Where did the myth that The Blueprint was weak/bad lyrically start?

[Greenhornet]

I personally hated the hits on it
Izzo shyt was super trash and overhyped
I feel like alot of the glossy gay shyt wasn't as good as his albums before commercial wise
And the good stuff didn't outweigh those tracks

 

[ThirdAct]

Oh because it didn't have any quadrupletrendres???

It’s also funny listening to rap fans talk about what good lyricism is but can only use “punchlines” / “similes” to determine what good lyricism is

There's some dope slick punchlines as usual from Jay on BP. "Fine, it cost you nothing, pay me no mind" "Appetite for destruction but I scraped the plate", "I'm not looking at you dudes, I'm looking past you", etc. Witty for sure. But for me where it's lacking is Jay became less poetic and descriptive around this time. Take his first verse on Dead Presidents II. You can see that verse. You can feel what he's going through. It's beautifully written. There's nothing really like that on BP. Again its a good album because Jay is talented enough that he can coast on his charisma, his skill, his wit (and it also doesn't hurt that Just, Ye and Bink absolutely laced him), but the bars are noticeably less complex than on previous albums.

 

[FunkDoc1112]

Omfg…I’ve actually figured out jay z hate on this site. Its a shell game, they’ve placed themselves in a cant-lose:

If it’s pre Vol 2, mock him for not being popular, not selling

If it’s post Vol 2, then mock him for just being about sales

And if it’s actually 98 and Vol 2, say DMX was bigger (just disregard the whole DMX opening for jay on the aptly names HARD KNOCK LIFE tour)

It’s the same as dudes who hate Bron who minimize his entire career to Ray Allen and kyrie saved you, bubble ring, beat the baby thunder It’s not to be taken seriously

It really is similar to how people talk about Bron...they harp on Reasonable Doubt not being a big seller in 1996 the same way they bring up the 2011 finals like everything afterwards never happened. Trying to make it a referendum for their entire career.

 

[THE 101]

This is definitely not a new narrative...i remember it was a major talking point on SOHH pretty much from the beginning of its release.

I'm not even saying I agree with it but it ain't some recent revisionist history. Mfs been clowning lines like "i bounce up like round ball" since Osama knocked down the towers.

 

[Izanami]

Jay is one of my GOATS but it’s clear he was coasting on this and let the production be the star. Flow and delivery was still sublime. This is such an objective opinion when listening to BP2 which is arguably Jayz best album lyrically combined with flow. Liseten to u don’t know remix as a clear example. The beef with Nas/ETHER lit a fire under Jay.

 

[HNIC973]

Jay is one of my GOATS but it’s clear he was coasting on this and let the production be the star. Flow and delivery was still sublime. This is such an objective opinion when listening to BP2 which is arguably Jayz best album lyrically combined with flow. Liseten to u don’t know remix as a clear example. The beef with Nas/ETHER lit a fire under Jay.

yeah he was rapping his ass off on BP2. The album had way to much filler tho

 

[Fresh]

The Blueprint was great lyrically, I never heard anybody say Jay Z's rhymes on the Blueprint were weak

perhaps some people are still subconsciously stuck on Jay's rhymes on Reasonable Doubt

 

[Bigblackted4]

Wait people don’t like The Blueprint. I’ve played this album for younger none Jay Z fan and he thought it was a best of.