It’s been more than a minute since I’ve bought a CD, main reason being the gigs of mediocre albums stocking my iTunes library, and plenty more shitty ones, but The Blueprint 3 was one of those rare albums that I felt the need to go out and purchase and here’s why.

I’ve had the chance to listen to BP3 a number of times, and I must admit, at first I was rather disappointed. There was nothing that really caught my ear the first time through. I mean sure, I stopped and let the head nod to a few of the singles I already had the chance to appreciate, but nothing really hit me as a slugger. A few days went by where I really didn’t listen to it that much, however on Monday I figured I’d at least give Jay the attention he deserves and sat down with this album to give it my undivided attention.

Let me tell you, this album is what I’d call a creeper, and no not in that “guy with the perv stache who smiles at you” sense, but in that “damn, how did I miss this before?” way. In his eleventh album, HOV manages to break the mold. Now I’m not saying that his previous work is any less, hell Reasonable Doubt and The Black Album are two of my all time favorites, but with BP3, it appears that Jay has “got it” again. He’s making music that will stand the test of time rather than be the hottest club banger (albeit “On to the Next One” is more like a B side of a late 90s Ruff Ryder track). But tracks like “Empire State of Mind” (although now slightly ruined thanks to the mental image I’ll now have from Ms. Mama), “A Star is Born” (make sure you follow up on J. Cole), and “Already Home” will be listened to for years to come.

But don’t worry, this isn’t some album that will go over people’s heads, Jay made sure it’s got a bit of everything for everyone; Run This Town will please the radio listeners and will provide the last few Kanye supporters with fodder stating that he “out rapped” Jay – can’t lie though, “What you think I rap for, to push a fucking Rav-4?” is a hot line. “Real as It Gets” holds it down for the inner G’s in all of us, and “So Ambitious” will give the cool kids something to like for a few months before others catch on. There’s even one for the bedroom in “Venus vs. Mars”, which by the way just makes you want to get the shoulders in on the action.

Overall I have this album coming in a close third to The Black Album, and I guarantee you that I may be the only one saying this now, but like a fine wine, give this a while to breathe and they’ll all begin to come around.

Do yourself a favor and buy this album, support those who are pushing forward.

If you haven’t heard it yet, now’s your chance to actually purchase Jay-Z’s latest album: The Blueprint 3. Thus far, it’s been receiving a lot of mixed reviews. Most saying that while there are a few tracks of greatness, the album as a whole doesn’t stand up to the standard that we’ve all come to expect from Jigga Man. Our review will be up next week to give you the real rundown.

No plan’s for the weekend? There’s plenty to do! Click below to find out what’s going on.

If theatres your thing then you’ll want to check out Vancouver’s International Fringe Festival.

With a wide variety of shows running, and their BYOV (Bring Your Own Venue) approach, you’ll never know what to expect but you’re bound to find something up your alley. So head on down to Granville Island and get ready for a day or evening full of entertainment.

Visit www.vancouverfringe.com for more info and full schedule.

And on Sunday, LIVESTOCK & NIKE SPORTSWEAR Present: LIVE BLOCK PARTY 2009

BBQ BY GUU…GUUD IS LIVE!

SOUND BY RED BULL!
FASHEN (DECKSTAR)
HEDSPIN (EH!TEAM DJ’S)
FLIPOUT (THOSE MF’S)
RICO UNO (THE FRESHEST)
MARVEL (THE FRESHEST)
MY!GAY!HUSBAND! (BLASTRAMP))
AGE (PROPER)

Sunday, Sept.13 outside of Livestock (239 Abbott St in Gastown) 2pm-8pm

Huge line-up for this legendary Livestock Block Party. Catered by Guu, 4 foot mini-ramp, beer garden and prizes and limited releases.

In this series I aim to introduce you to things that will highten your personal experiences. While that might sounds like a lot of fluff, it’s the moments in life that we come to appreciate with time and it’s these moments that I hope to extend, or rather compliment. Whether it be a musician, food, or even an activity, each of these has it’s own specific time and place and I’ve taken it upon myself to share these “compliments” with you.

And thus I present Robert Glasper.

I was originally turned on to Robert after listening to an interview of Lupe Fiasco by Cornell West (something I’d recommend everyone listen to, albeit over an hour in length). Now if his name was just simply mentioned I probably wouldn’t have paid much attention to it, but it was the fact that Lupe stated that Robert Glasper, or rather his track F.T.B. was currently his (Lupe’s) favorite song that peaked my interest. Now don’t go around thinking that I’m all over Lupe’s nuts, but come on, you can’t deny that Lupe is at the forefront of creative hip hop, and him giving this much praise to a Jazz Pianist (amongst other things) definitely warranted a listen in my books.

So after concluding the interview, I went to YouTube and listened to F.T.B. and my appreciation for Jazz has never been the same.

Sure I’ve listened to my fair share of Jazz in the past, but something about Robert’s melodies and the way his songs are constructed made me take a step back. Right off the bat you’res struck with the infusion of hip hop and soul into his songs. Imagine if Talib Kweli’s verbal skills were transferred to the piano, now add drums reminiscent of ?uestlove and some mighty fine strings and you’ve got a Robert Glasper track.

The best way to describe listening to a Robert Glasper album is like having a fine multicourse meal; There’s an appetizer that both teases and excites your palette with what’s to come, then the main course with it’s richness and full body that takes you somewhere else, finally leaving the dessert which may overfill you at times, but usually results in a perfect way to cap off the meal (here’s hoping that you’re still with me and not scrounging in the fridge trying to get something to eat).

But back to the point of this piece, I would recommend Robert Glasper to anyone, however I find that I enjoy his music so much more in the right moment. That moment to me is a rainy Vancouver afternoon, either with a coffee or tea in hand, possibly even enjoying a late lunch at one of my favorite cafe’s or deli’s (don’t worry I’ll clue you all in at a later date). So for now I’ll leave you to find your own “Robert moment”, but regardless of that I hope that your music library will now include a bit more Jazz.

For more information on Rober Glasper please visit www.robertglasper.com