User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 201 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 177 out of 201
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Mixed: 12 out of 201
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Negative: 12 out of 201
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ajaydSep 11, 2009Stop tryin to compare this to lupe...lupe has nothing on Jay. THis album is a hip hop master piece.
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jkm.Feb 5, 2008I'm tired of this getting put of Lupe the cool but its really not that good you could jay z on anything and it will sell doesn't mean that its good
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ChrisC.Nov 22, 2007
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Apr 10, 2011Dude always calls himself the "Best" and that's exactly why he is not the best. He brags so f****kin much, i can call at least three rappers am 100% sure are far better than him (Eminem, Andre 300, Nas). Am only giving this a two because of the two songs i like( Roc Boys and Success) outside those two, The rest=Garbage !!!
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Aug 26, 2013
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JamesH.Jan 11, 2008Perfection.
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KurisuM.Nov 13, 2007Above average album, Not as well put together as The Streets (Mike Skinner) album A Grand Don't Come for Free... similar concept from a couple years back. The album is meant to be more of a story... as opposed to seperate tracks, you're listening to seperate chapters. Decent overall, worth the buy.
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JoshNNov 5, 2007Jay Z hits hard with his new album. Much much better than Kingdom Come, though it is still not his best. Vintage Jay-z. If that's what you want, enjoy this album for what it is worth
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MichaelE.Nov 6, 2007Exceptional. One of the best albums of the year. Definitely better than the disappointing "Kingdom Come". This is the calibar of material that we've come to expect from Jay Z.
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FufaNov 6, 2007this cd Is crazy I guess everybody is a jay fan again right ? Damn that's crazy.
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SashaR.Nov 6, 2007I dont usually like jay, but this is a master piece right here.
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M.MaharNov 7, 2007This is such a copy of the movie, "American Gangster." I prefer the movie over the album. Jay-Z is such a copy cat!
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[Anonymous]Nov 7, 2007Excellent album. And no, this isn't a Kanye record. First of all, it's a pro rapping, not a producer. Secondly, if you think Hov is taking a page from Kanye, you obviously have not heard Reasonable Doubt.
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FantasyNov 7, 2007Good movie with outstanding peformances by Denzel, Ruby Dee, and Russell. Denzel's wife was totally miscast and without chemistry.
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NajehD.Nov 7, 2007One of the top 3 rap albums this year along with Chamillionaire and Talib Kweli. Nice bounce back from Jigga.
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JoeLNov 7, 2007A Classic when judged against todays music
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leyod.Nov 8, 2007jigga back dis rite here iz fire
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UNReal101Nov 8, 2007Every lyric, every beat, every calculated step of this album comes together to pull off an excellent journey through the mind of Frank Lucas & the feel of the 1970s. Haven't heard something this entertaining since 'Hip Hop is Dead' from NaS... well there was also Kanye's ish, but this is a real Hip Hop album.
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DavidANov 9, 2007Considering how he supposedly put the album together with the quickness, and it still came out pretty damn good, he gets more credit. But if you want to compare with his latest, I think it's as good as Kindom Come, but not as good as the Black Album or The Blue Prints.
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StanP.Jan 2, 2008
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DonlaW.Mar 17, 2008
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JayO.Nov 10, 2007
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AaronMNov 10, 2007This CD is pure garbage. I don't know what you all are smoking. There is not one hit song on this CD and the production value is so poor, it's ridiculous! Jay should have stopped at the Black Album. Ever since, his flow has been breezy and choppy, and his arrogance won't carry him like a Kanye album.
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KevinNov 13, 2007This CD is really good, i'm glad he could recover from his last couple of cds. I like the feel of this album...
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rickyNov 10, 2007this album is just great. all-round.
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whathuhNov 5, 2007I thought this guy retired...
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Ralph...Nov 5, 2007jay z has become a one dimensional artist. the album fails to carry any substance. his lyrics are mediocre and he fails to paint pictures or showcase and true artistry as an mc. pray, noo hook and fallin are the good tracks. nas had a great verse on success but the beat and jays blatant biting of eminems rhymes make the track an underwhelming experience.
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EthanH.Nov 5, 2007Fantastic album; his best since "The Blueprint".
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RyanANov 5, 2007Here is a guy who has made a life off of producing and rapping, not off kill and selling coke; the pretending has got to stop somewhere. Jay-Z has the capability to produce much better than this. That's not to say this album is with out merit, there are some decent songs scattered throughout, but nothing ground breaking. This album missed the mark. Better luck next time.
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BlakeNov 6, 2007A Brilliant Masterpiece!!! You Go Hova!!!
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JiggyW.Nov 6, 2007Much, much better than Kingdom Come. Jay-Z's best album since the Blueprint. Consider this his real comeback album.
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SumTNov 6, 2007An awesome album when you compare it to the other more comercial albums being released now. His best since Blueprint, maybe even better.
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HarveyW.Nov 6, 2007Crazy
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GangstaDNov 6, 2007One of Jiggas best albums. Best album since The Blueprint and in some cases better. Period.
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AmberC.Nov 6, 2007HOV proves again why he'll never be irrelevant! I love him and this is the best him we've seen in a while!! ROC IS IN THE HOUSE!!
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LarryC.Nov 6, 2007This is black superhero music! Some are suited for retirement. Others are not. I thank God, as a true rap and Hip Hop fan, that Jay-Z is the latter. HOV returned to recording with his pop-laden Kingdom Come. Full of deeper meaning and more conscious lines and messages than typical for the Greatest MC rap knows, Kingdom Come failed to hit with his true followers.
