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96
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71
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80
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63
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44
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69
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66
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79
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77
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83
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47
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80
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62
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85
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78
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72
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97
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80
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71
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75
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79
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68
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47
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74
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73
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81
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76
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76
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51
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80
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66
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72
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82
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61
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79
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63
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66
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79
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72
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80
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80
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89
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69
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70
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75
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75
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76
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82
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81
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79
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69
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61
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78
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58
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72
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80
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61
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83
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77
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58
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83
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83
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78
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68
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72
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82
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67
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68
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66
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69
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57
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67
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71
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58
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56
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68
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70
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74
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77
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71
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67
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71
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76
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59
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80
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76
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83
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80
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59
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71
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67
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84
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70
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79
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51
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59
Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
The Blueprint

Universal acclaim
Based on 12 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 36 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Uptown/Universal
Release Date: 11 September 2001
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rap
Summary
The now-legendary Brooklyn rapper follows 2000's 'The Dynasty Roc la Familia' with this 13-track disc.
Also By This Artist: American Gangster Kingdom Come The Black Album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse The Blueprint 3
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Uncut
Almost every tune sounds like a hit. [Dec 2001, p.108]
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Trades the chilly, futuristic minimalism of S. Carter for a warmer, more organic sound rooted in the soul and funk of the '60s and '70s
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
The Blueprint is possibly the least sonically inventive hip-hop chart topper in years-- stunning and captivating for sure, but still loungily comfortable enough to sleep to.
Read Full Review >Sonicnet
The Blueprint is not a perfect album. Some of the material is undoubtedly filler. But this recording makes it clear that hip-hop is supposed to be fun -- and that Jay-Z is having a ball.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
While The Blueprint falls short of his debut's brilliance, it is easily the best Jay Z recording since that release.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
By its close, 'The Blueprint' has eloquently mapped out life's foundations: laughter, tears, joy and pain, and has marked the Jigga as the complete rapper.
Read Full Review >CDNow
13 tracks of the kind of confident, effortless wordplay that made him a household name in the first place.
Read Full Review >E! Online
The Bed-Stuy boy musters up enough of his own charisma, charm and wit to build another solid release.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
It's not radically new - although the Timbaland and the Trackmasters contributions are genuinely exciting - but it's exactly what a lot of people want to hear from a hip-hop album right now.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
But for an MC claiming to represent ''for the seat where Rosa Parks sat,'' one expects a bit more.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 36 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Balky B gave it a2:
I don't see the appeal of Jay Z. Monotone robotic delivery of weak rhymes that often don't rhyme. I thought hiphop had graduated from "I'm the baddest dude" and "I've got the biggest d***" back in the 80's. Can't compare to Nas- Illimatic or Mos Def- Black on Both Sides. Both with relevant material about the real world. The Blue Print focuses on superficial materialism and club life. Why do hip hop heads believe Jay Z when he says is the best? I wish this was good.
Miguel A gave it a10:
The reason you cant always trust the user ratings on Metacritic (especially in the Rap genre) is because there are the "haters" who will not even listen to the album and rate it a 1 because that rapper has "beef" with his favorite rapper. Even though this album has an 8.5 rating, I'm disgusted. This is one of the greatest Hip Hop albums of ALL TIME. Jay's rapping is sick, and so are the beats. That's all you need to know. It's balanced.
jamie gave it a10:
Its a shame that this albums overall user rating is at 8.4 because 2 people decided to give it a zero. Even if you didn't like this album, its obviously worth more than a zero. An amazing album, and one of the reasons people continue to put jay-z in their top 5. If your a hip-hop head, you deserve to treat yourself to, in my opinion, the greatest mc to ever hold a mic. Im not a "dick rider" in any way....but once i heard the Black Album, i went back and listened to this dudes whole discography......Amazing artist, Amazing album, Amazing dude. G.O.A.T!
richard gave it a5:
Jay-z hires the best song producers in the business. he creates fairly clever but shallow improvised lyrics. but the songs are boring and repetitive. There are much more creative and talented rappers, but since he is an a hole people say he is great. he is overrated.
Cristopher R gave it a10:
This is one of only few albums that you can and must listen to from beginning to end. It is a classic in every way possible.
Greg B gave it a10:
The best rap album since Nas' "Illmatic". It's a masterpiece.
Blake G gave it a10:
Best album of 01.
