American Gangster
American Gangster
With the release of one of the most anticipated movies of the year, American Gangster, Jay-Z was inspired to create an album of the same name that was inspired by the story of Frank Lucas. The album is a story that takes the listener on a musical journey of how Jay-Z's life would have turned out if he would have continued his drug trafficking lifestyle. The story is told in three sections: the genesis, the rise, and the demise.
The genesis begins as Jay describes the start to his life of crime in the song "Pray". The songs tells a story of how his environment lead him to believe that selling drugs is the best way to help his family get out of a life of poverty. But at the end of each verse, there is a part of a prayer recited that makes the listener realize that he is worried that his decision may be the wrong one. Jay did a great job displaying his emotions on this song and anyone facing a difficult decision can relate to the pressures that he felt.
"American Dreamin" comes early in the story, as Jay rolls out his hopes and dreams over a gorgeous sample from Marvin Gaye's "Soon I'll Be Loving You Again" that provides a hazy aura of innocence. He offers some playful rhymes ("I need a personal Jesus; I'm in Depeche Mode
It's like Tony LaRussa on how you play your cards") and some serious ones ("I wish you health/I wish you wheels/I wish you wealth/I wish you insight so you can see for yourself") in a flow that matches the song's neo-soul vibe.
The songs get brasher and his flow gets darker as the story unfolds. The rise starts with "Roc Boys." Jay packs in as much boasting as he did when he was coming up, back in the "Reasonable Doubt" days, over a dramatic, horn-filled funk celebration. He goes on to thank all of the people who helped him be successful in the drug game. This song is an anthem of achievement. The horned instruments give it a celebratory feel that just screams success. The song "Sweet"...
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