I'm not a fan of all of It Was Written, but I'd put "I Gave You Power" in his Top 10 songs, no question about it.

I'm not a fan of all of It Was Written, but I'd put "I Gave You Power" in his Top 10 songs, no question about it.

Maybe some "Boom! Shake The Room!" to move the party somewhere in the middle?

Maybe some "Boom! Shake The Room!" to move the party somewhere in the middle?

In a vacuum, it's better than a lot of "club hits" out there right now, it's just out of place and below average on this album.  It could have been on some random soundtrack this summer and been fine.

In a vacuum, it's better than a lot of "club hits" out there right now, it's just out of place and below average on this album.  It could have been on some random soundtrack this summer and been fine.

He should send Swizz looking at the front door.

He should send Swizz looking at the front door.

Oh, those two tracks you mentioned are indeed stellar.  I just found myself drifting off in parts.  It's that fine line of, I think it's good, just not as good as everyone else does.  But these days, that means I hate it.

Oh, those two tracks you mentioned are indeed stellar.  I just found myself drifting off in parts.  It's that fine line of, I think it's good, just not as good as everyone else does.  But these days, that means I hate it.

It's the same man that keeps entrusting Salaam Remi with multiple beats per album, so there's part of the explanation.
Plies, though?  Yikes.

It's the same man that keeps entrusting Salaam Remi with multiple beats per album, so there's part of the explanation.
Plies, though?  Yikes.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I think it's in good-not-great territory.  And maybe it's a recoil from some of the press (this generation's Marvin Gaye?   Really?), but I'll just sit back and watch it go on dozens of year end lists.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I think it's in good-not-great territory.  And maybe it's a recoil from some of the press (this generation's Marvin Gaye?   Really?), but I'll just sit back and watch it go on dozens of year end lists.

My vinyl reissues are scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.  I'm quite happy about this.

My vinyl reissues are scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.  I'm quite happy about this.

I said as much on HipHopSite - let's just take Illmatic out of the equation, bronze it, whatever - and just go forth assuming that everything he does is really just competing for the second best thing he's ever done.  And when you're comparing it to Illmatic, there's no shame in that.

I said as much on HipHopSite - let's just take Illmatic out of the equation, bronze it, whatever - and just go forth assuming that everything he does is really just competing for the second best thing he's ever done.  And when you're comparing it to Illmatic, there's no shame in that.

The overwhelming opinion is that the Swizz Beatz track is the main clunker here (and I fully agree).  If he replaced it with "Nasty" - available on the deluxe version - this could be a serious contender for Hip Hop AOTY.

The overwhelming opinion is that the Swizz Beatz track is the main clunker here (and I fully agree).  If he replaced it with "Nasty" - available on the deluxe version - this could be a serious contender for Hip Hop AOTY.