jayZ by shannon

A Week With Jay-Z's "Kingdom Come": Day 2

28 November 2006
tell your friends... tell your friends...

Words by Sean Moeller//Illustration by Shannon Palmer
The prelude – aptly called “The Prelude” – is more like the refrain in so many different ways on Kingdom Come. All of the thoughts summed up so succinctly in that 2-minutes, 43-seconds crops back up time and time again on this comeback album by a man who should never have left. Comebacks are embarrassing, by nature. They’re usually ill-advised, but in Jay-Z’s case, it was the sojourn into the corporate world that was ill-advised. Even if his bragging on “The Prelude,” about grossing $38 mil last year alone, was rounded up, it doesn’t mean he was better at that role than the role he owned as the most impeccable MC of all time. Debates can simmer and shuffle and hatch tangents that go no where, but there’s really no denying the man of the title. The problem comes in when Jay wants to remind us of his superlative attributes so often on Kingdom Come. It used to be one of the things he didn’t have to do. He didn’t have to reinforce the fact, to bulk it up until we’re listening to him, rolling our eyes and going, “Yeah, yeah, get to the point.” There are so many instances on this record – the almighty comeback record – where the Hova is flexing his muscles and not flexing his tongue, the strongest muscle in his body. The most aggravating part of it all is that all of the times that he does let himself let go and just get effortlessly verbose (not overdoing it) and poetic (just the right dashes), he gets you tailspinning and lightheaded. He is the king, but we don’t need to hear about it. Let The Game talk about how he’s the shit. Let the others pose and strut. He’s continually rapping about how others were claiming they could just make a new Jay-Z. “Lost One,” a premier track from the album, begins with plucky piano bits and a Z saying, “It’s not a diss song/It’s just a real song,” over a steady drum machine beat. So much of what makes him the king is reluctance to repeat himself over the years. He sings on “The Prelude,” “As you see I can’t leave, so I do love you” and there’s a touching moment there. He never should have tried to leave. He didn’t get far. And now that’s he’s returned, what needs to happen so he gets comfortable enough to stop giving us reasons why he came back? Is he insecure? You’re the best. You’re the best. We’re glad you’re back. Now, just tell us about those 99 problems and make vague references to Beyonce or something. Forget the suckers who can’t hold a candle to you. Let them rap about themselves so foolhardily, making it crystal clear they’re overcompensating.

share on facebook digg this seed newsvine delicious bookmarks seed magnolia

commenting closed for this article



Recent Progressive Reviews

A Week With Bonnie Prince Billy's "Lie Down In The Light"
    Day: 3   2   1  
A Week With Wolf Parade's "At Mount Zoomer"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With Death Cab For Cutie's "Narrow Stairs
    Day: 5   4  
A Week With Death Cab For Cutie's "Narrow Stairs"
    Day: 3  
A Week With Death Cab For Cutie's "Narrow Stairs
    Day: 2  
A Week With Death Cab For Cutie's "Narrow Stairs"
    Day: 1  
A Week With Destroyer's "Trouble In Dreams"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With Wu-Tang Clan's "8 Diagrams"
    Day: 4   3   2   1  
A Week With The Mountain Goats' "Heretic Pride"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With Radiohead's "In Rainbows"
    Day: 3   2   1  
A Week With P.J. Harvey's "White Chalk"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With Okkervil River's "The Stage Names"
    Day: 1  
A Week With Bill Callahan's "Woke On A Whaleheart"
    Day: 5  
A Week With Bill Callahan's "Woke One A Whaleheart"
    Day: 4  
A Week With Bill Callahan's "Woke On A Whaleheart"
    Day: 3   2   1  
A Week With The White Stripes' "Icky Thump"
    Day: 2   1  
A Week With Handsome Furs' "Plague Park"
    Day: 5   4   3   2  
A Week With The Handsome Furs' "Plague Park"
    Day: 1  
A Week With Bjork's "Volta"
    Day: 2   1  
A Week With Panda Bear's "Person Pitch"
    Day: 3   2   1  
A Week With Winterpills' "The Light Divides"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With Modest Mouse's "We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible"
    Day: 4   3   2   1  
A Week With Deerhoof's "Friend Opportunity"
    Day: 3   2   1  
A Week With The Shins' "Wincing The Night Away"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's "Some Loud Thunder"
    Day: 4   3   2   1  
A Week With Nellie McKay's "Pretty Little Head"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With Luke Temple's "Snowbeast"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With The Skygreen Leopards' "Disciples of California"
    Day: 5   4   3   2   1  
A Week With The Brak Show
    Day: 3   2   1  
A Week With Jay-Z's "Kingdom Come"
    Day: 4   3   2  









Subscribe to our newsletter:





info@daytrotter.com