“Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)” from Jay-Z’s The Blueprint (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam, 2001)
Synopsis: If you like introspective Hov, this is the song for you; a heartfelt recollection of all who helped Jay-Z become the man he is today.
VS.
“Blueprint II” from Jay-Z’s The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse (Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam, 2002)
Synopsis: For those who like their Jigga uncut and raw, this is Jay on a lyrical tirade, kufi-smacking Nas, Rosie Perez, and the rest of his haters.
The Verdict: “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)” < "Blueprint II”
"Love vs. Money" from The-Dream’s Love vs. Money (Radio Killa/Def Jam, 2009)
Synopsis: The-Dream realizes cash can’t keep a woman after another (more affectionate) man jacks his P.Y.T.
VS.
“Love vs. Money, Pt. 2” from The-Dream’s Love vs. Money
Synopsis: The-Dream wises up a bit, regretting he ever loved the gold-digging heifer.
“Maybach Music” feat. Jay-Z from Rick Ross’ Trilla (Def Jam, 2008)
Synopsis: Jay-Z outshines The Bawse over this lux beat. True story, Hov’s closet is like two stories. Sweet.
VS.
“Maybach Music 2” feat. T-Pain, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne from Rick Ross’ Deeper Than Rap (Maybach Music Group/Poe Boy/Def Jam, 2009)
Synopsis: The combination of Ross bossing up his rhyme skills, Mr. West and Weezy coming correct (not to mention Pain’s thorough hook), and the jazzy orchestration simply trumps anything Jay-Z did to make the first one great.
Synopsis: Over DJ Premier’s classic beat, a hungry Nas spits cold lines like, “Rappers, I monkey-flip them with the funky rhythms I be kickin’.”
VS.
"N.Y. State of Mind Pt. II" from Nas’ I Am… (Columbia, 1999)
Synopsis: Nas and Premier should’ve left this vintage hit alone. Premier samples the original, hardly changing a thing and a Nas isn’t nearly as nasty as he was on the ’94 version.
“Donk” from Soulja Boy’s Souljaboytellem.com (Interscope, 2007)
Synopsis: The simple title was a perfect reflection of the song itself. Some stripped down 808 drums with a hook fellas could rap to and women could dance to. That’s all it took and Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em had a hit for the strip clubs.
VS.
“Booty Got Swag (Donk Pt. 2)” from iSouljaboytellem (Interscope, 2008)
Synopsis: Booty with swag does not have to be a donk, but Soulja Boy was reaching to make it so. By itself, the song is as catchy as the original, but making it a sequel brings on comparisons that kill its joy.
The Verdict: “Donk” > “Booty Got Swag (Donk Pt.2)”
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