Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that despite its title, this album isn't connected with the movie -- and contains much less violence than it could have. Other than in the song "Ignorant S--t," where Jay-Z talks about shooting someone, and a mention of a gun here and there, the CD really doesn't glorify the violence in thug life. It does, however, talk about working the streets selling drugs, and celebrates making money through the drug trade, but covers the consequences. There's plenty of swearing (f--k, bitch, s--t, ass) and the "N" word.
Families can talk about the image of hip-hop artists. Why do they use tough, real-life experiences such as selling dope on the streets as material for songwriting? Do you think singing about it glorifies it? Why or why not?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Heidi Kotansky
One album removed from his much-hyped "comeback" from retirement, rapper-mogul Jay-Z returns to form with an album that shows him reclaiming his title as the one of the best rappers alive. And, he credits the movie American Gangster (about a 1970s heroin kingpin) as inspiration to get back to his roots. On AMERICAN GANGSTER he joins forces with girlfriend Beyonce and some of the big guns in hip-hop -- Diddy, Lil' Wayne, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams -- to deliver songs about life on the streets and trying to escape that life, selling drugs, and growing up without a father. He tackles his subjects with honesty and strength, and even though there's a fair share of drug references, swearing, and gun touting, teens and parents can appreciate Jay-Z's MCing talent -- and the life he's lived.
For more hip-hop with a message, check out Kanye West and The Roots.
Rate It!
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Sexual Content"I grind slower than out in time" is the worst it gets. A couple of "bitches" here and there. |
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ViolenceThe most violent thing on the album is the angry "Ignorant S--t" --"And with that said, I will kill N----- dead/Cut N----- short, give you wheels for legs/I'm a K-I-double-L-E-R, see y'all in Hell/Shoot N----- straight through the E.R." The intro has gunshots and some of the tracks talk about owning a gun. Most of the violence has a consequence ("bullet wounds'll stop your buffoonery/thanks to the pastor rapping at your eulogy"). |
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LanguageJay-Z is loose with the language; most songs have at least one swear word (f--k, bitch, s--t, ass). He also uses the "N" word freely. "Ignorant S--t" is one long list of profanity. |
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Social BehaviorJay-Z talks about being a gangster and working the streets selling drugs. A few songs celebrate this life, while others reject its glory ("We ain't doing crime for the sake of doing crime/We movin' dimes cause we ain't doin' fine/One out of three of us is locked up doing time/You know what that type of s--t can do to a N---- mind?"). |
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CommercialismLexus, Timberland, Pepsi, Rolls Royce, Porsche, and more. |
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Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco"Party Life" compares lust to heroin ("she want those heroin tracks/that Sugar Hill, she call me her sweet thing/That Black Rain that take away your pain"). Some other drug references: "table full of powder," "head to the heights where big coke is processed," and "dope needles on the ground." |
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