Jay z Volume 2 Appreciation Thread

[Harry B]

We gon have to agree to disagree... I love vol 3...

I wonder who invented the Vol. 3 hate, shyt got dope reviews, sold mad records, had the streets buzzing and all that.
Two really wack songs (pop 4 roc & Snoopy track), and about 14 straight street bangers. Even things that u do, even with that fruity beat (which was the new sound of commercial music in the late 90s) Jay straight offed it and Mimi well is Mimi, could never do wrong as a feature.

It's hot, the intro, interlude & outdo, dope man, come and get me, so ghetto, do it again, nymp, theres been a murder are nikkas kidding me??

 

[intilectual recipricol]

I wonder who invented the Vol. 3 hate, shyt got dope reviews, sold mad records, had the streets buzzing and all that.
Two really wack songs (pop 4 roc & Snoopy track), and about 14 straight street bangers. Even things that u do, even with that fruity beat (which was the new sound of commercial music in the late 90s) Jay straight offed it and Mimi well is Mimi, could never do wrong as a feature.

It's hot, the intro, interlude & outdo, dope man, come and get me, so ghetto, do it again, nymp, theres been a murder are nikkas kidding me??

Man, I even like Snoopy Track (I was actually listenin to it when you made this post). Pop 4 Roc is terrible though ... then the bonus cuts at the end
Imagine if it woulda had the original "Is That Yo bytch" since that was the original track that had the streets buzzin

 

[BulletProof]

I didn't invent it but that's how I feel when I listen to it.

If all those previous things you said were true about acclaim, then it's just personal taste.

There's a reason Jay defended the Vol.('s) era by saying I "dumbed downed my lyrics to double my dollars."

There's definitely good songs but I was left disappointed.

I wouldn't give it more than a 3/5.

 

[Harry B]

I didn't invent it but that's how I feel when I listen to it.

If all those previous things you said were true about acclaim, then it's just personal taste.

There's a reason Jay defended the Vol.('s) era by saying I "dumbed downed my lyrics to double my dollars."

There's definitely good songs but I was left disappointed.

I wouldn't give it more than a 3/5.

What? How do you know Jay-z defended the Vol era?
It might've been Reasonable Doubt he was talking about or just the Dynasty album or just the Blueprint album or Just blueprint 2.

He always calls Vol. 2 a classic and one of his favorite albums. Sometimes 2nd favorite, sometimes 3rd. sometimes 4th but always up there.

 

[malbaker86]

He spazzed on this album.

I think it doesn't get the props it deserves because just like Roc La Familia, it had A LOT of guest appearances on it

 

[BulletProof]

What? How do you know Jay-z defended the Vol era?
It might've been Reasonable Doubt he was talking about or just the Dynasty album or just the Blueprint album or Just blueprint 2.

He always calls Vol. 2 a classic and one of his favorite albums. Sometimes 2nd favorite, sometimes 3rd. sometimes 4th but always up there.

You're right in the sense that I don't know for sure.

But IMO, he's defending everything after Reasonable Doubt because that's when he started catching criticism for watering down lyrics to cross over.

I doubt it's just one album he's defending, otherwise he would have probably specifically mentioned it.

 

[CELL]

:shyhov:album was trash

 

[intilectual recipricol]

Jay had to "dumb down" because TBH the typical nikka listening obviously wasnt catching the shyt he was doing on Reasonable Doubt... all the wordplay was being missed. Him "dumbing down" meant he was rappin like other nikkaz yall like... naS and Biggie and them. Because there is NO WAY them nikkaz was seein RD lyrically.

besides all that, lets look at the intro, interlude, and outro to Vol 3

 

[BulletProof]

As a fan, I'm not giving him a pass for the reason you claimed.

He wanted to finally crossover or "sell out."

And I definitely don't agree with Reasonable Doubt's wordplay and metaphors being beyond Nas or Biggie.

 

[Harry B]

You're right in the sense that I don't know for sure.

But IMO, he's defending everything after Reasonable Doubt because that's when he started catching criticism for watering down lyrics to cross over.

I doubt it's just one album he's defending, otherwise he would have probably specifically mentioned it.

While you might be correct, the line does not indicate that he was making worse music.
It only mean that he wasn't always trying to make thought provoking deep street shyt. I mean Blueprint is dumbed down compared to RD but it's almost as dope. It's also dumbed down compared to MCHG but about 10 times better and it's also doper than for example any Talib Kweli album.

The Chronic is one of the albums that's rated #1 most in hiphop and is extremely "dumbed down" in relation to for example Straight outta compton but just as good (or better imo). And just an example music wise, you can't tell me that Hard knock life, Big pimpin, Song Cry, Izzo and these "dumbed down" Jay-z singles aren't classic. Actually I think most people would rank them very high in his discography.

 

[intilectual recipricol]

As a fan, I'm not giving him a pass for the reason you claimed.

He wanted to finally crossover or "sell out."

And I definitely don't agree with Reasonable Doubt's wordplay and metaphors being beyond Nas or Biggie.

You dont have to agree, but youre the reason he had to dumb down his lyrics if you think Biggie or naS were seeing RD level lyricism. Give me just one song from either them nikkaz fukkin with the level of lyricism on D'Evils

 

[BulletProof]

While you might be correct, the line does not indicate that he was making worse music.
It only mean that he wasn't always trying to make thought provoking deep street shyt. I mean Blueprint is dumbed down compared to RD but it's almost as dope. It's also dumbed down compared to MCHG but about 10 times better and it's also doper than for example any Talib Kweli album.

The Chronic is one of the albums that's rated #1 most in hiphop and is extremely "dumbed down" in relation to for example Straight outta compton but just as good (or better imo).

I don't disagree with that completely.

Sometimes less is more.

But it's a dangerous game to find that middle ground and I don't, personally, think Vol.3 did.

 

[BulletProof]

You dont have to agree, but youre the reason he had to dumb down his lyrics if you think Biggie or naS were seeing RD level lyricism. Give me just one song from either them nikkaz fukkin with the level of lyricism on D'Evils

I'm not the reason because I purchased Reasonable Doubt and wished he could have maintained that intricacy more.

It's the ones who didn't buy the album that "made" him dumb it down.

 

[intilectual recipricol]

I'm not the reason because I purchased Reasonable Doubt and wished he could have maintained that intricacy more.

It's the ones who didn't buy the album that "made" him dumb it down.

I see you didnt show Biggie or naS doing D'Evils level lyricism though. Jay clearly listens to what people have to say. He likely heard people claiming other rappers were LYRICALLY seeing him at that time, when they CLEARLY were not and decided to switch it up... whether you bought the album or not. So he switched it up and didnt give you that intricacy since its not appreciated. He'll still give you a glimpse after RD but not an albums worth, sometimes a song or maybe a couple bars...

"retrospect aint been the same since I lost my dad
he's still alive but still, fukk you dont cross my path"

so subtle yet still so potent and lyrical... nikkaz aint catchin the nuances in Jay's rhymes and its gotta be frustrating for someone to act like "kickin flavor make a nikka dig up in they draws" is lyrically better. RD era Jay is the 2nd best lyricist ever. Only the people dont want to or are incapable of hearing it.

 

[Danie84]

...more arms than Green Bay's Brett Favre for ya