jay-z - 99 problems

it's been a good year for rappers rediscovering proper old-school d.i.y. stiffness instead of some fake re-imagining with big "this is meant to be old school, do you understand?!" samples. "can't stop wont stop" and "when you hear that" off state property 2 bring the drum machine heaviness, but "99 problems", like "fix up look sharp" and "put it in the air", channels the original rock rap rampage style. there are rules it must abide: 1) use - if not "the big beat" itself - a big beat 2) rhyme in a kind of 03 skooly dmc lazy wisecrack style that's totally different from any other song you do 3) if you have to ruin this perfect marriage of guitarless rock and rap with actual guitars, make them sound like big helicopters!

"99 problems" sticks to the rules, which obviously makes it the best song on the black album. at the same time, if jay wants to drop stuff like this, it seems like it really should be his last album. (see also: how he wants to rhyme like talib kweli! step away from the mic dude!)