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Few retirements are as short-lived as that of New York rap mogul Jay-Z. Barely
two years after bowing out in 2004, he's back with Kingdom Come--and if he's set down the mic for a minute, it doesn't
show. Backed by a dream team of producers (Just Blaze, Kanye West, Dr Dre, the Neptunes), with special guests including Pharrell,
Beyonce, and Coldplay's Chris Martin, it's an A-list cast. Naturally, though, it's the Hova who's the star attraction, slightly
older and prone to pontificating on his ten years in the game (see "30-Something"), but certainly no wiser: as he raps on
"Trouble," he's still got "hands in the cookie jar." The first few tracks are pure consolidation, gleaming and boastful productions
that remind you just how great Jay-Z is on the mic. Further in, though, Kingdom Come branches out in style: "Hollywood,"
the duet with Beyoncé, is a jaded take on celebrity culture, while "Minority Report" relives the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
with the Bush Administration in the metaphorical sights. Finally, the Coldplay-produced "Beach Chair" concludes the album
on a spiritual note, Jay-Z announcing "life is but a dream" as Chris Martin trills like an angel atop echoing drums and distorted,
music-box guitar. If you thought it could never work, you were clearly underestimating.
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