According toīillboard, the album sold an impressive 427,000 copies within the first week of its release, despite a 5% decrease in sales in the wake of the tragedy. In the face of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, Jay-Z's album still managed to climb music charts in the U.S., eventually soaring to No. Its debut not only occurred during a challenging phase in Jay-Z’s personal life, it also hit record stores on one of the most significant days in America’s history: September 11, 2001. music charts.Ī monumental album, The Blueprint was praised by critics and fans alike following its release. Despite its release coinciding with the most horrific day in American history - SeptemThe Blueprint still hit No. By the time he had accepted the plea deal, the album had already gone platinum, reportedly selling 1.1 million records in five weeks. The stabbing incident would go on to become one of the most publicized events in Jay’s early career, but it did not define him or his character. Many attribute Jay-Z’s legal woes to the vulnerability and immaculate attention to detail embedded throughout The Blueprint, in addition to his sheer determination to move past his mistake - albeit by any means necessary. (Although, he later confessed to the act in the track “Kill Jay Z” on 4:44.) Throughout the album, which was recorded during the two-year stall in court, Jay-Z maintained his innocence. After accepting the plea bargain, Hov was sentenced to three years probation. The second-degree assault charge held a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, prior to being offered a deal in which Jay-Z could plead guilty to a less severe third-degree assault charge. The case went through two years of rescheduled dates and court appearances until October 17, 2001, four weeks after the release of The Blueprint. According to hip-hop lore, Hova was under the impression that Un was responsible for bootlegging and leaking the album prior to its scheduled release date. Jay-Z was on the verge of releasing his fourth studio album Vol. On December 3, 1999, Jay-Z was arrested and charged with felony assault in the second degree after stabbing Lance 'Un' Rivera, a music executive, at the New York City Kit Kat nightclub, MTV News reported. ![]() At the time of The Blueprint's release, Jay-Z was facing up to 15 years in jail. "Momma raised me, Pop I miss you / God help me forgive him, I got some issues / Mickey cleaned my ears, Annie shampooed my hair / Eric was fly… s**t, I used to steal his gear," he raps about his family in “Momma Loves Me.”Įach story provides a closer analysis of his complex relationships, past traumas and elements of where he grew up in Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects, conveying his day-to-day reality through poetry. Whether it be the center of an argument with a neglected lover, the experience of being a young son abandoned by his father or the pressure of acting as the primary source of income for friends and family, songs like "Momma Loves Me," "U Don't Me" and "Song Cry" demonstrate Jay's ability to catapult his audience from their respective locations straight into his world. Her are nine facts about the The Blueprint 's production and release, highlighting why this masterpiece continues to reign supreme as one of the most prophetic albums ever composed.ġ. Jay-Z's storytelling in The Blueprint is not only gripping, but vivid, detailed and emotive. The collection of songs on The Blueprint offered up new and profound soundscapes, which has since transformed and elevated hip-hop as a genre and continues to influence the music en masse today. " The Blueprint demonstrates Jay-Z’s range, from battle raps to triumphant anthems about life at the top, to heartfelt examinations of his personal story," the National Recording Preservation Board wrote. ![]() In the end, Jay-Z has proven why he was destined for greatness while simultaneously showcasing some of his best creative work. The 15-track album is considered a dynamic piece of work, created by Carter during a time in which his “ credibility came under threat” by other New York artists. ![]() On March 21, Blavity reported Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter’s sixth studio album The Blueprint was inducted into the National Recording Registry for the Library of Congress.
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