September 11, 2001 · JAY-Z released a record that paired an easy conversational flow with emphatic soul samples.
2001 – JAY-Z releases The Blueprint
“Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” gives him a bright Kanye West production to glide over. “Song Cry,” produced by Just Blaze, uses a more plaintive vocal sample as Jay works through a relationship he helped damage.
Those records show why the album’s production mattered to the writing. The samples carry a strong emotional signal, leaving Jay free to underplay a line, speed up through a detail or let a silence do the work.
“Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)” gives the producer-rapper relationship another shape. Its Bobby Bland sample sounds wounded before Jay starts, setting up a contrast with the assurance in his voice.
Release details and listening preview on Apple Music.
2007 – Graduation and Curtis share a release date
Six years after The Blueprint, Kanye West and 50 Cent put out their third studio albums on the same day. Their competing release campaigns turned a weekly sales result into a public rap story. West’s Graduation and 50’s Curtis also document different approaches to making a major-label rap album for a mass audience in 2007.
Read next · Browse Today in Rap History or explore Raptology documentaries.
Natalia is a Rap and Hip Hop enthusiast. After graduating from The New School of New York’s Public Relations Program and taking a course in Journalism at Michigan State University, she decided to dedicate her life to the music publishing business and to the discovery of new talent. She helps new artists gain exposure to the masses via online marketing and publications.
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