JAY-Z, NO ID, JANKO: THE TAKEDOWN? posted by O.W.

awkward!

Jay-Z: The Death of Auto-Tune
From Blueprint 3 (Upcoming, 2009)

Now that it's been out there for a couple of weeks, what's the verdict on this new Jay Z song?

Personally, on first listen, the joint is rather fuego, especially as No I.D. hooks up a basher of a beat that has shades of "The Takeover" but instead of the Doors, the Chicago producer digs into his bag of library records:

Janko Nilovic: In the Space
From Psyc' Impressions (Montparnasse, 1970)

Lyrically...I wanted to like this more than what's actually there to like. For one thing, it's about a year late and the timing here is everything - I read how someone called this "a trend song about a trend" and that's exactly on-point. Provided, it's not as out-of-time as some of Eminem's leftover disses from 2004 showing up on Relapse, but in 2009, auto-tune has already become so parodied, even Wendy's is up on it.

It's not a bad song, all said...it just feels like something that screams "mixtape cut" (which, who knows, maybe all it will end up as).