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BillboardHis ambitions and self-awareness have grown nearly as much as his net worth. [2 Dec 2006]
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This is far from being a bad album - Jay has never made one of those, nor given the impression he is capable of doing so - but it rarely rises to the levels he has consistently reached.
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Four duds out of 14 tracks isn't a fireable offense. But shouldn't the corner-office mogul demand more of his top earner?
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If he wants to save hip-hop, as he claims, Jay-Z needs to think beyond his usual game. He has the smarts and experience; perhaps his next comeback will show more royal ambition.
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The album doesn't reach the heights of the seminal Black Album but is an exciting opener to a hectic schedule for Def Jam.
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While many will no doubt have set the bar of their expectations too high, Jay-Z has pulled out all of the stops on Kingdom Come.
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People who hate the venality and misogyny of modern mainstream rap will find this a particularly joyless experience, but this unwavering and energising disc at least has the courage of its convictions and makes the immediate competition look like the mealy mouthed twats they are.
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Kingdom Come is a solid record, and entirely worth the cost just to hear Jay-Z spit a new song, but in the end it just can’t live up the expectations it tattoos all over itself.
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At its best, Kingdom Come is about possibility. At its worst, it pales in comparison to past albums.
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"Kingdom Come" is everything you expected.
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On Kingdom Come, the highs are really high, and the lows are really low.
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Kingdom Come follows the same sturdy formula as The Black Album, Reasonable Doubt, and The Blueprint, with a minimum of guests, a reasonable running time, and trendy beats from top producers. But the urgency just isn't there.
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At 37, he's still at the top of his game.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 67 out of 130
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Mixed: 44 out of 130
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Negative: 19 out of 130
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Jan 1, 2021
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Aug 15, 2013
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Aug 22, 2011