[DISCLAIMER: I'm one of Brooklyn's finest]

Now that that's been said, what exactly do I think of the latest from Jay-Z. First off it's a double CD. That right there put me off a little bit because double CD's leave more room for bad tracks, which this album kind of did. Out of the 25 tracks on this album there are like 12 or 13 tracks that are really solid and the remainder just average. Nothing really horrible about them , but Jay-Z has elevated himself to a position where we expect every track he does to be better than the last. Of course it is an unrealistic expectation, but then again, most people today are unrealistic in there thinking.

The album producer credits read as a list of today's hottest hip-hop producers with tracks produced by Kanye West, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Dr. Dre & my pick for the next to make an impact Just Blaze. Every single track that Just Blaze did on the album is hot. And when I found myself listening to the second disc [The Curse] more than the first, I realized that more Blaze produced tracks appeared on the second disc. The other producers are quality producers, but when Jay-Z spits over a Just Blaze track it just sounds better. The other producers do a good job but with the Neptunes & Timbaland produced songs saturating the market, you kind of get a little tired of hearing that $#!t. The up and comer Kanye West is hit or miss. Some tracks are good, while others are lacking.

Guest appearances also read as a list of today's hottest artists: Faith Evans, Beyonce Knowles, Big Boi, Lenny Kravitz, M.O.P., Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Scarface & Freeway.

Flow-wise, the way Jay-Z rhymes over a track is still on point but lyrically there's really not too much left for him to talk about: ''The Roc'', how he's the greatest, getting back at critics & haters or his feelings on women. But there are a few gems like ''Meet The Parents'', really listen to that $#!t, the ending is ill.

SonicAmp Rating: 8/10