Jay-Z’s first released single from The Blueprint 3 (listen to it here) does so much more than take shots at the rise of the auto-tuned voice in hip hop.  It drops bombs on an entire sector of the music industry that has been producing music that betrays a recession of creativity.  Hopefully, H.O.V.A.’s new album will prove to be the stimulus package that averts a creative Great Depression.

Now, I think auto-tune, like all musical technologies has its place.  Kanye West used it wisely on 808s and Heartbreak, turning his voice into a series of staggering icicles that reflect both the coldness and sharpness of loneliness when a relationship hits an iceberg.  And I enjoyed the first few singles from T-Pain and Lil’ Wayne simply because of the sheer fun of hearing bright and shining auto-tuned harmonies coated like frosting over a hearty beat.  I use auto-tune myself.  As a musician and songwriter who doesn’t have the time or money to spend on perfecting my voice, I enjoy the subversiveness of auto-tune and how it allows me to be creative on my own terms.

But I agree with Jay-Z—the industry has stuffed too much of this sugary stuff down out throats.  His critique could have come from the best writers at Pitchfork or Rolling Stone, although these publications might feel comfortable with challenging the mas

culinity of rappers who use auto-tune (“All ya’ll lack aggression put your skirt back down, grow a set man … you boys jeans too tight”).  At the heart of his critique is the idea that the bright melodies that auto-tune are turning rappers away from one of their key duties: to use their voice and words to establish a solid beat.  Sloughing off this important duty, rappers and producers have been able to produce a slew of mediocre songs, which have moved hip hop away from its roots.  So who better to lead us forward (while looking backwards) than the Sinatra of hip hop?

Jay-Z also aligns the rise of auto-tune with the over commercialization of hip hop, using auto-tune as a symbol for the ringtones, itunes, and other “sing a longs” that have made a lot of money by jumping on the coattails of the hip hop that Jay-Z helped reform during the late 90s.  Although making money has always been an important facet of hip hop, these methods of generating income saturate the songs with an irony that all but paints over the gritty street realism that Jay-Z’s work has brought to the table.  So let’s put away the candy, say Grace, and have a moment of silence for autp-tune while we wait for the release of The Blueprint 3.

Lyrics:

“Only rapper to rewrite history without a pen,
No ID on the track let the story begin, begin, begin” (chorus)

This is anti autotune, death of the ringtone, this ain’t for itunes, this ain’t for sing alongs,
this is Sinatra at the opera, bring a blonde, preferably with a fat ass who can sing a song, wrong,
this aint politcally correct, this might offend my political connects,
my raps don’t have melodies, this should make jackers wanna go and commit felonies, ahh
get your chain tooken, I may do it myself - I’m so Brooklyn.
I know we facing a recession, but the music y’all making going make it the great depression.
All y’all lack aggression put your skirt back down, grow a set man.
Yeah this just violent, this is the death of autotune, moment of silence.

(Chorus)

This ain’t a number one record, this is practically assault with a deadly weapon,
I made it just for flex and Mister CEE I want people to feel threatened
stop your bloodclot crying, the kid, the dog everybody dying, no lying,
you boys jeans too tight, you colors too bright, your voice too light
I might wear black for a year straight, I might bring back Versace shades
this ain’t for z100, Ye told me to kill y’all to keep it 1 hundred,
this is for hot 97, for Khalid we the best’n,
yeah this is just violent, this is death of autotune, moment of silence.

(Chorus)

This might need a verse from Jeezy, I might send this to the mixtape weezy,
get somebody from BMF to talk on this, give this to a blood let a crip walk on it,
50 thou to style on this, I just don’t need nobody to smile on this,
you rappers singing too much, get back to rap you t-paining too much.
I’m a multi-millionaire so how is it I’m still the hardest here,
I don’t be in the project hallway talking about how I be in the project all day
that sound stupid to me, if you a gangsta this is how you prove it to me.
Yeah just get violent, this is death of auto-tune moment of silence.

la da da da hey hey hey, goodbye
hold up
the only rapper to re-write history without a pen
no i.d. on the track let the story begin
this is anti auto-tune death of the ring tone
this ain’t for itunes this ain’t for sing a longs
this is sinatra at the opera bring a blonde
preferably with a fat ass who could sing a song
wrong this ain’t politically correct
this might offend my political connect
my raps don’t have melodies