The Blueprint#Blueprint Lounge Tour

The Blueprint was reportedly cut in two weeks, with Jay-Z recording nine songs in two days.{{cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PxHzl8piJY |title=Collision Course DVD |people=Jay-Z & Linkin Park |year=2004 |quote=I mean, when I made Blueprint, the album, I did nine songs in, in uh... in two days. It was pretty much to add, it was pretty much to record, like, just done, it was done.}} At the time, he was awaiting two criminal trials for gun possession and assault. He was also engaged in feuds with various rappers such as Jadakiss, Fat Joe and in particular Nas and Mobb Deep member Prodigy. In the song "Takeover", Jay-Z attacks the two Queensbridge rappers, using a sample of the song "Five to One" by The Doors and an interpolation of David Bowie's "Fame".Leroy, Dan. [http://ca.music.yahoo.com/read/review/12028031 Review: The Blueprint]{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Yahoo! Music. Retrieved on 2009-09-05. On The Blueprint, Jay-Z and his producers used vintage soul as inspiration, including a vocal sample on almost every track from such artists as Al Green, Bobby "Blue" Bland, David Ruffin and The Jackson 5. Exceptions include "Jigga That Nigga", "Hola Hovito", and "Renegade", a track produced by and featuring the rapper Eminem, and the only track on the album featuring another rapper on verses.

In late August, Jay-Z announced a September–October tour in small venues.{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |title=Jay-Z Announces Blueprint Lounge Tour Dates |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1448413/20010827/jay_z.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010830141705/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1448413/20010827/jay_z.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 30, 2001 |publisher=MTV |date=September 27, 2001 |access-date=September 28, 2009}} Because of the September 11 attacks occurring on the same day the album was released, the first two performances were rescheduled. Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles were subsequently added, and Jay-Z donated to relief organizations one dollar of the cost of each ticket sold for the tour.

The photograph on the album's cover, taken by Jonathan Mannion, was inspired by one from The Firm, a series by Jocelyn Bain Hogg depicting organized crime in Britain. Instead of the telephone and brass knuckles seen next to the ashtray in the original picture, a cigar, a pack of cigars and a microphone were placed.{{cite web |last=Fu |first=Eddie |title=Knowledge Drop: Here's The Photo That Inspired JAY-Z's 'The Blueprint' Cover Art |url=https://genius.com/a/here-s-the-photo-that-inspired-jay-z-s-the-blueprint-cover-art |website=Genius |access-date=February 20, 2020 |date=September 11, 2019}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 88/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-blueprint/jay-z |title=Reviews for The Blueprint by Jay-Z |website=Metacritic |access-date=June 17, 2009}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-blueprint-mw0000013442 |title=The Blueprint – Jay-Z |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 5, 2009 |last=Birchmeier |first=Jason}}

| rev2 = Blender

| rev2Score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |url=http://www.blender.com/reviews/review_1017.html |title=Jay-Z: The Blueprint |journal=Blender |access-date=July 6, 2016 |last=Pappademas |first=Alex |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040813210547/http://www.blender.com/reviews/review_1017.html |archive-date=August 13, 2004 |url-status=dead}}

| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev3Score = B−{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2001/09/24/blueprint |title=The Blueprint |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=September 24, 2001 |access-date=September 5, 2009 |last=Hermes |first=Will |author-link=Will Hermes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418131424/https://ew.com/article/2001/09/24/blueprint/ |archive-date=April 18, 2019 |url-status=dead}}

| rev4 = Los Angeles Times

| rev4Score = {{rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-16-ca-46241-story.html |title=JAY-Z 'The Blueprint' Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=September 16, 2001 |access-date=October 31, 2015 |last=Baker |first=Soren |author-link=Soren Baker}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/jay-z/5681 |title=Jay-Z: The Blueprint |journal=NME |date=October 6, 2001 |access-date=September 5, 2009 |last=Kessler |first=Ted |page=41 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231513/http://www.nme.com/reviews/jay-z/5681 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=dead}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6Score = 8.7/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/4216-the-blueprint/ |title=Jay-Z: The Blueprint |work=Pitchfork |date=November 6, 2001 |access-date=September 15, 2012 |last=P. |first=Ethan}}

