The Blueprint2: The Gift & the Curse is rapper Jay-Z's seventh studio album, released November 12, 2002. Parts of the album were later reissued as The Blueprint 2.1 in 2003.
This album, like Jay-Z's previous four, debuted at #1 with over 545,000 units shipped in its first week of sales, and has sold 2,117,000 units as of February 2012 in the U.S. The album was criticized for its more pop-oriented sound as well as its plethora of guests, while The Blueprint had been almost devoid of guest appearances.
Though the album has no strict concept in view, the first disc The Gift generally has more upbeat, party tracks, including the hit singles "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" and "Excuse Me Miss." The Curse has a somewhat darker tone, including fewer guest appearances, disses to Nas, Ja Rule, and Jay-Z's former mentor Jaz-O on "Blueprint²" and a dramatic street tale on "Meet the Parents."The Blueprint2: The Gift & the Curse is rapper Jay-Z's seventh studio album, released November 12, 2002. Parts of the album were later reissued as The Blueprint 2.1 in 2003.
This album, like Jay-Z's previous four, debuted at #1 with over 545,000 units shipped in its first week of sales, and has sold 2,117,000 units as of February 2012 in the U.S. The album was criticized for its more pop-oriented sound as well as its plethora of guests, while The Blueprint had been almost devoid of guest appearances.
Though the album has no strict concept in view, the first disc The Gift generally has more upbeat, party tracks, including the hit singles "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" and "Excuse Me Miss." The Curse has a somewhat darker tone, including fewer guest appearances, disses to Nas, Ja Rule, and Jay-Z's former mentor Jaz-O on "Blueprint²" and a dramatic street tale on "Meet the Parents."false2021-06-06 20:23:40The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse720022002-01-012002-01-01112East Coast Hip HopHip HopHardcore Hip HopHip-Hop1113572133189801678aa-5d30-4342-8227-e9618f164ccaf82bcf78-5b69-4622-a5ef-73800768d9acc0cdbbdd-006d-3f4a-90bb-31e259d839e4JAY‐ZAlbumArtistJAY-ZAlbumArtist/config/metadata/People/J/Jay-Z/folder.jpgJAY‐ZArtistJAY-ZArtist/config/metadata/People/J/Jay-Z/folder.jpgJAY‐ZJAY-ZJAY‐ZJAY-ZShawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record executive, and media proprietor. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists. He was the CEO of Def Jam Recordings and he has been central to the creative and commercial success of artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole.Born and raised in New York City, Jay-Z first began his musical career in the late 1980s; he co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995 and released his debut studio album Reasonable Doubt in 1996. The album was released to widespread critical success, and solidified his standing in the music industry. He went on to release twelve additional albums, including the acclaimed albums The Blueprint (2001), The Black Album (2003), American Gangster (2007), and 4:44 (2017). He also released the full-length collaborative albums Watch the Throne (2011) with Kanye West and Everything Is Love (2018) with his wife Beyoncé, respectively.Through his business ventures Jay-Z has become a billionaire. In 1999, he founded the clothing retailer Rocawear, and in 2003, he founded the luxury sports bar chain 40/40 Club. Both businesses have grown to become multi-million-dollar corporations, and allowed him to start up the entertainment company Roc Nation in 2008. In 2015, he acquired the tech company Aspiro and took charge of their media streaming service Tidal. In 2020, he launched "Monogram", a line of cannabis products.One of the world's best-selling music artists, with over 125 million records sold, Jay-Z has won 24 Grammy Awards, the joint-most Grammy awards of any rapper along with Kanye West. Jay-Z also holds the record for the most number-one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 (14). Additionally, he is a recipient of the NAACP's President's Award, as well as an Emmy Award; and has been nominated for a Tony Award. Ranked by Billboard and Rolling Stone as one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, Jay-Z was the first rapper honored in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the first solo living rapper inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2013, Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.