The Blueprint

~ Release by Jay‐Z (see all versions of this release, 8 available)

Tracklist

1▼Enhanced CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1The Ruler’s Back
recording engineer:
Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
programming and producer:
Bink!
mixer:
Doug Wilson (engineer)
bass guitar [bass]:
Eric “E‐Bass” Johnson (hip hop guitarist & producer)
strings:
Keyamo
recorded at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
mixed at:
Sound on Sound Studios (New York) in New York, New York, United States
samples:
If by Jackie Moore (US R&B/disco singer)
recording of:
The Ruler’s Back
writer:
Phil Hurtt, R. Harrell, Shawn Carter (US rapper) and Walter Sigler
Jay‐Z2.353:50
2Takeover
recording engineer:
Kamel Abdo and Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Kanye West (formerly Kanye West)
mixer:
Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
additional guest background vocals:
Josey Scott
recorded at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
mixed at:
Sound on Sound Studios (New York) in New York, New York, United States
samples:
Five to One by The Doors and Sound of da Police by KRS‐ONE
recording of:
Takeover
writer:
Eric Burdon, Bryan “Chas” Chandler, John Densmore, Kanye West (formerly Kanye West), Robby Krieger (American guitarist, member of The Doors), Lawrence Parker, Alan Lomax (US ethnomusicologist), Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison (lead vocalist of the Doors), Rodney Lemay and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
Jay‐Z3.255:13
3Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
recording engineer:
Kamel Abdo and Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Kanye West (formerly Kanye West)
mixer:
Supa Engineer DURO (mix engineer Ken Ifill)
recorded at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
mixed at:
Right Track Studios in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
samples:
I Want You Back by The Jackson 5 (The Jacksons, formerly “The Jackson 5”)
recording of:
Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
writer:
Alphonso Mizell, Berry Gordy, Kanye West (formerly Kanye West), Freddie Perren, Deke Richards (American songwriter and record producer) and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
Jay‐Z3.354:01
4Girls, Girls, Girls
recording engineer:
Kamel Abdo and Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Just Blaze
mixer:
Jason Goldstein (engineer)
additional vocals:
Biz Markie, Q‐Tip (American rapper) and Slick Rick
recorded at and mixed at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
samples:
There Is Nothing in This World That Can Stop Me From Loving You by Tom Brock
recording of:
Girls, Girls, Girls
writer:
Tom Brock, Justin Smith, Robert Relf and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
Jay‐Z2.254:35
5Jigga That Nigga
assistant recording engineer:
Shane “Bermuda” Woodley
recording engineer:
Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Poke and Tone
mixer:
Jason Goldstein (engineer)
vocals:
Stephanie Miller (hip-hop vocalist) and Michelle Mills
recorded at and mixed at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
recording of:
Jigga That Nigga
writer:
Samuel Barnes, Jean-Claude Olivier (hip hop producer Jean Olivier, of Poke and Tone) and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
Jay‐Z2.253:24
6U Don’t Know
assistant recording engineer:
Shane “Bermuda” Woodley
recording engineer:
Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Just Blaze
mixer:
Jason Goldstein (engineer)
recorded at and mixed at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
samples:
I’m Not to Blame by Bobby Byrd (founder of the Famous Flames, James Brown’s vocal group)
recording of:
U Don’t Know
writer:
Bobby Byrd (founder of the Famous Flames, James Brown’s vocal group), Justin Smith and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
Jay‐Z33:19
7Hola’ Hovito
recording engineer and mixer:
Jimmy Douglass (engineer)
producer:
Timbaland
recorded at:
Manhattan Center in Midtown Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
mixed at:
Capitol Studios (Hollywood, CA, founded 1956) in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
recording of:
Hola’ Hovito
writer:
Shawn Carter (US rapper) and Timothy Mosley
Jay‐Z2.44:33
8Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)
recording engineer:
Kamel Abdo and Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Kanye West (formerly Kanye West)
mixer:
Supa Engineer DURO (mix engineer Ken Ifill)
additional vocals:
Keon Bryce
recorded at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
mixed at:
Right Track Studios in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
samples:
Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City by Bobby Bland
recording of:
Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)
writer:
Kanye West (formerly Kanye West), Michael Price (songwriting partner of Dan Walsh), Shawn Carter (US rapper) and Dan Walsh (LA singer/songwriter, member of Price & Walsh)
Jay‐Z3.63:43
9Never Change
recording engineer:
Kamel Abdo and Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Kanye West (formerly Kanye West)
mixer:
Jason Goldstein (engineer)
additional vocals:
Kanye West (formerly Kanye West)
recorded at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
mixed at:
Right Track Studios in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
samples:
Common Man by David Ruffin (soul singer, member of The Temptations)
recording of:
Never Change
writer:
Kanye West (formerly Kanye West), Robert Eugene Miller (US songwriter & record producer) and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
Jay‐Z2.353:59
10Song Cry
assistant recording engineer:
Shane “Bermuda” Woodley
recording engineer:
Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Just Blaze
mixer:
Jason Goldstein (engineer)
recorded at and mixed at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
samples:
Sounds Like a Love Song by Bobby Glenn
recording of:
Song Cry
composer:
Douglas Gibbs, Ralph Johnson (Earth, Wind & Fire drummer), Justin Smith and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
Jay‐Z3.25:04
11All I Need
recording engineer:
Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Bink!
mixer:
Doug Wilson (engineer)
recorded at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States and Sound on Sound Studios (New York) in New York, New York, United States
recording of:
All I Need
writer:
R. Harrell and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
quotes lyrics from:
Me and My Girlfriend
Jay‐Z24:29
12Renegade
recording engineer:
Young Guru (American audio engineer and producer)
producer:
Eminem (US rapper)
mixer:
Eminem (US rapper) and Richard Huredia (US hip hop mix engineer)
performer:
Eminem (US rapper) and JAY‐Z (US rapper)
recorded at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
mixed at:
Studio A Recording in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, United States
recording of:
Renegade
composer:
Marshall Mathers (Eminem, US rapper), Luis Resto and Shawn Carter (US rapper)
is based on:
Renegade (original version)
Jay‐Z feat. Eminem3.55:38
13Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)
programming:
Bink
producer:
Bink!
recorded at:
Baseline Studios in New York, New York, United States
mixed at:
Sound on Sound Studios (New York) in New York, New York, United States
samples:
Free at Last by Al Green (US soul singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer)
Jay‐Z2.6512:08

