
American Gangster is a Hip-Hop album by Jay-Z, originally released in 2007. On Gatefold: 22 pressings tracked, owned by 5 collectors.
Sound DNA
- Hip-Hop
- East Coast
- heavy
- brooding
- urban
About
JAŸ-Z once said that 2007’s <i>American Gangster</i>, inspired by the Denzel Washington crime flick of the same name, was a way for him to explore how his life might’ve gone had he never left the streets. That’s a hypothetical, of course—not to mention an example of his penchant for taking good stories and spinning them into better ones. So while Jay can still sell a classic drug-kingpin narrative from rise to fall—as he does on such <i>American Gangster</i> tracks as “Pray” and “Fallin’”—he also frames the hustle as a metaphor for the Black American predicament: It’s no less stressful than straight work (“Success”), nor is it easier to come by (“American Dreamin’”). And while nice stuff helps (as he points out on tracks like “Blue Magic” and “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)”), it’s never enough to offset the guilt of having to sell yourself—and your community—out to get them. “This is that ignorant shit you like/N***a, fuck, shit, ass, bitch, trick, plus ice, c’mon,” Jay raps on “Ignorant Shit.” Don’t blame him for putting it on offer—ask yourself while you’re buying. By 2007, Jay had been around long enough to secure his new, grown-up life—ask <i>Kingdom Come</i> and <i>The Blueprint 2</i>. With <i>American Gangster</i>, he finds enough purchase on his old one to explore what he might’ve gotten wrong. If he still raps like his life depends on it, it’s because it does. It’s just a different life now.
via Apple Music
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Tracklist
- 1Intro2:01
- 2Pray4:24
- 3American Dreamin'4:47
- 4Hello Brooklyn 2.03:56
- 5No Hook3:14
- 6Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)...4:12
- 7Sweet3:26
- 8I Know3:43
- 9Party Life4:29
- 10Ignorant Sh*t3:41
- 11Say Hello5:27
- 12Success3:30
- 13Fallin'4:06
- Bonus Tracks
- 14Blue Magic4:10
- 15American Gangster3:41
Credits
Performers
- Ed GoldsonBASS GUITAR
- Mario WinansDRUMS STRINGS
- Bashiri JohnsonPERCUSSION
- Marty ReidGUITAR
- Timon AbuptahSTRINGS
- Angel WoodVOCALS
- Aaron J. JohnsonBASS TROMBONE BASS CLARINET CLARINET
- James LewisBASS GUITAR
- A.J. WalkerVOCALS
- Adonis ShropshireVOCALS
- Carmen CameronVOCALS
- Cheri DennisVOCALS
- Jayms MadisonVOCALS
- Leisa T. JohnsonVOCALS
- Shannon JonesVOCALS
- BeyoncéVOCALS
- Keon BryceBACKING VOCALS
- Arden AltinoBASS PIANO STRINGS
5 collectors on Gatefold own this · 22 pressings tracked on Gatefold
