Hip hop fans and the Twitter-sphere have united in mutual excitement over the official leaked release of the new Jay-Z album 'The Blueprint 3.' Although the album won’t be available in stores until 11 September, it will be available for online purchase on 8 September and has already been made available as a free stream on Rhapsody.com and MTV’s “The Leak” web site. The album 'The Blueprint 3' includes the single “Run This Town” which features Kanye West and Rhianna.
The release of Jay-Z’s album lines up nicely with his recent announcement of an added London tour date at the Roundhouse on 17 September. Jay-Z at the Roundhouse tickets will be available beginning Friday 4 September and the show will be another chance to hear the songs on the new album – although with tickets starting at £50 each the free streaming from the MTV official leak might be a more cost-efficient way to sample Jay-Z’s new sounds.
The general talk surrounding the leaked album has been growing as more fans tap into the free album stream, with Jay-Z featuring as a trending topic in Twitter chatter as well as a mainstream entertainment news feature. With online "sharing" an increasing problem for artists and music label and the need to generate pre-release buzz growing, we've seen a number of official leaks and Jay-Z seems to be benefiting from this bit of underground promotion.
Early reviews for 'The Blueprint 3' have been mixed and there does seem to be a general sense of disappointment given Jay-Z’s previously powerful releases. Although there are some stand out singles including 'Thank You' and 'Empire State of Mind' the album overall pales in comparison to 'American Gangster'. But don’t take our word for it – have a listen for yourself with the official stream at MTV’s "The Leak."
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