TURNTABLE LAB

the lab review

For you comic nerds out there, it's more than just mere coincidence that Hova's named his new album after the DC Comics miniseries about aged superheroes coming back to save the world. (Intern Brandon suspects it was Just Blaze's idea – no time for funny books in Turks & Caicos!) It'd be easy to say that Jay's bringing a markedly new approach to go along with his aging, but the truth is that there's still trademark Jigga on this album. In fact, I think it'd be fair to argue that the man just started understanding his place in the last two albums. "Kingdom Come(1)" may overstate the case a little, but not by much – the return of this man to rap is a cause for celebration, even if he does say so himself. "Show Me What You Got(2)" is the obligatory single (big brass replacing Timbo's flute, Rat Pack style), but you get the real meat when you dig into "Lost Ones(3)" and the Kanye-produced, John Legend-featuring "Do U Wanna Ride(4)," which address Beyonce and the locked-up Emery directly, respectively. After personal business, the big theme here is something like "I am famous beyond your little concept of the word, and I have more money than I could possibly know what to do with." Always a good look! I could go on about how he finally blasts Cam'ron back on the "Takeover"-ish "Dig A Hole(5)," or how he basically cries through the NOLA lament "Minority Report(6)," or how dude from Coldplay produced "Beach Chair," but you're better off just buying it. Obviously recommended.

reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red 12/11/2006

• lab recommended

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