Track Listing

1. The Prelude
2. Oh My God
3. Kingdom Come
4. Show Me What You Got
5. Lost One featuring Chrisette Michele
6. Do U Wanna Ride featuring John Legend
7. 30 Something
8. I Made It
9. A NY Thing featuring Usher & Pharrell
10. Hollywood featuring Beyonce
11. Trouble
12. Dig a Hole featuring Sterling Simms
13. Minority Report featuring Ne-Yo
14. Beach Chair featuring Chris Martin
15. 44 Fours ** UK Exclusive Bonus Track

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10830 in Music
• Released on: 2006-11-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 63 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Few retirements are as short-lived as that of New York rap mogul Jay-Z. Barely two years after bowing out in 2004, he’s back with Kingdom Come - and if he's set down the mic for a minute, it doesn't show. Backed by a dream team of producers (Just Blaze, Kanye West, Dr Dre, The Neptunes), with special guests including Pharrell, Beyonce, and Coldplay's Chris Martin, it's an A-list cast. Naturally, though, it's the Hova who's the star attraction, slightly older and prone to pontificating on his ten years in the game (see "30-Something"), but certainly no wiser: as he raps on "Trouble", he's still got "hands in the cookie jar". The first few tracks are pure consolidation, gleaming and boastful productions that remind you just how great Jay-Z is on the mic. Further in, though, Kingdom Come branches out in style: "Hollywood", the duet with Beyonce, is a jaded take on celebrity culture, while "Minority Report" relives the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina with the Bush Administration in the metaphorical sights. Finally, the Coldplay-produced "Beach Chair" concludes the album on a spiritual note, Jay-Z announcing "life is but a dream" as Chris Martin trills like an angel atop echoing drums and distorted, music-box guitar. If you thought it could never work, you were clearly underestimating.--Louis Pattison

Customer Reviews

not great
This is a disappointing album. Jay Z has made worse but he's also made better. There are 4 main reasons to buy it: (1)Show Me What You Got - starts with a familiar horn loop used once by Public Enemy and a soul sample used by El Da Sensei on his album from last year basically making this track sound identical to his track (called 'Up In Da Spot!' if you're interested check it out), but its a good track and there's an element of chaos to it which is missing from a lot of commercial rap lately. (2)Lost One ft.Chrisette Michele - Above average Dr.Dre beat (if you consider the stuff he's done lately) with a laid back piano, reminiscent of Naughty By Nature's "Would Have Done The Same For Me" and a nicely sung hook by Chrisette Michele who appears to be Def Jam's new in-house chaunteuse because she appears on Nas's album as well. A solo album from her would be cool because she's got a really good voice. (3)30 Something - Another Dr.Dre beat and another piano loop, but slightly edgier this time. Good track. (4)I Made It - the best beat on the album by a mile and proof that commercial beats don't have to suck, it's just coincidence and unfortunate that most of them do. Except for those four tracks every other track on this album is rubbish, which is a real shame. Kanye West contributes a substandard (by his standards) beat, the overrated Neptunes try and reinvent the concept of a hip hop beat at 4000bpm. and fail on their track, and the track with Chris Martin from Coldplay is one of the most ill-advised pop/rap crossover tracks ever attempted. All the rest of the tracks are generic commercial rubbish not even worth commenting on. From an emceeing standpoint Jay-Z is consistent on this album and remains one of the top commercial rappers out there but predictably the beats let this album down, and coming from the boss of arguably the most important hip-hop label of all time that's slightly hard to swallow. I would also have to ask serious questions about the design of the CD case/inlay card regarding the special red plastic casing that means you see extra designs on the front cover when you take the inlay out, that disappear when you put it back again. Has someone at Def Jam been O.D.ing on mushrooms? Jay-Z should watch who he employs to market his product as well as who makes his beats on this evidence.

Very good but no cigar!!!
I am a massive fan of Jay and have all his old albums and although this is a quality album it lacks a certain something. The are 3 simply amazing songs on this album; "30 something", "Do u wanna ride" and the beautiful "Lost one". Great beats, lyrics and delivery on these which is absolute classic Jay Z. Other fantastic songs are "44 fours" (special edition), "trouble", "oh my god" and suprisingly good "beach chair". "Dig a hole" is also a quality track which has a much darker feel to it. For me the single "show me what you got" is also very good which is a great club track, its just a pity that the sample had been used by other artists in the last few months. "I made it" is alright but its a bit too much like "hey mama" by Kanye so it feels like iv heard it already although its still a good track! "Minority report" could have been a great song if he hadnt added the Media footage to the begining as the lyrics are clever and revealing whilst Neyo sings a fantastic chorus/hook!! The worst song for me and probably most of H.O.V.A's fans are "hollywood" and "anything". I quite like tracks with Beyonce and was hoping for a more "bonnie and Clyde" feel rather than this which dissapointed me a lot. I would prefer it if he left these songs to her album! "Anything" is also the same. More for the commercial audience than for hip hop fans. It does grow on you but not by much. I expected more from a Jay/Pharrell/Usher collabo.

Overall this is a great album that could have been a classic. For me it is way better than Snoops and Jeezys album, just shades Nas and on par with Game. But it is apparent that his hunger for the industry isnt anywhere near that of Game's, but constant mentions of dre on every track get boring and still leave Jay #1. However if he is to sustain this there MUST be another album... and soon!

The Kingdom Come-Back!!
Since he retired, Jay-Z seems to have been doing more work than ever. It's no suprise then, that he's dropped a new album. Kingdom Come is by no means his best album, but I feel that it has been harshely reviewed.

Admitidly, it does have a few weak tracks, but it's still a quality album. And when was the last time you heard a completley perfect album?

Highlights include all the Dre tracks. Lost One has a brilliant beat, and it will get stuck in your head. 30 Something is the best track on the album, with the easily the best beat and Jay probably spitting some of the best verses on the album. Trouble is also insanly catchy, and Minority Reportis also a great track.

The Just Blaze tracks are also stand outs. Kingdom Come is probably the best of them but Oh my God and Show Me What You Got are also brilliant.

But there are two songs which completely spiolt the album for me, Anything and Hollywood. Anything has a horrible beat, and Hollywood is by far the worst on the album.

Overall Jay-Z is far from his best, and lets hope he dosent retire on this, because we know he can do so much better, lyrically his standards have slipped too, but he is still undeniably one of the best lyracists in hip hop today. But Kingdom Come is a brilliant album, which I definatly recomend, but dont expect to like it all.