Jay-Z
Magna Carta Holy Grail
****
Sean Carter is back and he’s here to stay.
Magna Carta Holy Grail comes at a time when there are no serious competitors in the game. Jay-Z has received seven Grammy nods for his efforts on this album, and here is why.
The two top tracks have to be Oceans and Holy Grail and they feature Frank Ocean and Justin Timberlake respectively. It is rumoured that Oceans was written for the album Jay-Z and Kanye West did, but Jay-Z decided to keep it for the Magna Carta project. If that story is true, then it was a wise decision.
Ocean takes us on a journey from Ivory Coast to artist Basquiat’s show. Essentially his verses are centred on slavery and overcoming it. It is almost a fitting theme song for the 12 Years a Slave movie.
Hot on Oceans’ heels in terms of catchy hooks is Holy Grail. If you thought Suit & Tie was a hit you will love Holy Grail. It is a much better offering that questions the price of fame. The two men talk about how they can’t decide whether to stay in the game because of the the conflicts between the passions and pressures of being a celebrity.
Rick Ross features on F***withmeyouknowigotit which is typical Ross bragging about riches.
The song with Beyoncé is a bit disappointing because it borders too much on R&B. It will take some getting used to.
Overall, this is yet another Jay-Z classic and we will still be playing most of these track two decades from now. – Munya Vomo