This without a doubt is probably the worst rap album of 2002. What are these people smoking? Dope lyrics?!? You guys have to be joking. If you want to hear dope lyrics go get Nas' Stillmatic and God's Son which annihilated Jigga and definitely put an end to the so-called beef. Then get the Eminem Show and Talib Kweli's Quality. It seems like good rap albums today are scarce. Hip Hop died when bling bling was born. White people use to fear rap when it use to stand for something. Now they just laugh at it and dance along with these materialistic cat in the hat rappers.

Never bought a Jay-Z album since Reasonable Doubt, got the double album "Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse" as a present this christmas. Executive produced by Jay-Z, Dame Dash, and Kareem Burke. Track production comes from The Neptunes, Kayne West, Guru, Just Blaze, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, No I.D., R. Feemster, Heavy D, Charmalane, Digga. Like the first track "A Dream" Feat. Faith Evans and Notorious B.I.G., has Biggie verses from my all time favourite Biggie Track "Juicy". Next comes "Hovi Baby", the female hook on this track is wack. This is followe by "The Watcher" feat. Dr. Dre, Rakim and Truth Hurts and all I can say is it made me look forward to Rakim's next album "Oh My God". "03 Bonnie & Clyde" is a remake of Pac track, have to say at first I was annoyed with this release, so much Pac biting ("Me and My Girlfriend") , but Jay-Z pays tribute as seen in the video, and Beyonce comes out nice as well. Next comes "Excuse Me Miss" a relaxed track with nice beats. "All Around the World" feat. Latoya Williams, is similar relaxed track where Jay-Z talks to the ladies. A few less than memorable tracks follow then "I did it my Way" comes, a good closer to disc one. Disc Two opens with "Diamond is Forever" a blazing hot track, where Jay spits some nice verses, with phat background beats. "Guns and Roses" feat. Lenny Kravitz brings another feel to the album, never thought I would see these two on the same track, decent track. "U dont Know" (Remix) feat. M.O.P. is a nice banging track from Rocafellas newest additions. Jay-Z drops tragic story on "Meet the Parents". Favourite track is "Some How Some Way" feat. Beanie Sigel and Scarface, sad track, where Jay talks about getting out of the ghetto,losing friends, changing ones ways. "Some People Hate" is a banging track produced by Kayne West where Jay-Z talks about haters and the game. The title track "Blueprint 2" is a memorable one, Jays flow on this one is deadly. Last track "A ballad for the Fallen Soldier" is chilled out track, where Jay-Z talks about life, love this track. The three bonus tracks are alright, though not needed. No "Reasonable Doubt" but a good album, with some real banging tracks, an album you can bump for some time. Recommend it for the collection. 3.5

I wasn't expecting this to be as bad as it was, there are maybe 5 or 4 good songs, out of 25! Most hardcore Jay-Z fans will like this, or at least try to, and deny realizing how bad this is. This album falls at the knees of Nas' God's Son anyday! Both Nas and Jay-Z have slow flows, but Nas is a great story teller, and Jay-Z isn't one of the best lyrically, why do people hail him as one of the best?? Please realise this, if you give me a bad vote, then you will agree with me that this album is the worst thing since Shazaam!

Let me start of by saying that i am both a jay-z and nas fan so don't worry about that fued affecting how i feel about this effort. The Jay-z albums that made me a fan include Reasonable Doubt, In My Life Time Vol. 1 and 2, and The Blueprint. The other Jigga albums aren't on the level of these. Personally, i like my rap to be gangster and gutter but I also like the different futuristic shiz that eminem and outkast put out. Now to the recent drop. I have to say that I feel that cd 1 (the gift) is pretty damn weak. The intro has a Biggie verse from Juicy but I cant give this Jay-z cd credit for that. All around the World has a reasonable doubt feel to it. The only songs i would even give a spin (and not that often) are the watcher 2, poppin tags, i did it my way and maybe what they gonna do and the bounce. With no stand out tracks and the decent songs few and far between cd 1 sounds feels like it takes the torch from Jigga's not so good albums Vol. 3 and the dynasty. Disc 2 (The Curse) turns it around however. The beats and rhymes are way stronger. Every song between 1-9 is decent at the least. As One is the only realy terrible song on disk 2. The Ballad of a Dead Soldier is mediocre. The bonus songs are strong as well making the second disc a really good one. Although Jigga's subject matter doesn't change from his other albums (DOES ANY RAPPER'S)overall this cd is ok. If your a Jigga fan this cd is ok for you. If you don't like Jay then don't get this album to try to change your mind. Overall I gave this cd 3 stars but it may in reality be a 2. CD 2 balances out some of the wack material on CD 1 but it isn't enough to put it on the level of Jiggas better cds. He should have left out all the filler and made it a one disc cd because then it would be close to the level of his better material.

Jay, Jay, Jay Z....you used to be good in the day. I was looking forward to this album for him to reddeem himself after all these albums of stealing other peoples lyrics. I figured maybe Jay would change for the bette rand make his own music. I was dead wrong. Not only did he use everyone elses rhymes, but he used 2PACS SONG. What the heck is he thinking?! 2Pac hates you Jay Z. He never liked you, why would you think about taking his song! You lost so much respect from virtually everyone.
* The only reason I took time to write a review for this horrible album is so no one else makes the horrible mistake of purchasing it. This whole album is other peoples songs, I suggest you go get the real versions of all these songs. Jay...give it up man. Its clear you cant make up your own ideas and only use people that hated you songs to have hits. Give it up Jay.
* One more thing Jay, if you ever see 2pac, I suggest you run, Fast.

Dont buy it.
- Kevan