The question is who is Jadakiss trying to reach with an album like Ignatius? Who does he think his audience is? Is he trying to stumble his way into a pop hit? The thing is that Ignatius will probably not reach the audience that might like this kind of pop-rap, while at the same time it alienates the audience that knows Jadakiss’ skill as an emcee and that would lap up a hard-hitting boom-bap album from an emcee like him. Seeing as Jadakiss usually shines when he appears as a featured artist on other people’s albums or when he gets to flex his freestyle or battle skills, it’s disappointing he doesn’t seem to able to put together a top-quality project for himself. After that, it all quickly descends into poppy genericness, with decent enough rhymes but too many weak beats, too many features, and mostly terrible sing-songy R&B choruses to dead any Hip Hop momentum the album otherwise might have had. It all starts kind of promising with the first two tracks – “Pearly Gates” is a dope album opener, and “Huntin’ Season” is the best track, with Pusha T delivering the best guest performance on the album. Ignatius is not terrible – not that bad – but it sounds at least ten years out of date, and not in a fun throwback kind of way.
Maybe Ignatius is exactly what was to be expected, giving his track record. Ignatius is a disappointment – at least for those who were still hoping Jadakiss would finally prove himself able to come out with a potential classic. Is Ignatius the album that finally elevates Jadakiss to the next level? His first two full-lengths – Kiss Tha Game Goodbye (2001) and Kiss Of Death (2004) – were merely OK, his later projects The Last Kiss (2009) and Top 5 Dead Or Alive (2015) were mid at best. colleagues Sheek Louch and especially Styles P, Jadakiss has never been able to translate his undeniable mic skills into a classic album befitting his reputation as a top-tier emcee. Perhaps the highlight of the album is the Scott Storch-produced “Time’s Up”.Much like his L.O.X. Kiss references his longevity and consistency in the game and how they’ve outlasted the label issues that preceded this phase of his career. On this track, Jada echoes what he still says until this day, “cause I done been too nice for way too long, they can’t hold me back I’m way too strong”. The first real song is “What You So Mad At?”, an upbeat tune produced by Black Key.
The album starts with a foe gangster movie skit, a staple of many New York rap albums.
Sure, his first album Kiss the Game Goodbye went gold, but could he thrive in a musical landscape that leaned further and further and away from what he does best? He tapped as many big name features and producers as possible to find out on Kiss of Death. This put the witty, Yonkers-born MC, Jadakiss, in a tough position heading into his second full length album. Quietly, and maybe most importantly, gangster rap was nearing the end of its run as the coolest branch of commercial rap (see career arch of 50 Cent). Lyricism was being brushed aside in favor of more flashy records that people could sing along to. The epicenter of rap was becoming Atlanta, and no longer it’s place of origin, New York. The year was 2004, and the grand shift in hip-hop was occurring. Underground, gangsta rap slash commercial ” Jadakiss on “What You So Mad At?”