The Blueprint 3 opens with one of the best mainstream beats I’ve heard in a while, wonderful huge rushing synths like blood pumping to veins. But Jay-Z falls into a minor trap right off the bat. While he begins with a lament on street life, he quickly asserts he’s “running the map” and thug life is “just the way the game goes”. In between, though, he’s got a neat subtle rhyme on modern hip-hop and its perception:

I’m talkin’ bout music I ain’t talkin’ bout rap
You talkin’ bout who’s hot I ain’t talkin’ bout that
The conversation is changed

I agree that the real hip-hop today sees itself not as rap, but as music. While mainstream rap is too often all gimmick and braggadocio, the less-famous movement beyond radio is changing the conversation. Underground hip-hop artists like Madlib are leading the charge and receiving critical acclaim. Check him out for examples of creativity and artistry in hip-hop production and beat-making.

Unfortunately, Jay-Z continues to critique his mainstream peers while failing to bring any quality music on his own part. The third track, “DOA (Death of Auto-Tune)” is rife with hypocritical commentary in this vein. While Jay-Z rails against raps with melodies, ring-tones, etc., he completely misses the opportunity to go nuts over a wonderfully fuzzy jazzy bounce beat. A more sensible rapper would touch on a few dozen subjects in a 4-minute song with such a solid beat, but Jay-Z stubbornly sticks to the topic without supplying any insights more intriguing or less clumsy than:

“I know we facin’ a recession
But the music y’all makin’ gonna make it the great depression”

Still, one of his opening lines, “This is Sinatra at the opera, bring a blonde”, perfectly hits the spot, as the lyric gives Jay-Z an aura of unreachable class and irresistible entertainment. Plus, what modern rapper wouldn’t mind having Sinatra’s subtle mob connections in their own mythology? I think that’s the part of the problem with The Blueprint 3: Jay-Z can hit a home run on one line out of a hundred (which is better than you could say about a lot of his contemporaries), but he still strikes out on half his verses by way of clunky rhythms, rotten lines, and terrible flow.

“Thank You” comes with a strong triumphant beat, but it’s an inconsistent track. Jay-Z stumbles in places when trying to pull off the classy, urban flow demanded by the music, instead delivering lazy clunkers like “we are really high tonight” that reveal this song as a lame attempt at the laid-back, cigar-smokin’ feeling of elites like Notorious B.I.G. and the lesser-known DOOM . Other moments, he seems to be going for a futuristic aloofness, but Del tha Funkee Homosapien has already done it better.

We also get all the obligatory guest star tracks, featuring Alicia Keys, Rhianna, Kanye West, and Young Jeezy. The best of these is also the top song on the album, “Empire State of Mind”, which features Ms. Keys. The name has to be a play on the famous 1994 Nas song, “N.Y. State of Mind”, although Jay-Z looks at the classy bright lights side of the Big Apple rather than the gritty street side his rival was revealing. Thanks to a relaxed piano beat and Keys’ soaring vocals in the chorus, this song actually is only slightly inferior to Nas’ classic track. Jay-Z puts aside criticism of other rappers and gives a quality performance, including another Sinatra self-comparison.

The other guest-featured tracks aren’t very noteworthy, with one exception. “On To The Next One- feat. Swizz Beatz” is ridiculously annoying, and I’d probably rather eat a cactus than subject myself to its repetitive beat again. This is way worse than anything I’ve heard on the radio. I understand that rap albums are known for filler, but this obnoxious song is an atrocity against humanity. And hearing this after Jay-Z’s earlier ranting on the pitfalls of mainstream hip-hop just adds insult to injury.

There’s no excuse for so many subpar songs, especially when you’ve had 2 years since the last album, and Jay-Z should be at a point in his career where he doesn’t have to sacrifice musical aspirations for financial necessity . Why bother releasing an album if you’ve only got 5-6 decent tracks? Rappers have done this for years, but that doesn’t make it excusable. Also, the second half of this album is filled with the same gimmicks and tricks found in on radio hip-hop- like using a old and relatively famous song like “Forever Young” as a crutch to hold some low-effort beats and dopey posturing. If you’re gonna call yourself “the greatest”, at least make an effort to avoid the same pitfalls your lesser contemporaries have fallen into.

There are a few bright spots in The Blueprint 3. Many of beats on the first half are outstanding, and I’m hoping this is due to the increased influence of underground producers on mainstream hip-hop artists, and not just an aberration.

For the most part, while Jay-Z brings out the glitz and glamour of New York City, he leaves the substance at home. Half of the time, he sounds like he’s mimicking other famous rappers. Even when he’s himself, Jay-Z brings weak lyrics and is unable to stretch beyond the topic directly in front of him. At this point in his career, he’s really gotta turn in his self-proclaimed title of “greatest rapper”.

Just like you can’t be Elvis without shakin’ your hips once in a while, you can’t be considered a hip-hop god without busting consistent gold lyrics and separating yourself from the masses. The Blueprint 3 fails on both counts. Jay-Z’s not Elvis, and he’s not Sinatra. How about some Neil Diamond comparisons on the next album?