| rev7 = Rolling Stone

| rev7Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jayz/albums/album/216039/review/6067649/the_blueprint |title=Jay-Z: The Blueprint |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 2, 2001 |access-date=September 5, 2009 |last=Strauss |first=Neil |author-link=Neil Strauss |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205111626/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/jayz/albums/album/216039/review/6067649/the_blueprint |archive-date=December 5, 2006 |url-status=dead}}

| rev8 = Uncut

| rev8Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite journal |title=Jay-Z: The Blueprint |journal=Uncut |issue=55 |date=December 2001 |page=108}}

| rev9 = USA Today

| rev9Score = {{Rating|4|4}}{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/82004970.html?dids=82004970:82004970&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+25%2C+2001&DJ=Steve+Jones%3B+Elysa+Gardner%3B+Brian+Mansfield&pub=USA+TODAY&desc=Jay-Z%27s+%27Blueprint%27+has+designs+on+chart+dominance&pqatl=google |title=Jay-Z's 'Blueprint' has designs on chart dominance |newspaper=USA Today |location=McLean |date=September 25, 2001 |access-date=September 5, 2009 |last=Jones |first=Steve |url-access=subscription }}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

| rev10 = The Village Voice

| rev10Score = A−{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv302-02.php |title=Consumer Guide: 2001 Gets Better |newspaper=The Village Voice |location=New York |date=March 12, 2002 |access-date=July 25, 2013 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

The Blueprint received universal acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 88, based on 12 reviews. Upon its release, The Blueprint was hailed by Vibe{{'}}s dream hampton as Jay-Z's best album, as well as the best album of the year,{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vyUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA145 |title=Jay-Z: The Blueprint |journal=Vibe |date=November 2001 |access-date=September 5, 2009 |last=hampton |first=dream |authorlink=Dream Hampton |pages=145–46}} while The Source awarded The Blueprint a perfect "five-mic" rating,{{cite magazine|last=Rodriguez|first=Carlito|date=December 2001|issue=147|title=Record Report: Jay-Z – The Blueprint|url=http://www.thesource.com/articles/2850/Jay-Z-2001/?thesource-prod=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928045244/http://www.thesource.com/articles/2850/Jay-Z-2001/?thesource-prod=|archive-date=September 28, 2012|magazine=The Source|pages=187–188|location=New York|access-date=August 1, 2024}} a distinction reserved for hip hop classics.{{cite web |url=http://thesource.com/2012/05/14/5micswhogotnext/ |title=5 Mics: Who Got Next? |work=The Source |date=May 14, 2012 |access-date=May 14, 2012 |last=Osorio |first=Kim}} In his review for The Source, Carlito Rodriguez described The Blueprint as "{{em|the}} defining moment of Jay-Z's career", commending his ability to convey emotions through his lyrics. Nathan Rabin called it Jay-Z's "strongest, tightest, most consistent album since his legendary debut, 1996's Reasonable Doubt."{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/review/jay-z-emthe-blueprintem-18425|title=Jay-Z: The Blueprint|last=Rabin|first=Nathan|author-link=Nathan Rabin|date=September 11, 2001|work=The A.V. Club|access-date=September 5, 2009}}

{{Multiple image

| total_width = 269

| image1 = Kanye West at Stockholm Jazz Festival 1.jpg

| image2 = Just Blaze Broccoli City 2014 (cropped).jpg

| footer = The Blueprint established Kanye West and Just Blaze as major hip hop producers.

| align = left

}}

The popularity and commercial success of The Blueprint established Kanye West and Just Blaze as two of hip hop's most celebrated producers. West in particular would later be signed by Roc-A-Fella Records in 2002. Both West and Just Blaze would go on to have successful music careers. Furthermore, The Blueprint signaled a major stylistic shift in hip hop production towards a more Soulcentric and sample-reliant sound, creating a number of imitators who attempted to emulate the album's atmospheric style. Prior to The Blueprint, mainstream hip-hop producers had largely eschewed music sampling in favor of the keyboard-driven Timbaland sound (characterized by a shifting, syncopated rhythm, similar to samba or jungle music), due to the financial and legal issues associated with copyright laws.

