Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's not the Grey album..., August 28, 2005
If you like Jay-Z remixes, check out DJ Danger Mouse's "The Grey Album," which mixes Jay-Z's the Black Album with the Beatles' White Album. It's fantastic. "Izzo/In The End" is good here, as is "Points of Authority/99 Problems/In The End," but the rest is uneven. "The Black Album" was a hip-hop masterpiece, and Jay-Z is among the finest in the genre. Linkin Park do the rap metal schtick better than most, and I'm not just saying that because they're from Chicago. I really like "Hybrid Theory." "Meteora" didn't do much for me, but the combination works if you're willing to keep an open mind. Rock and roll is more my thing than rap, but Jay-Z is a true artist. Anyone who calls him one of the worst rappers in the game doesn't know what they're talking about. Anyone who calls Linkin Park one of the worst alternative rock bands in the world doesn't know what they're talking about. Keep an open mind, remember this is a collaboration. Appreciate it for both artists, don't buy it for one or the other.
|
|
|
8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stop bashing Jay-Z, LP fans; this album is awesome, July 29, 2005
This was a great album. But first, let me start off saying this:
Jay-Z
Linkin Park
Collision Course
There's a reason they put Jay-Z BEFORE LP. Why? It's because the album's not top-heavy, meaning Jay-Z doesn't get bashed by an entire band.
What am I saying with this? I HATE it when Linkin Park fans come in here and say "oh, Linkin Park is great, but Jay-Z completely ruined this CD." People, this isn't a Linkin Park album. This is a Jay-Z AND Linkin Park album. So, if you like LP but don't like Jay-Z, then go listen to Meteora or Hybrid Theory. This album's not for you. You LP fans think you own this album? What about Jay-Z fans? What about those who like hip-hop who were introduced to rock?
And also, for those who say RAP SUCKS!!! ROCK ONLY!!! This album is CERTAINLY NOT ROCK ONLY. This is a CROSSOVER. So if you're a Linkin Park rock fan, and you say HIP-HOP RUINED THIS!!! then LEAVE. This isn't a rock album. This is a crossover album. If you say "this is rap! I hate hip-hop/rap!" Then go review somewhere else, where there's rock, because you're reviewing about the wrong music genre and you need to get your facts straight. Don't come to an album of another genre (crossover) and say "rock forever, rap never."
Now, for the rest of you, who appreciate this album:
This album integrated genres that never seemed to be able to join together. Thanks to the rap already within LP's songs, this worked nicely with Jay-Z adding MORE rap.
1. Dirt off Your Shoulder / Lying from You 4/5
This song was a nice start-off; it was a LP-dominant song, because it was basically Lying from You (minus a chorus part) plus additional rap. The background music nicely connected the two rappers together and ended with a nice finish.
2. Big Pimpin' / Papercut 3/5
Jay-Z says in the beginning of this song, "you're wasting your talent, Randy," and he's right; this was my least favorite. But it doesn't mean it's bad; it's just comparatively worst. Basically it was awkward-sounding Big Pimpin' song with some slow-to-fast-to-slow rap from Papercut added to it. (For LP fans; if you say "there was no Papercut background music, so it's horrible," shut up. That was intentional; not all songs will have LP song as background music. Some will have Jay-Z song as the background music to make it a fair crossover. This is a crossover song for those who like hip-hop; it was a JZ-dominant song. So stop acting like rock owns this album, because it doesn't.)
3. Jigga What / Faint 4/5
This song was LP-dominant; it has 4 rap parts, 2 Jay-Z and 2 Linkin Park, and an ending from Faint. This song is very fast-paced (unlike the previous song), and very exciting, with fast rap and exciting background music. Jay-Z and Linkin Park trade rap parts with each other (very different raps but still fast-paced and fitting), giving a comparison/contrast experience between the two. After the first rap exchange, the song intensifies, giving an instrumental interlude, then the second rap exchange occurs. Finally, there's the part from Faint.