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MarquesHNov 6, 2007Jay-Z went back to his roots on this one. There are no pop hits on this album. It is a grind/gridy album which put meaning back into gangsta sh*t. Buy this album. You will not be disappointed.
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RachaelW.Nov 7, 2007Jay-Z is back! Making the old new ... SOLID album. He got some really good beats from the Neptunes and the others... all i have to say is "ANd I don't need a hook for this SH*T1" - and he didn't on that track.
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DontrelleNov 7, 2007A great album by the greatest MC in the world!! Probably, my choice for album of the year. It's that good.
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TranquilD.Nov 7, 2007This is vintage Jay-z, the flow, the concept, even production is sick. Except for Hello Brooklyn 2.0 every track is timeless, so glad to have Hov' back. ITS UR BOY!!
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TravisNov 8, 2007
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AnthonyNov 8, 2007This Album real dread y'll and coming from the Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago).
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K-SeanNNov 8, 2007good album.. but nowhere near graduation
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JordanB.Nov 9, 2007"American Gangster" is up there with Jay's first album "Reasonable Doubt." Jay-Z is definitely one of the best and most consistent hip hop artists of all time.
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Landong.Nov 9, 2007best album since the blueprint.
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RyuDec 1, 2007Quite good. Hip hop(rap) is still dying though.
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BobF.Dec 2, 2007Stop hating! This is a great album.
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kdDec 9, 2007A hip-hop masterpeice. Every song hits its mark.
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BarryM.Jan 10, 2008Amazing. Jay is back on top form after a disappointment with Kingdom Come.
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ADubNov 10, 2007bringing it back to reasonable doubt and blueprint. this album is his 3rd best. very soulful and diddy finally is back on his game. fluid album.
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KingZ.Nov 13, 2007So Jay-Z didn't completely fall off. It's nowhere near my favorite album of his, but I'm damn happy to not hear another 'Kingdom Come'. It's a little stale but I think that if he does another after this, it has a chance to actually be a great album.
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LouisP.Nov 13, 2007
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AlexS.Nov 14, 2007I luv dis artist!
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JonnisJ.Nov 18, 2007It's a stinker. The beats are pukealicious.
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ACNov 19, 2007
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WashNov 25, 2007
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GiovanniR.Nov 27, 2007
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CJAnNov 5, 2007Another classic from the god mc.
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JamesS.Nov 5, 2007Epic album.
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DevarG.Nov 5, 2007Great album. 10/10. Its good to see Jay release a solid album. I'll give it a few months before declaring that its a classic though.
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CatNov 6, 2007Just as good as the Blueprint and Reasonable Doubt!! Best rap album of the year, by far. I highly recommend!!
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DamienDNov 6, 2007The coolest album of the year, nuff said.
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RicNov 6, 2007This album is the ish.
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PIJ.Nov 6, 2007He's back...perfectly sequenced and a great fit to his collection of 'classics'
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son.Nov 6, 2007A great bounce back effort after Kingdom Come.
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johnS.Nov 6, 2007Is it me or has the teacher become the student? Catchy, soul driven beats and a slowed flow, this sounds like a Kayne album, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. i'm just sayin'.
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briann.Nov 7, 2007jay gets his swagger back on this one, fresh drop. cop it quick.
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GeraldWNov 7, 2007Hovie hits us with some slammin' tracks but when he passed the torch to Kanye, he really passed the torch. Listening to American Gangster was a real experience but ultimately it takes the silver to Graduation's gold.
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DrakeNov 7, 2007A strong contender for album of the year! Truly brilliant stuff here!
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GillNov 8, 2007Just as good as "The Blueprint" and "Reasonable Doubt". One of the best all around records of 07.
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footclanNov 8, 2007Best thing on the album is the Intro. Beats sound too similar. Yes the album is more raw. But no killer hook, expect better from jigga. A little overated this album.
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PJB.Jan 27, 2008
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AjayDSep 25, 2008People need to shut up about Lupe, Jay has nothing on him! losers! This Album is superb, This got me into Rap and Jay-z! His Verses and flow is sick! The beats are soulful and compliment the lyrics. It tells a story, not just hate music! I would recommend it any rap fan!
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ToryH.Nov 13, 2007
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SérgioF.Nov 15, 2007I don't quite appreciate Jay's music and this album can prove his lack of talent
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TraeG.Nov 21, 2007
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StevenS.Nov 29, 2007
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Aug 22, 2011This album is excellent. Every tracks is on the topic of being an "American gangster" it sounded more like classic Jay Z then "kingdom come" Jay Z. This album proves why Jay Z is one of the best rappers of all time.
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Jul 18, 2017great album............................................................................................................................................................
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Aug 15, 2019It’s not for everybody, but if you loved reasonable doubt and Blueprint sprinkled with that Bad Boy Biggie street storytelling beatstyle. This is for you, and your looking familiar.
Awards & Rankings
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Feb 4, 2011It's excellent, to be honest. Jay-Z sounds relaxed and comfortable in his legacy on the mic: he's not feeling as pressed to perform as he did on Kingdom Come, and the MC just lets his talent flow effortlessly.
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This is a very good Jay-Z album. He is, for the most part, doing what he has done before: what he does best.
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There are also sparse, programmed beats from the Neptunes and lesser-knowns like No I.D., with Jay-Z fixing his flow accordingly. What unites the collection more than a specific sound is a narrative arc that loosely parallels Lucas' rise and decline.