The Blueprint, however, revived musical sampling as a common practice in hip hop music and dislodged the digital keyboard-driven production style as the dominant sound in hip-hop music.[http://www.exclaim.ca/index.asp?layid=22&csid=1&csid1=2325 Exclaim! Canada's Music Authority] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050425010646/http://www.exclaim.ca/index.asp?layid=22&csid=1&csid1=2325 |date=2005-04-25 }} West would later incorporate some of the production and sampling techniques he used on this album into his own solo albums. Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "One of the greatest poets ever to pick up a mic released his magnum opus in 2001. One retirement and one un-retirement later, it's still his finest hour."Geier, Thom; Jensen, Jeff; Jordan, Tina; Lyons, Margaret; Markovitz, Adam; Nashawaty, Chris; Pastorek, Whitney; Rice, Lynette; Rottenberg, Josh; Schwartz, Missy; Slezak, Michael; Snierson, Dan; Stack, Tim; Stroup, Kate; Tucker, Ken; Vary, Adam B.; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Ward, Kate (December 11, 2009), "THE 100 Greatest MOVIES, TV SHOWS, ALBUMS, BOOKS, CHARACTERS, SCENES, EPISODES, SONGS, DRESSES, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND TRENDS THAT ENTERTAINED US OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS AND DECADES TO COME". Entertainment Weekly. (1079/1080):74-84

In 2003, The Blueprint was ranked number 464 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time;[https://web.archive.org/web/20070106194945/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/5 RS500: 252 The Blueprint]. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2009-09-15. in a revised list in 2012, it was ranked number 252;{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/jay-z-the-blueprint-19691231 |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Jay-Z, 'The Blueprint' | Rolling Stone |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=2012-07-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604051250/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/jay-z-the-blueprint-19691231 |archive-date=2012-06-04 }}. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2009-09-15. in the 2020 revised list, the album was ranked number 50.[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/jay-z-the-blueprint-3-1063183/ The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: The Blueprint] Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2020-09-23. Pitchfork named The Blueprint the second best album of 2000–2004, and in 2010, it ranked fifth on their Top 200 Albums of the 2000s list.[https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7710-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-20-1/2/ The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 20-1] Pitchfork Media It is ranked at number 4 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Best Albums of the 2000s".[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-2000s-20110718/jay-z-the-blueprint-20110707 Rollingstone] The album received a perfect "XXL" rating from XXL magazine in a 2007 retrospective article.{{cite journal |title=Retrospective: XXL Albums |journal=XXL |date=December 2007}} The Blueprint was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.{{cite book|first1=Robert|last1=Dimery|first2=Michael|last2=Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=23 March 2010|publisher=Universe|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}}

Album of the Year

• Ranked #4 in NME{{'}}s 50 "Albums of the Year 2001".
• Ranked #5 in Rolling Stone{{'}}s "Top 10 of 2001".
• Ranked #7 in Spin magazine{{'}}s "Albums of the Year 2001".
• Ranked #12 in Wire magazine's "50 Records of the Year 2001".{{Cite magazine |title=2001 Rewind: 50 Records of the Year |date=January 2002 |magazine=The Wire |issue=215 |page=40 |location=London |url=https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/35049/spread/40 |url-access=subscription |via=Exact Editions}} {{subscription required}}

Best Album of the 2000s

• Ranked #1 in Complex Magazine{{'}}s "The 100 Best Albums of the 2000s".
• Ranked #7 in The Stylus Decade's "Top 100 Albums of the 2000s".
• Ranked #4 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Best Albums of the 2000s"
• Ranked #5 in Pitchfork's "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s".{{cite web|date=2009-10-02| title=The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 20-1| url=https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7710-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-20-1/2/ | website=Pitchfork| access-date=2009-10-02}}

Top Album

• Ranked #6 in Billboard{{'}}s Critics Pick of the decade 1999-2009[https://www.billboard.com/articles/list/266375/billboard-critics-top-20-albums-of-the-decade Critics' 20 Best Albums of the 2000s], Billboard.com
• Ranked #2 in Pitchfork{{'}}s "The Top 100 Albums of 2000-04".
• Ranked #5 in Stylus Magazine{{'}}s "Top 50 Albums of 2000-2005".

