Jay-Z (American Gangster)

[Slim Zaddy]

Released November 6, 2007
Recorded 2007
Genre :East Coast hip hop, Mafioso rap
Length 58:38
Label: Island Def Jam, Roc-A-Fella
Producer: Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter (exec.) Antonio "L.A." Reid (exec.) Diddy & The Hitmen (LV & Sean C, Mario Winans) (assoc.) Bigg D, Chris Flame, DJ Toomp, Idris "Driis" Elba, Jermaine Dupri, Just Blaze, No I.D., The Alchemist, The Neptunes

overview:
American Gangster is the tenth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on November 6, 2007 in the United States via the record labels Island Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella. American Gangster is Jay-Z's first concept album, which was inspired by the film of the same name. The album features production from Diddy & The Hitmen, Just Blaze, and The Neptunes, among others. Guest appearances include Beanie Sigel, Lil Wayne, Pharrell and Nas. Jay-Z released an a cappella version of the album on his birthday, December 4, 2007.Music critics praised American Gangster, and noted that Jay-Z was trying more "complex lyrics".The album was released to significant commercial success, despite being pulled from the iTunes Store,selling 445,000 copies in its first week and debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, tying Elvis Presley for the second most number one albums. The Rolling Stone magazine named American Gangster the third best album of 2007.

Recording:
Jay-Z would have the film—American Gangster—playing on the monitors above the recording booth to keep him inspired. In an interview with MTV producer LV from The Hitmen said:
Jay would have the beats...He'd do the record, and he'd send it back to us. We'd fill in the blanks as far as making them full records. From having live horns, live strings, live drummers. This percussion dude, he was coming in with bottles, banging on bottles, just sprinkles of shit. We went all out. We brought in musicians to bring it out. Jay probably just heard a sample and some drums. Once we got the vocals back, we brought in all the extra candy.
Beanie Sigel and Lil Wayne are two of the few featured guest spots on the album, in which Sigel appears on the new version of "Ignorant Shit", and follower Lil Wayne joins Jay-Z on the Beastie Boys-sampling "Hello Brooklyn 2.0". Jay returned the favor on "Mr. Carter" from Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III. Also, fellow New York rapper and once rival Nas, is featured on the No I.D.-produced track "Success", while the Neo soul singer Bilal sings the hook on "Fallin'", but is not officially credited.

music video:
1."Blue Magic"
2."Roca Boys
3."I Know"


Track listing
1. "Intro" (by Idris Elba) Chris Flame, Idris "Driis" Elba* 2:00
2. "Pray" The Hitmen: Diddy, Sean C & LV 4:24
3. "American Dreamin'" The Hitmen: Diddy, Sean C & LV, Mario Winans* 4:47
4. "Hello Brooklyn 2.0" (ft. Lil Wayne) Bigg D 3:55
5. "No Hook" The Hitmen: Diddy, Sean C & LV 3:13
6. "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..." The Hitmen: Diddy, Sean C & LV 4:12
7. "Sweet" The Hitmen: Diddy, Sean C & LV 3:26
8. "I Know" The Neptunes 3:42
9. "Party Life" The Hitmen: Diddy, Sean C & LV 4:29
10. "Ignorant Shit" (ft. Beanie Sigel) Just Blaze 3:41
11. "Say Hello" DJ Toomp 5:26
12. "Success" (ft. Nas) No I.D., Jermaine Dupri* 3:30
13. "Fallin'" Jermaine Dupri, No I.D.* 4:06
14. "Blue Magic" The Neptunes 4:10
15. "American Gangster" Just Blaze

Lyrics:
Allmusic says that "And that might be the most common complaint about the album — it's really just another case of Jay-Z being Jay-Z, albeit with different presentation. Unless you know each verse from Reasonable Doubt through Kingdom Come, it might sound like he's dealing with no variation on well-worn themes, the exact same thoughts and emotions that make up older tracks about his past as a drug dealer — the rise, the arrogance, the conflictedness, the fall, and all stages in between."[15]

Pitchfork Media reviewer Tom Breihan noted that "'No Hook' has some of the most complicated rhyme-patterns Jay has tried in years":[2]

Stay outta trouble, momma said, as momma sighed
Her fear her youngest son be a victim of homicide
But I gotta get you outta here momma, or I'mma die...inside.


