Magna Carta Holy Grail - MCHG album Review

I don’t expect people to understand this record or even like this record because, my opinion, this is one of the best Jay-Z album ever been recorded. It’s not your typical Jay-Z album that you expected. It is not going with the modern trend but it is more of time-less piece of work. You can’t compare Jay-Z’s old albums his new ones because new albums always presents new ideas with new ways. Of course, Reasonable doubt is all time classic, In My Life Time was good album but not great, Vol.2 became very commercialized, Vol.3 set history mark on hip hop, La Familia was a tribute album for his crew ROC, Blueprint was one of  the classic album, Blue Print 2 was marking of new chapter for his personal life introducing his relationship with Beyonce, Black Album created new style of Hip Hop bringing the new feeling of live instruments and also, fair-well to his possible rap career, but came back with Kingdom Come like Jordan wearing 45, American Gangster used lot of live instruments and gave that old jazzy feeling mixed with hip hop, and Blue Print 3 was one of the master piece that will go down in history of hip hop history, and his new album Magna Carta Holy Grail set’s new tone to 40 years old musical genre.
This album is complex. articulate, innovative, direct; overall, just an amazing, mind blowing album. I cant say I was mind blown the first time I heard the album, but then again, It was dropped on July 4th and I was pretty drunk. But when I set down and took the time out to actually listen to the whole album, this is a master piece. This album is time-less piece. It is like seeing Picasso’s work, looking at Mona Lisa; this is really one for the history, even if you don’t believe me this time. This album is not YMCMB’s trendy music, this isn’t 2Chainz’s repeating sound to brainwash the listeners; this is Jay-Z same Jay-Z that we all love but more grown up with fancier taste. This album is not for regular music/ rap listeners, this album is educated album.  Let’s break down the tracks.

 1)      Holy Grail – Produced by The dream and Timbaland; this song features Justin Timberlake for singing. He speaks about what the fame has done to many celebrities and what he could do to create something that cannot be touched like Holy Grail.
2)      Picasso, Baby – Produced by Timbaland; in this song, he speaks about his perspective of him as an artist and comparing his self to Pablo Picasso. Well put track with lot of swagger, speaking of his love for France as he is a dual-citizen to both U.S and France.
3)      Tom Ford – Produced by Timbaland. He used the M.I.A’s style from her song “Bad Girls” but another swag track talk of fancy clothes and Tom Ford,
4)      FuckwithmeyouknowIgotit – Produced by Boy 1Da and Timbaland. Featuring Rick Ross, the song has the Rick Ross feeling to the record, which I am not really fan of.
5)      Oceans – Produced by Pharrell and featuring Frank Ocean. Jay talks about him achieving the new level with finer things. One of my fav from the track.
6)      F.U.T.W – Produced by Timbaland. Got that old Jay feeling to it, with hood style to the beat but the gospel chant on the background and horns are just beautiful on the track. He speaks of how even tho life is beautiful with material things and stature, he had to work hard to gain all these things. One of my Fav.
7)      Somewhere in America – Produced by Hit Boy. Love the piano on this track. He talks about his new life, moving in to new places, still hanging out with his friends, but kind of like Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problem vibe to it.
8)      Crown – Produced by Travis Scott. Heavy bass track. It does have dark side of things in lyrics but very articulately put.
9)      Heaven – Produced by Timbaland. Talk of HOV and being better than other rappers. Religious referencing song. I like it.
10)   Versus – Produced by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. Short song that claims that no rapper can really mess with him.
11)   Part II (On the Run) – Produced  by Timbaland. Featuring Beyonce, The song is dedicated to his wife, Beyonce. Definitely a love song on the album.
12)   Beach is Better – Produced by Mike Will MadeIt. Short song. It’s almost like a skit.
13)   BBC – Produced by Pharrell Williams. Featuring Nas and Timbaland. Got the bounce to the song. Talks about how they use to be drug dealer, and now, a villain. Good song. I think Jay says “F#@k 50, He snitched” but don’t quote me on that because Jay is famous for saying things that sounds like what it is but it made not be it. And I like how the songs has Korean at the end of the song.
14)   Jay-Z Blue – Produced by Timbaland. Has the similar beat to Pink’s “Try” song. He talks about his daughter, Blue Ivy. I love the mix of biggie and him going at it, very well put. One of my fav.
15)   La Familia – Produced by Timbaland. I think this song is more of him feeling the vibe that his friend Amil and wanted to create something to honor that. Song dedicating to his friends.
16)   Nickels and Dimes – Produced by Hip Hop. My favorite song of the album. Such a great song that you can hear great Jay-Z style of rap. 

This album isn’t something you can fall in love with as soon as you hear, but it will grow on you slowly. Love this album. Jay, You done it again.



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