Here it is, Jay-Z's first single off Blueprint 3!
I like it. I like it a lot BUT its not really first single material off first listen. I think it would've been better suited as a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th single...not a first. Especially not after you put out shit like Jockin' Jay-Z and D.O.A. because this is like going backwards almost. I just don't hear this burning up radio until September.
Then again, I didn't love T.I.'s single selection on Paper Trail and he had like 3 #1's so don't take too much stock in MY opinion. But for the record, Run This Town is FAR better than Live Your Life or Whatever You Like.
I understand the logic and see what Hov was aiming for. You got a track with Jay-Z and Kanye AND you throw Rihanna?? Its gonna be hard for radio to turn it away just because of the big names, not to mention she hasn't put anything out since the Chris Brown situation. If for nothing else it'll get played because RiRi is on it (even though she can't really sing and proves it big time on this song lol). So yeah, I get it.
Now as far as the song itself goes, like I said above, we know Rihanna can't sing, so that doesn't really take away from the track. He could've gotten M.I.A. or Santogold to do what Rihanna did and got the same result so I'm fine with it. As far as the verses go, I keep seeing people saying Kanye killed Jay on this shit, but I wouldn't go THAT far. Neither really KILLED it, so its hard to say one outshined the other to that degree. And of course the beat is sick!
