Jay Z- Kingdom Come- the review

JAY Z
KINGDOM COME
ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS

Like MJ, Jay Z, the Mike Jordan of recording, retired at the top of his game, although no one really believed Jigga was gone for good. The mic never seemed to gather any dust on it as Hova was guest appearing on everything he could. It was hard to tell he was retired as his voice filled mixtapes, the airwaves and cars riding by with the booming systems just as much he did before the retirement if not more. Then just barely 2 years later he returns, and if he did manage to put the mic down for a minute it didn’t show. Passion called him back and a need to show the new artists how it’s supposed to be done. The subject matter or topics discussed isn’t original or new, but even with the played out themes of gangstism, ghetto living and ballin’ outta control, J sells it better than most. While others are bragging Jigga makes it look so easy as he just flows and gets his grown man on at the same time.
“I’m young enough to know the right car to buy, yet old enough not to put rims on,” says J in 30 Something. “I don’t got the bright watch, I got the right watch. I don’t buy out the bar, I brought the night spot.”
Backed by the usual suspects, the knobtwistas include Just Blaze, Kanye West, Dr Dre, the Neptunes and guests appearances by Pharrell, Beyonce, and Coldplay's Chris Martin. Cant forget the voice of Flava Flav on the first single "Show Me What You Got" which samples s Public Enemy, or the Just Blaze produced title track which samples Rick James' "Super Freak". Even with the much noticed absence of longtime beatsmith Timberland who was busy bring back the sexy with Justin Timberlake, it's still an A-list cast of characters, and as always Jigga holds his own and lets you know its his world.
The problem of being the Mike Jordan of rap is the expectation. You are a victim of your own success. Jordan himself had sportscasters questioning if he still had it after a 25-point performance. Needless to say some ballers never see a 25-point performance in their career or that would be a great game for them. But this is MJ, if he isn’t dropping 50, averaging a triple double and at least 5 SportCenter plays of the day, making a poster out of his comp, it just wasn’t a good night for the kid. Same with Tiger Woods or the Williams sisters, if they are not blowing away the comp, they must have fell off or be having a bad day.
Well Jay lives up to the picture he painted with words of himself for us. While Kingdom Come is a tight album, it might not live up to the expectation of some and has some writers talking about how he just don’t have it anymore, and leaves others writers and fans alike waiting for his real comeback album to come. The problem with being the brightest star in the sky is continuing to be the brightest and outshine others. That said everything Jay does is an event, a 7 city, 17 hours tour or taking over 106 & Park, changing their wild out Wednesdays theme and top 10 countdown and turning the show to 106 & Jay. Performing 10 tracks from your 10 albums. Add that to a world tour, and the massive promotions even with the doubters, with an estimated 850,000 units moved, Jigga is scheduled to have to best first week sales of any artists in 2006. Not to mention the Jigga Man regained his number one spot on the Billboard charts.
Kingdom Come is quite possible Jay’s most personable album to date, he deals with issue from his relationship with Beyonce, rumors and past beefs "Lost Ones," f/ Chrisette Michelle and recounts horrors of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, taking lyrical shots at the Bush Administration and the failure of the American government to get help to the victims with NeYo on "Minority Report". Can’t forget the albums finale "Beach Chair", the track with Chris Martin, this pairing works incredibly well.
The older, more mature Hova is sure to satisfy fans he left waiting with his retirement. "…now I got black cards, good credit and such, baby boy, I'm all grown up."