Last week, I tackled the Blue Region, and Encore became our first representative into the Final Four. Today, it's time to show some love to the 92 Bricks region. Let's get this party started.
FIRST ROUND
(1) PSA over (16) Oh My God
Oh My God is a severely underrated track that gets overlooked because Kingdom Come was one of Jay's worst efforts. However, PSA is a true #1 seed, deserving of that honor. No UMBC/Virginia situation over here.
(8) Lucifer over (9) Murder to Excellence
Maybe I was high when Watch The Throne came out because I didn't remember Gotta Have It from the last region and didn't know wtf Murder to Excellence was from. Dope track, so maybe I slept on WTT, but I can't advance a song I couldn't remember off top.
(12) So Ghetto over (5) Dynasty Intro
Dynasty Intro shouldn't be on this list, let alone a 5 seed. It's a three minute track and Jay is talking over 1/2 of it. Gimme Jay-Z over a Primo track any day.
(4) Dead Presidents II over (13) 4:44
I hate you 'prisoner of the moment' muthafuckas. Only song that should be in this tournament from 4:44 is The Story of OJ. Nice album, but any song from Reasonable Doubt shits on his most recent project.
(11) Takeover over (6) No Church In The Wild
Now THIS is a song from Watch The Throne that I remember! No Church is tough, and arguably the best song off WTT. But Takeover was part of one of the most memorable and prolific rap battles of all-time. Takeover is running this rap shit.
(3) Hard Knock Life over (14) Jigga My Nigga
Jigga My Nigga is a casualty of horrible ranking. His contribution to the Ruff Ryders compilation still knocks today and would have been a real threat to get far in this tourney. Hard Knock Life, however, turned Jay-Z into a superstar.
(7) A Million & One Questions over (10) Legacy
More songs from 4:44? You're making this too easy. A Million & One is another spectacular intro, this time kicking off Volume 1 over a Primo beat. A blowout win here.
(2) 99 Problems over (15) Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)
Another victim of shitty rankings. Also, the hardest decision I have made thus far. If these seeds were done correctly, I could easily see Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) being a strong Elite 8 contender. Unfortunately, it's one and done.
SECOND ROUND
(1) PSA over (8) Lucifer
Jay-Z's connections to the Illuminati have been well documented, and a song like Lucifer wasn't going to quiet that talk. But even the biggest demons can't stop PSA from shooting at them like movie directors.
(4) Dead Presidents II over (12) So Ghetto
So Ghetto can not do what Encore did... reach the Final Four as a 12 seed. Dead Presidents is infamously known as the song that Nas made a hot line but Jay-Z made a hot song.
(3) Hard Knock Life over (6) Takeover
Takeover was an integral component of Jay's classic The Blueprint, but Hard Knock Life was an integral component of his career. Many forget that Jay was a well-respected MC but did not appeal to the masses on a grand level until his Annie-themed anthem dropped.
(7) A Million & One Questions over (2) 99 Problems
Rick Rubin definitely brought the heat on 99 Problems, and Jay-Z's cop/civilian exchange is priceless, but A Million is Jay's defining intro that still sounds fresh over 20 years later.
SWEET SIXTEEN
(1) PSA over (4) Dead Presidents II
Let me get this off my chest... the original Dead Presidents wins the whole tournament. That's the best song Jay-Z has ever done. I wish I could tarnish this tournament a little and turn Dead Prez II into the original, but that wouldn't be fair. PSA has too much electricity and energy to be brought down by a watered down sequel.
(3) Hard Knock Life over (7) A Million & One Questions
One of the million questions I would have is: Which song turned Jay-Z 'from lukewarm to hot?' Jay-Z and Annie advance to the next round.
ELITE EIGHT
(3) Hard Knock Life over (1) PSA
This was close. PSA only has two verses, no hook, and is labeled as an interlude, but Just Blaze supplied an A+ banger and Jay rose to the occasion. I just can't ignore impact, and Hard Knock Life gave Jigga the big mainstream hit he needed to go global. Everything that Sunshine failed to do (including that horrendous video where Hype Williams thought it would be a good idea to shoot close-ups of Jay-Z's face with a fish-eyed lens), he accomplished with Hard Knock Life, all without sacrificing any of his street appeal. HKL comes out the competitive 92 Bricks region and enters the Final Four.
Two regions down, two to go! Who will join Encore and Hard Knock Life in the Final Four? My breakdown of the Blueprint region will be coming to a blog near you. Thank you for reading this... and if you with me mama, rub on your tits... and what not.
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