4. Numb / Encore 5/5
This was my favorite!!! I even liked it more than "Points of Authority / 99 Problems / One Step Closer" because the "LPJZ" made this song like a masterpiece. The song truly shines because it's NOT LP-dominant. The rap from Encore dominated most of the song. And even though the background music seems like something from Numb, compare it to the song from Meteora and you can clearly hear the difference. What LPJZ did was take the little music effect at the beginning/end of Numb, and used that minor part as a basis for the entire background music for Numb/Encore, creating a semi-original background music with remodled chorus parts, and the beat replacing Numb's vibe to balance it and make it more solid. So, what is this song? It belongs equally to Jay-Z and Linkin Park. It was a twist to put LP's Numb in the title first and then enter JZ's Encore (this is reflected at the end of Numb / Encore, where Jay-Z and Linkin Park exchange snippets from choruses of Numb and Encore). Not only that, the background music was fully compatible with both Numb and Encore, especially for the chorus, where the melody was accurate and choruses for Numb and Encore shared the same Numb/Encore background music chorus. It takes too many words to describe this song...
5. Izzo / In the End 4/5
This song is JZ-dominant; it's basically Izzo, one key up, with rap part from one of LP's best songs, In The End. Some LP fans say "Izzo completely destroyed one of LP's masterpiece songs!!!" But, I actually take this as a good thing; someone (Jay-Z) has learned to humble Linkin Park by foring the band to sing a song with a POSITIVE, OPTIMISTIC background music, which LP almost never does. It was the first time I heard LP sing such a smile-bringing song. It's not as awkward as Big Pimpin' / Papercut, so it's better, IMHO.
6. Points of Authority / 99 Problems / One Step Closer 5/5
This one culminates LPJZ's Collision Course with a theme: "enough girl problems." The lyrics actually match, because even when LP sings, it can still be inferred to the situation in 99 Problems. Read the lyric sample I made below:
"Everything you say to me
I got 99 problems but a b**ch ain't one
I need a little room to breathe
If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems and I'm about to break"
This song, like Numb / Encore, is neither JZ-dominant nor LP-dominant; even though LP throws in TWO songs and covers the entire background with them, Jay-Z holds the ground with his enormous repeats of "99 problems but a b**ch ain't one, If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a b**ch ain't one." This song's unique 2-part system works very well; Points of Authority provides the first half's background, One Step Closer provides the second half's background and part of the climax, and 99 Problems fills in the lyrics. Points of Authority doesn't really come in here beyond the background music; this leaves LP with blank lyrics, or at least you would suspect that, but Jay-Z actually gave the first rap part from 99 Problems to Linkin Park. (That's right, Jay-Z has so much influence in this album that he actually had to GIVE some of the lyrics to LP. Still think LP should own the album, JZ haters?) Then in the second rap part, LP and JZ interact with each other in the dialog. The third rap part uses One Step Closer's background music, and is more intense. Then LP's part from One Step Closer comes in as the end of the song (where 99 Problems still holds). This crazy mix of Jay-Z, Linkin Park, and their three songs complete this album.
Once again, I remind you, hardcore LP fans: do NOT bash Jay-Z and say he ruined the album. No. Jay-Z is CRUCIAL in this album, so if you try to take him out, there's no Collision Course. Jay-Z didn't ruin the album; you simply ruined your review. And everything I said above goes for you Jay-Z fans too. Don't say "I hate LP! LP is the worst rock band ever!" and give a low rating for that. Be reasonable.
In conclusion, if you like one, but hate the other, then don't come here: this album doesn't belong to the category of the one you like, but it belongs to both things, so if you just like one of them, you're in the wrong place. I warn you: if you hate Jay-Z, you won't like Collision Course. If you hate Linkin Park, you won't like CC. If you hate hip-hop, you won't like CC. If you hate rock, you won't like CC. And if you hate the idea of MIXING two genres, you won't like CC. Only those who like VARIETY in music and can appreciate both Jay-Z and Linkin Park can like this album.
4/5.
|
|
|
4.0 out of 5 stars
Better than expected, June 28, 2007
Personally I'm not a fan of rap perfromers such as Jay-Z, still like LP's style. But mixed with LP's beats and lyrics this is worth listening. Some parts of this release are spectacular and both performers complement each other very nicely. However only there are only 6 tracks. Other parts with only rap-style beats and Jay-Z's voice alone don't sound so attractive.
Overall: recommended if you either like LP or Jay-Z.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.
See all 17 tracks on this disc
by Jay-Z 
