He was born on the fourth of the month, married a woman who holds the same distinction (who named her fourth album 4), was married on 4/4 and named his daughter Blue Ivy (Ivy…as in IV, get it?). It’s safe to assume Jay Z probably has a pretty slick shindig lined up for his 44th birthday. Happy bornday shoutouts poured in on twitter today, while audio tributes to arguably the greatest MC to ever step in the booth took over much of the airwaves, perhaps highlighted by this EPIC Hovito birthday mix by Mister Cee.
DJ Mister Cee – Jay-Z Bday Mix.mp3
Sidebar: People’s Court right out the gate! Remember People’s Court?!
As always though, there’s the ying and the yang. The light and the dark. The turn up and the tragic.
It was on this day six years ago that hip-hop lost a southern legend as Pimp C, one half of UGK (aka the Underground Kingz), died from an overdose on syrup, coupled with a sleep apnea condition. In addition to the Jay Z big ups, social media was flooded with thoughts and prayers for the late Chad Butler.
Besides sharing this day, the two rappers are (obviously) directly tied by the song “Big Pimpin'”, the most successful single off Jay’s fourth solo album Vol 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, which featured both UGK members Pimp C and Bun B. Thirteen years later the song (lyrics, production and video) is commonly recognized as a cultural institution and one of the great feel-good party records in rap history.
Though he may have left fans in the physical form, Pimp C’s music lives on, so much so that a remix to Jay’s “Tom Ford” that features a previously unreleased verse from the Port Arthur, TX native was posthumously released today in his honor.
While Mr. Carter and his beautiful wife have decided to take a stab at veganism as a birthday gift (let it be known this is the exact opposite of how I celebrate my odometer turning over— next month I plan to dine on a steak the size of a toilet seat), Jay has decided to treat his fans with his answer to one of the great debates in hip-hop…
How should Jay Z’s solo albums be ranked?
Today on his website, Jay rated his work from worst to first. This list and his explanation in his own words is as follows:
1. Reasonable Doubt (Classic)
2. The Blueprint (Classic)
3. The Black Album (Classic)
4. Vol. 2 (Classic)
5. American Gangster (4 1/2, cohesive)
6. Magna Carta (Fuckwit, Tom Ford, Oceans, Beach, On the Run, Grail)
7. Vol. 1 (Sunshine kills this album…fuck… Streets, Where I’m from, You Must Love Me…)
8. BP3 (Sorry critics, it’s good. Empire (Gave Frank a run for his money))
9. Dynasty (Intro alone…)
10. Vol. 3 (Pimp C verse alone… oh, So Ghetto)
11. BP2 (Too many songs. Fucking Guru and Hip Hop, ha)
12. Kingdom Come (First game back, don’t shoot me)
With all respect due to the birthday boy, HHSR DISAGREES!!!!!
It should be noted that all of these albums are good and are better than the majority of the music out here these days…even Kingdom Come. Also, we can agree on the most important part of the list, the top three. And you can talk me into The Blueprint being numero uno if you catch me on the right day.
Blueprint 3 should be moved up into a fight for #4 with Vol. 1. Yeah, “Sunshine” makes all of us cringe, but can one dud completely ruin an entire album? If so, than there’s a lot of rap “classics” that need to be tossed in the recycle bin. American Gangster, Vol. 3, Vol. 2 and MCHG should then enter into a Hell in the Cell match for the #6 through #9 slots, with the Dynasty, BP2 and Kingdom Come bringing up the rear.
Sidebar: The Curse ranks slightly above The Gift on The Blueprint 2 double CD, but if you took the best songs from both albums an crammed them into one disc, it’s probably in the top five.
The official HHSR “Twist-My-Arm-Until-My-Damn-Wrist-Is-Bout-To-Snap-Off” ranking of Jay Z’s solo albums as of December 4, 2013 is…
1. Reasonable Doubt
2. The Blueprint
3. The Black Album
4. BP3
5. Vol. 1
6. Vol. 3
7. American Gangster
8. Vol. 2
9. MCHG
10. BP2
11. Dynasty
12. Kingdom Come
…at least as of now. It’s a fluid list because Jay Z’s music timeless (and don’t even ask me about where Watch The Throne fits into all this).
HBD, Hov. Rest in peace, Pimp C.