Battle of the Rap Sequels: The Blueprint 3 vs. Cuban Linx II
The wait(s) is over! In the last 2 days, the hip-hop world has been overwhelmingly preoccupied with leaked versions of the year’s most anticipated albums, Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 (which leaked Monday) and Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II (which leaked Tuesday). Both are sequels to undisputed NYC rap classics, and both hit retail stores next week. Naturally, the argument is on: which sequel album is better? Listen to samples from each below (you’ll have to find your own leak downloads…it’s not very hard), then vote for which album you think reigns supreme. The winning LP will be featured as Complex’s Album of The Week next Tuesday, so choose wisely!
Jay-Z “Thank You” (Produced by Kanye West & No I.D.)
from The Blueprint 3
Raekwon f/ Ghostface “Gihad” (Produced by Necro)
from Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II
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Mister J September 3, 2009 at 10:27 am
Some of you young bucks are crazy. Both albums are excellent! BP3 is fun and mature and CubanLnx 2 is raw and uncut! Two completely different styles. Two GREAT ALBUMS! This is Hip Hop at its finest.
Brandon McCalla September 3, 2009 at 11:14 am
Mister J is correct in the fact that the two styles are a definite clash. How can you compare the rawness of the purple dos to the clear glass blue two…? Well my take on it is this, both are great works for the terrible state of music, hip-hop specifically. If I could say anything on this without just choosing a joint as the best I would say the purple has J Dilla beats and is really raw doggie and I appreciate that more than anything else. The blue is very interesting though, because there are so many bright moments on the album and I wasn’t expecting what I heard, I was expecting worse and got great. But I expected the rawness from the purple and the Chef delivered! Sheesh…! I’m a leo so I can’t play both sides of the fence…
So I’m riding with the Wu. Though I loved both
MannyWallace September 3, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Both albums are good in their own ways. Sequels will always create automatic comparisons to their predecessors and set certain expectations, I think that OB4CL2 did a better job at meeting those expectations.
Marchee September 3, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Its mid night here. I am reflecting on the mid 90’s. I miss true hip hop. Impressed by Obama but miss Clinton. Miss Michael Jordan’s game winning shots. Miss Shawn Kemp’s acrobatic dunks. Miss a lot of thing I took for granted in my teens. But every now and then a work of art surfaces that brings back memories. OB4CL2 is one of these gritty masterpieces. I don’t want Raekwon to get the crown, king of NY of whatever. I want his sound to stay gritty and grimy. Keep it that way. I’ll leave Hip Pop to Jay and Yeezy. Their cool and pushing the commercial envelope. But I’ll leave real powerful music to Rae. Wu won this battle.One.Peace God,hahaha
London Calling September 3, 2009 at 7:37 pm
LOL at Ghost at the end of that Gihad track…
CMFT September 4, 2009 at 12:20 pm
BP3 is good OB4CL2 is classic. I can listen to BP3 almost all the way through but CL2 is the music I have been looking for and as real as it gets.
bitedowntrick September 4, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Definitely OB4CL2. Blueprint 3 isn’t Jay-Z. American Gangster was better. Bp3 goes up there with Kingdom Come.
Prize September 4, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Cube Linx II >>>>>>> BP3
however, bp3 is surprisingly decent. Can let it ride all the way thru, havent heard any “excuse me miss” type sh– yet
etam* k September 6, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Let’s appreciate us finally gettin some good music.BP3 is a great album4the state of hip hop.OB4CL2 is 4the fans&4that thank u RAE!Its been a nice year4hip hop purists like myself,between jada,fab,dead prez,slaughterhouse,drake,em&ending of the year with clipse,nas,50&wayne aint a bad look!!
Jetson September 7, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I only heard “House of Flying Daggers” from Cuban Linx II to vote for it.
That shit is off tha chain.
Maybe the best Wu related album of all time.
Raekwon took his time to put it together and maybe that’s the reason this album sounds so good.
2 words: Quality Control
jay3091 September 8, 2009 at 11:44 am
IDK? I like BP3 better than OB4CL2
brooklyn1976 September 10, 2009 at 8:15 am
Purple tape all day
Mr. T September 15, 2009 at 12:35 pm
2 words…broken safety!
Styles P should win an Oscar for that verse…DAMN
The whole Cuban Linx 2 album is really good. Jay’s album has 5 really good songs, the rest are eh.
He needs to take the accapellas and send them out to hungrier producers and rerelase the CD later this year as Blueprint 3.1
For real. The streets aren’t feeling Jay on this one. On the other hand, I haven’t heard anything bad about Rae’s album neither.
I got both the day they came out and play Cuban Linx 2 wayyyyyyy more than I play Jay and I’m a fan of both
James September 18, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Cuban 2 all day.
i don’t hear anything new about BP3. just sounds like some trendy bullshit to me. and i think jay’s one of the GOATs
tony winx September 27, 2009 at 4:54 pm
and in our line of music we need all the help we can get. tony winx the name. no information, money’s no object in buying the CL2 CD. i’d pay……………………….1.5 million. with rae, u get what you want.
Air Yeezy October 27, 2009 at 4:31 am
Wow…nice Air yeezy