Best Album of the Decade

• Ranked #2 in Entertainment Weekly{{'}}s Best Albums of the Decade.
• Ranked #42 in Paste{{'}}s 50 Best Albums of the Decade.{{cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/11/the-best-albums-of-the-decade.html |title=The 50 Best Albums of the Decade (2000-2009) :: Blogs :: List of the Day |date=23 October 2009 |work=Paste |access-date=2012-01-16 |archive-date=2020-03-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307114421/https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/11/the-best-albums-of-the-decade.html |url-status=dead }}
• Ranked #4 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Best Albums of the Decade in 2009.[https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/31248017/100_best_albums_of_the_decade/39 "#4 Jay-Z-The Blueprint"] Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums of the Decade. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
• Ranked #20 in Rhapsody's "100 Best Albums of the Decade" in 2009.[http://blog.rhapsody.com/2009/12/100-best-pop-albums-of-the-decade-20-11.html "#20 Jay-Z-The Blueprint"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215050757/http://blog.rhapsody.com/2009/12/100-best-pop-albums-of-the-decade-20-11.html |date=2009-12-15 }} Rhapsody's 100 Best Albums of the Decade. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
• Ranked #8 in Vibe's "The Greatest 50 Albums Since '93" in 2013.[http://www.vibe.com/photo-gallery/greatest-50-albums-since-93/?page=44 "#8 Jay-Z-The Blueprint"] The Greatest 50 Albums Since '93. Retrieved 18 April 2013.

Greatest Album of All Time

• Ranked #456 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003.
• Ranked #252 in Rolling Stone magazine's revised list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2012.
• Ranked #50 in Rolling Stone magazine's revised list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2020.
• Ranked #13 in Apple Music's 100 Best Albums in 2024.
• Unranked in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

In spite of its release coinciding with the 9/11 attacks, The Blueprint sold over 427,000 copies in its opening week,{{cite web|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2011-09-08/entertainment/jayz.music.september.11_1_jay-z-music-sales-terrorist-attacks |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119114331/http://articles.cnn.com/2011-09-08/entertainment/jayz.music.september.11_1_jay-z-music-sales-terrorist-attacks |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 19, 2013 |title=Why Jay-Z's music still mattered on 9/11 |author=Johnson, Craig |publisher=CNN.com |date=September 8, 2011 |access-date=July 2, 2012 }} becoming Jay-Z's fourth consecutive album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It was certified double platinum as sales stand at over two million units in the U.S.Basham, David (March 29, 2002). [https://web.archive.org/web/20030902154500/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453141/20020328/jay_z.jhtml Got Charts? Jay-Z & R. Kelly, Cornell & Rage: Dynamic Duos — Well, Maybe Not]. MTV. Retrieved May 24, 2008.[https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=The%20Blueprint&artist=&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 RIAA Searchable Database]. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 24, 2008.

Sales stand at 2.7 million as of February 2012.{{cite web|last=Grein |first=Paul |url=http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-feb-26-2012-albums-half-top-160050213.html |title=Week Ending Feb. 26, 2012. Albums: Half of the Top 10 | Chart Watch (NEW) - Yahoo Music |publisher=Music.yahoo.com |date=2012-02-29 |access-date=2014-04-20}}

{{track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = The Ruler's Back

| writer1 = {{hlist|Shawn Carter|Roosevelt Harrell III|Phil Hurtt|Walter Sigler}}

| note1 =

| extra1 = Bink

| length1 = 3:50

| title2 = Takeover

| writer2 = {{hlist|Carter|Kanye West|Eric Burdon|Lawrence Parker|Alan Lomax|Bryan Chandler|Rodney Lemay|Jim Morrison|John Densmore|Robby Krieger|Ray Manzarek}}

| note2 =

| extra2 = West

| length2 = 5:13

| title3 = Izzo (H.O.V.A.)

