Kingdom Come often refers to a day of absolute perfection to one's soul. Absolute perfection is necessary to meet the creator. So since Jay-Z coined the phrase to his latest LP, it should've been a flawless achievement. It should've been a feat greater than Reasonable Doubt, which can be argued his closest reach toward perfection.
But it's not flawless. There are speed bumps that lead one to ask, "Why did he come out with this?" This being non-perfection, not above Reasonable Doubt, The Black Album, or even The Blueprint.
Jay-Z discusses the last several years of absolute fame and fortune in Kingdom Come. "Hollywood," discusses the pros and cons of being in the public eye. Jay discusses his needs to get away, "Born in Brooklyn got a place in Manhattan going back to Brooklyn to escape the madness / When your friends is Chris and Gwyneth, when your girl is more famous then you then is..."
One of Jay's most personal memoirs is "Lost One" which features Chrisette Michele. It documents the separation of him and Damon Dash, and the conflict of Beyonce's hustle during her twenty-something's. The last verse on "Lost One" pulls at the soul when he reveals he feels responsible for his nephew's death. "My nephew died in the car I bought, So under the belief it's partly my fault..."
"Do U Wanna Ride" is a letter dedicated to his boy on lockdown. John Legend blesses the hook with a soulful edge.
Just Blaze blesses his production on "Show Me What You Got," and "Anything" features The Neptunes. Just Blaze, Kanye West, and Swizz Beats also have their hands on production credits.
In the end, Kingdom Come falls flat of being instituted on the hip-hop classic Wall of Fame. If Jay's expects Kingdom Come to be what saves hip-hop fans then he's misunderstood the people. "The Messiah" needs to check back in to hip-hop heaven to formulate some new strategies. Maybe the next album will be the true resurrection of Jay's legendary albums.
Or maybe the God of hip-hop needs to send us a new Messiah.... Hip-Hop is Dead?
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