will that He gave you.” Having been through a lot of struggle and
turmoil early on in his life, Jay has made significant strides in righting his
wrongs and transforming his life into one of meaning… and that’s all he can
do. Besides, in the end, “only God can
judge us.”
Versus- This
interlude is Jay-Z being real about his worth, success, and fame as compared to
his peers and fellow rappers.
Part II (On The Run)-
We all know that when the ultimate celebrity couple decides to hop on the same
track, it will be golden. To no
surprise, this follow up to “03 Bonnie and Clyde” is that and more. Beyoncé does her thing on the hook, with Jay going
in on the track. This song about love
and how two people would do anything for each other is my personal favorite on Magna Carta.
Beach Is Better-
This is an interlude about money, Beyoncé, and everything Jay-Z has that nobody
else does. It has the makings of a great
song, but is inexplicably cut short.
Rumors are that Jay will make an extended version, though, so stay
tuned.
BBC- “Billionaire
Boys Club” is full of stars. Beyoncé,
Jay, Swizz Beatz, JT, Pharrell, Nas, and Timbaland are all on this track. It is heavily influenced by Pharrell, which is the main reason it has
been compared to Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.” This is the most disappointing track by far, given
the cast.
JAY Z Blue- Here,
we have recognizable lyrical content from none other than The Notorious B.I.G.,
along with Jay-Z in his most vulnerable state.
This song displays an aspect of paranoia, as a man who grew up fatherless
tries to learn how to treat a woman and raise a child.
La Familia-Jay-Z
adjusts his flow to this slower beat. If
you look up the lyrics, you can see that Jay is finally addressing Lil Wayne’s
latest shots at him. Once again, there
is no hook here. It is strictly rap.
Nickels And Dimes-
This is the final song on the album.
According to Jay-Z himself, it is about dealing with charity; family
included. He gives money to people back
home all the time, knowing he has no control over the end result of that
money. He wonders, “…at what point are
you enabling [people] and causing more harm than good?” This is yet another song that just allows you
to spend some time in thought.
The musical aspects
of Magna Carta do not live up to the hype. Lyrically, it is what has become expected of
Jay-Z: Well thought out double and triple entendres that
require more than just a single listen to fully understand, provided to us via
his awkward yet enjoyable flow. Although the beats are solid, they hardly
push boundaries as one would expect. The marketing for this album was
genius, and should be used as a model for future hip-hop albums to continue to write the new rules, as Jay-Z said in his commercial.
While it is far from the greatest hip-hop album I've heard, Magna Carta is definitely something that I would ride to.
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