Rewind: Jay-Z 'The Blueprint' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at Jay-Z's 'The Blueprint', released on this date in 2001.

One of my favorite samples used for 'The Blueprint' is David Ruffin's 'Common Man' sampled by Kanye West for the track 'Never Change'. The ex-Temps vocalist is amazing on this cut from his self titled 1973 album - this may not be a club banger or something anyone could ever sample again, but it is a hell of a tune. Bobby Glenn's 'Sounds Like a Love Song' is the source for the Just Blaze produced 'Song Cry', one of Jay-Z's most poignant tracks, though it failed to break either the pop or R&B top 40 upon its release as a single. On the Bink produced 'All I Need', Jay-Z rhymes over samples from Natalie Cole's 'Unpredictable' album cut 'I Can't Break Away (From You)'. Bink also produced the album's title track 'Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)', which cuts a sample from Al Green's 'Free at Last' from the beat digger favorite 'Livin' for You'. Just Blaze digs deep for 'Got to Find My Own Place' by Stanley Clarke for Jay-Z's bonus track 'Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)'. Finally, Jay-Z rides a sample of the Persuaders' 'Trying Girls Out' for his excellent bonus track 'Girls, Girls, Girls' (Remix) produced by Kanye West.

'The Blueprint' was another career plateau for Jay-Z, though it was followed by the career nadir of 'The Blueprint²', an underwhelming double album featuring much of the same cast, with much less conviction and tons of gimmicky cameo appearances. 2009 is set to see the release of Jay-Z's 'The Blueprint 3' today, which will undoubtedly be featured in a future post on this blog.

The Lowdown:
Jay-Z 'Never Change', 'Song Cry', 'All I Need', 'Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)', 'Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)', and 'Girls, Girls, Girls' (Remix)
from 'The Blueprint' (2001) (MP3/CD)
David Ruffin 'Common Man'
from 'David Ruffin' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bobby Glenn 'Sounds Like a Love Song'
from 'Shout it Out' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Natalie Cole 'I Can't Break Away (From You)'
from 'Unpredictable' (1977) (MP3/Import CD)
Al Green 'Free at Last'
from 'Livin' for You' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Stanley Clarke 'Got to Find My Own Place'
from 'Modern Man' (1978) (MP3/CD not available)
The Persuaders 'Trying Girls Out'
from 'The Persuaders' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Jay-Z 'Vol. 3'
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 1)
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 2)

Rewind: Kanye West 'Late Registration' (Part 1)

In 2005, following the success of his debut album 'The College Dropout', Kanye West dropped his follow up album 'Late Registration'. This two part post will cover the sample sources from Kanye's sophomore effort.

The single 'Heard 'Em Say' (with a hook by Maroon 5's Adam Levine for whatever reason - they're famous?) produced by West and Jon Brion contains a sample of Natalie Cole's 'Someone That I Used to Love'. Just Blaze produced the much higher charting single 'Touch the Sky' with Lupe Fiasco, which utilizes as excellent (and very much slowed down) sample of Curtis Mayfield's 'Move On Up' from his essential 1970 album 'Curtis'. The album's biggest hit and an inescapable single for 2005 and 2006 is Kanye's 'Gold Digger' with Jamie Foxx. The song famously samples Ray Charles' 50s hit 'I Got a Woman' from his 'Rock and Roll Forever' LP. The slow motion track 'Drive Slow' with Paul Wall and GLC finds Kanye West using the track 'Wildflower' from Hank Crawford's album of the same title.

Check back for the second part of our look at 'Late Registration'.

The Lowdown:
Kanye West 'Heard 'Em Say', 'Touch the Sky', 'Gold Digger', and 'Drive Slow'
from 'Late Registration' (2005) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Heard 'Em Say', 'Touch the Sky', 'Gold Digger', and 'Drive Slow'
Natalie Cole 'Someone that I Used to Love'
from 'I've Got Love on My Mind' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Curtis Mayfield 'Move on Up'
from 'Curtis' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Ray Charles and His Band 'I Got a Woman'
from 'Rock and Roll Forever' (1956) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Hank Crawford 'Wildflower'
from 'Wildflower' (1973) (MP3/Import CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Kanye West 'College Dropout' (Part 1)
Rewind: Kanye West 'College Dropout' (Part 2)