| writer3 = {{hlist|Carter|West|Berry Gordy|Alphonso Mizell|Freddie Perren|Deke Richards}}

| note3 =

| extra3 = West

| length3 = 4:00

| title4 = Girls, Girls, Girls

| writer4 = {{hlist|Carter|Justin Smith|Tom Brock|Robert Relf}}

| note4 =

| extra4 = Just Blaze

| length4 = 4:35

| title5 = Jigga That Nigga

| writer5 = {{hlist|Carter|Jean-Claude Olivier|Samuel Barnes}}

| extra5 = Trackmasters

| length5 = 3:24

| title6 = U Don't Know

| writer6 = {{hlist|Carter|Smith|Bobby Byrd}}

| note6 =

| extra6 = Just Blaze

| length6 = 3:19

| title7 = Hola' Hovito

| writer7 = {{hlist|Carter|Timothy Mosley}}

| note7 =

| extra7 = Timbaland

| length7 = 4:33

| title8 = Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)

| writer8 = {{hlist|Carter|West|Michael Price|Dan Walsh}}

| note8 =

| extra8 = West

| length8 = 3:43

| title9 = Never Change

| writer9 = {{hlist|Carter|West|Robert Eugene Miller}}

| note9 =

| extra9 = West

| length9 = 3:59

| title10 = Song Cry

| writer10 = {{hlist|Carter|Smith|Douglas Gibbs|Ralph Johnson}}

| note10 =

| extra10 = Just Blaze

| length10 = 5:04

| title11 = All I Need

| writer11 = {{hlist|Carter|Harrell|Michael D. Monroe}}

| note11 =

| extra11 = Bink

| length11 = 4:27

| title12 = Renegade

| writer12 = {{hlist|Carter|Marshall Mathers|Luis Resto}}

| note12 = featuring Eminem

| extra12 = {{hlist|Eminem|Luis Resto{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length12 = 5:38

| title13 = Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)

| writer13 = {{hlist|Carter|Harrell|Al Green}}

| note13 =

| extra13 = Bink

| length13 = 3:41

|all_writing=|title14=|length14=|title15=|length15=|title16=|length16=|title17=|length17=|title18=|length18=|title19=|length19=|title20=|length20=|total_length=}}

{{track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title14 = Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)

| writer14 = {{hlist|Carter|Smith|Tyrone Thomas|August Moon|Gerald Brown|Stanley Clarke|Michael Garson|Raymond Gomez}}

| note14 =

| extra14 = Just Blaze

| length14 = 3:45

| title15 = Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)

| writer15 = {{hlist|Carter|Smith|Robert Poindexter|Jackie Members}}

| note15 =

| extra15 = West

| length15 = 4:14

|headline=Hidden tracks

}}

Notes

• ^{{{note|a|[a]}}} signifies an additional producer
• "Takeover" features additional vocals by Josey Scott.
• "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" features uncredited vocals by Demme Uloa.
• "Girls, Girls, Girls" features additional vocals by Q-Tip, Slick Rick and Biz Markie.
• "Jigga That Nigga" features additional vocals by Stephanie Miller and Michelle Mills.
• "Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)" features uncredited vocals by Keon Bryce.
• "Never Change" features uncredited vocals by Kanye West.
• "Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)" features background vocals by Schevise Harrell and Luren Leek.
• "Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)" features uncredited vocals by Michael Jackson and Chanté Moore.

