I've got the golden ticket! Except it's not exactly a ticket as much as a CD. And there aren't only five, there are millions. If you have not found yours yet don't waste any time — go and get Jay-Z's new album The Blueprint 3. I guess you could download some of the songs — you might have already downloaded hits like "Run This Town" featuring Rihanna and Kanye West — which are already locked on the radio. Purchasing the CD will give you access to hits like "Venus vs. Mars" and "Hate," which haven't been uncovered by the masses yet.

The Blueprint 3 exemplifies Jay-Z's classic New York style, and reasserts his spot as top dog in the rapping world. His beats are original and his lyrics are strong. Not to mention the countless collaborations featured on the CD. Jay-Z worked with everyone from Pharrell to Kid Cudi, and even did a remix of Rod Stewart's "Forever Young." This results in the album having a diverse selection of songs while concurrently weaving Jay-Z's individual style and blues influence through each one. It's true when he says, "This boy is talented as hell," in the song "Thank You."

Of course each song isn't going to be solid gold, or catchy enough to put on repeat for hours, but I can confidently say that each song is superior to most rap out there today.

After claiming to retire from the music biz a few years ago, Jay-Z has bounced back into the spotlight and is sounding good while doing it. So allow him to reintroduce himself.



Jahla Seppanen is a senior at Monte del Sol. You can reach her at jnm747@hotmail.