—Jay-Z, "No Hook"
Although Jay-Z says American Gangster was inspired by the movie of the same name, he touches on the topics of censorship and the Jena 6 controversy:[16]

And if Al Sharpton is speaking for me
Somebody get him the word and tell him I don't approve
Tell him I'll remove the curses
If you tell me our schools gon' be perfect
When Jena 6 don't exist Tell him THAT's when I'll stop saying bitch—BIIITCH!



Credits:
Victor Abijaudi Engineer, Mixing
Timon Abuptah Strings
Arden Altino Bass, Piano, Strings, Keyboards, Fender Rhodes
June Ambrose Stylist
Angelo Aponte Engineer
Carline Balan A&R
Heather Boyden Assistant Engineer
Keon Bryce Vocals (bckgr)
Carter Administration A&R
Shawn Carter Producer, Executive Producer, Art Direction, Design
Minyoung Chang Violin
Andrew Coleman Engineer
Mike David Trombone
Tony Dawsey Mastering
Hector Delgado Arranger
Cheri Dennis Vocals
Steve Dickey "Rock Star" Engineer, Assistant Engineer
Diddy Producer, Associate Producer
Jermaine Dupri Producer, Mixing
Duro Mixing
Arthur Elgort Photography
Seth Firkins Engineer
Chris Flame Producer
Andy Geel Assistant Engineer
Ed Goldson Bass, Guitar
Hart Gunther Assistant
Dawn Hannay Viola
Keyon Harrold Trumpet
Hector Helgado Editing, Mixing
Cedric Hollywood Jr. Engineer
Drew Hollywood Programming
Josh Houghkirk Assistant
Chad Hugo Mixing
Bashiri Johnson Percussion
Leisa Johnson Vocals
Shannon Jones Vocals
Terese Joseph A&R
Just Blaze Producer
Gimel "Young Guru" Katon Engineer, Mixing
Jeff Kievit Trumpet
Lisa Kim Violin
Jeanne LeBlanc Cello
Matthew Lehmann Violin
James Lewis Bass, Guitar
Liza Lim Violin
L.V. Producer
Jayms Madison Vocals
Eileen Moon Cello
The Neptunes Producer
No I.D. Producer
Sarah OBoyle Violin
Anthony Palazzole Assistant
Sandra Park Violin, String Contractor
Juan Carlos Perez Vocals (bckgr)
Charles Pillow Sax (Tenor)
Sue Pray Viola
L.A. Reid Executive Producer
Marty Reid Guitar
J. Peter Robinson Art Direction, Design, Photography
Derrick Selby Engineer
Saunders Sermons Trombone
Darin Smith Engineer
Andy Snitzer Sax (Alto)
Still Phil Drums
Adonis Stropshire Vocals
Supa Engineer "Dura" Mixing
Phil Tan Mixing
Matthew Testa Assistant Engineer
A.J. Walker Vocals
Eric Weissman Sample Clearance
Kanye West Vocals
Ryan West Engineer
Kenneth Whalum Arranger, Sax (Tenor)
Hype Williams Photography
Mario Winans Strings, Drums, Producer
Angela Wood Vocals
Andrew Wright Engineer, Assistant
Jeanine Wynton Violin
Sharon Yamada Violin
Jordan Young "DJ Swivel" Engineer, Assistant


Charts & Awards
Canadian Albums Chart 3
Dutch Albums Chart 64
French Albums Chart 58
Irish Albums Chart 59
Swiss Albums Chart 17
UK Albums Chart 30
U.S. Billboard 200 1
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 1
U.S. Billboard Top Rap Albums 1

My Review:
Y'all n*ggas got me really confused out there. I make 'Big Pimpin' or 'Give It to Me,' one of those — that had me as the greatest writer of the 21st century. it was apparent the next Jay-Z album might not be so anticipated. He'd need to get some fresh inspiration and make some corrective maneuvers.
Fortunately, both came unexpectedly — rather than by desperate force — after he saw an advance screening of the early-'70s period piece American Gangster, which played a direct role in nine of the songs on this album of the same name. at least when it comes to the years spanning Jay-Z's career, without resembling a true regression. "Success," for instance, takes its lead from The Black Album's "Public Service Announcement," with blaring organ over heavily weighted drum knocks, yet despite the likeness, it's one of the album's highlights. One could say that's not really saying much, but regardless of context, this is a very good Jay-Z album. He is, for the most part, doing what he has done before: what he does best.