Samples

• "The Ruler's Back" contains a sample of "If" performed by Jackie Moore, and an interpolation of "The Ruler's Back" performed by Slick Rick.
• "Takeover" contains samples of "Five to One" performed by The Doors, "Sound of da Police" performed by KRS-One, and an interpolation of "Fame" performed by David Bowie.
• "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" contains a sample of "I Want You Back" performed by Jackson 5.
• "Girls, Girls, Girls" contains a sample of "There's Nothing in This World That Can Stop Me from Loving You" performed by Tom Brock, and "High Power Rap" performed by Crash Crew.
• "U Don't Know" contains a sample of "I'm Not to Blame" performed by Bobby Byrd.
• "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)" contains a sample of "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" performed by Bobby Blue Bland.
• "Never Change" contains a sample of "Common Man" performed by David Ruffin.
• "Song Cry" contains a sample of "Sounds Like a Love Song" performed by Bobby Glenn.
• "All I Need" contains a sample of "I Can't Break Away" performed by Natalie Cole.
• "Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)" contains a sample of "Free at Last" performed by Al Green.
• "Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)" contains a sample of "Got to Find My Own Place" performed by Stanley Clarke.
• "Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)" contains a sample of "Trying Girls Out" performed by The Persuaders.

As with Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter, Jay-Z put two hidden bonus tracks at the end of the final track. "Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)" is 3:41 by itself. Twenty-five seconds of silence follows after and the bonus track "Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)" begins. That song fades and is immediately followed by "Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)". It is reported{{by whom|date=December 2018}} that the latter song features uncredited vocals by Michael Jackson. The final track as a whole is 12:07. On the iTunes Store, however, these bonus tracks are released as separate tracks, thus making the album 15 tracks long. On the vinyl edition, there are no long gaps between the songs, but they are not printed on the back of the album jacket or record label.

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter – performer, executive producer
• Eminem – performer, producer, mixing
• Slick Rick – vocals
• Q-Tip – vocals
• Biz Markie – vocals
• Demme Ulloa – vocals
• Schevise Harrell – vocals
• Lauren Leek – vocals
• Keon Bryce – vocals
• Stephanie Miller – vocals
• Michele Mills – vocals
• Josey Scott – vocals
• Victor Flowers – organ
• Kanye West – producer, vocals
• Just Blaze – producer
• Bink – producer
• Timbaland – producer
• Poke & Tone – producer
• DJ Head – drum programming

{{col-2}}

• Damon Dash – executive producer
• Kareem "Biggs" Burke – executive producer
• Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton – engineer, mixing
• Jimmy Douglas – engineer, mixing
• Rajon Wright – assistant engineer
• Shane Woodley – assistant engineer
• Jason Goldstein – mixing
• Richard Huredia – mixing
• Supa Engineer "Duro" – mixing
• Doug Wilson – mixing
• Tony Vanias – recording director
• Tony Dawsey – mastering
• Jason Noto – art direction
• Jonathan Mannion – photography
• Della Valle – images
• Dana "Sonni Black" Anderson – composer
• Sonet Lumiere Philadelphia – music publisher

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|title=The Blueprint|artist=JAY Z|award=Platinum|relyear=2001}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|title=The Blueprint|artist=JAY Z|award=Gold|id=973-1475-2|salesamount=212,000|salesref={{cite web|url= https://www.officialcharts.com/galleries/albums-turning-20-years-old-in-2021/?31971 |title= Albums turning 20 years old in 2021|date=29 December 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=29 December 2020}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title=The Blueprint|artist=JAY Z|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=2001|certyear=2023|access-date=April 7, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true|streaming=true}}

• List of number-one albums of 2001 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B albums of 2001 (U.S.)

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.discogs.com/Jay-Z-The-Blueprint/master/46989 The Blueprint] at Discogs
• [https://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/jayz/blueprint The Blueprint] at Metacritic
• [http://www.blender.com/guide/new/50980/blueprint.html Album Review]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=Jennica |fix-attempted=yes }} at Blender
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080517051324/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/jay-z/the-blueprint.htm Album review] at Stylus Magazine

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{{Jay-Z songs}}

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Category:2001 albums

Category:Jay-Z albums

Category:Albums produced by Bink (record producer)

Category:Albums produced by Eminem

Category:Albums produced by Just Blaze

Category:Albums produced by Kanye West

Category:Albums produced by Timbaland

Category:Albums produced by Trackmasters

Category:Roc-A-Fella Records albums

Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings

Category:United States National Recording Registry albums

Category:Def Jam Recordings albums