Credits

Release

art direction:Jason Noto
photography:Jonathan Mannion
executive producer:Kareem “Biggs” Burke
Damon Dash
Shawn Carter (US rapper)
mastering:Tony Dawsey (mastering engineer)
mastered at:Masterdisk in New York, New York, United States
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/release/251894 [info]
ASIN:US: B00005O54T [info]

Release group

included in:The Blueprint Collector’s Edition by JAY‐Z (US rapper)
part of:Rolling Stone: 100 Best Albums of the 2000s: pub_2011-07-18 (number: 4) (order: 4)
Fact Magazine: The 100 Best Albums of the 2000s (number: 5) (order: 5)
Apple Music: 100 Best Albums (number: 13) (order: 13)
Pitchfork: The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time (number: 28) (order: 28)
Grammy Award: Best Rap Album nominees (number: 2002) (order: 33)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2020 edition (number: 50) (order: 50)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2023 edition (number: 50) (order: 50)
Musikexpress: Die 100 besten Alben des 21. Jahrhunderts (2025) (number: 65) (order: 65)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2012 edition (number: 252) (order: 252)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2003 edition (number: 464) (order: 465)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005 edition) (number: 940) (order: 940)
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/master/46989 [info]
reviews:http://www.blender.com/reviews/review_1017.html [info] (ended)
https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jayz/albums/album/216039/review/6067649/the_blueprint [info] (ended)
https://ew.com/article/2001/09/24/blueprint/ [info]
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/4216-the-blueprint/ [info]
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-16-ca-46241-story.html [info]
https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-jay-z-5681-317386 [info]
other databases:https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/jay_z/the_blueprint/ [info]
Allmusic:https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000013442 [info]
Wikidata:Q1088473 [info]