Key Takeaways
- The feature marks the 25th anniversary of Jay-Z’s The Blueprint with 10 lesser-known stories behind its soulful production, iconic songs, and lasting place in hip-hop history.
- Highlights include Michael Jackson’s uncredited vocals on “Girls, Girls, Girls,” weed helping Jay finish “Izzo,” and “Song Cry” convincing him that Just Blaze was the best producer around.
- The list also covers the album cover’s British-gangster inspiration, Kanye West and Just Blaze’s intense studio rivalry, and tracks originally intended for DMX, Ghostface Killah, MC Lyte, and others.
Today marks the 25 year anniversary of Jay-Z's best album, The Blueprint. The undeniable classic—which Hov celebrated back in July with a record-setting Yankee Stadium show—still hits for its soul-sampling production and some of the sharpest writing of his career.The fact that it was released on one of the most memorable days in American history has only served to cement the album's place in music history.
Most rap fans know of the many, much-publicized legends behind the album: An inspired Jay made the album in a few days, the album helped launch the careers of Kanye West and Just Blaze, and "Heart of The City" was originally meant for DMX. But we're willing to bet that there's still plenty you don't know about the first installment of Hov's highly-touted trilogy.
We did some digging and came up with 10 Things You Didn't Know About Jay-Z's The Blueprint.
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This story was originally published on September 11, 2012. It was updated on September 11, 2026.
Jay-Z Wanted “Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)” to be the First Single
On College Dropout closer “Last Call,” Kanye reveals that “Heart of The City” was meant for DMX. What's less known is that Jay flirted with the idea of making it the album's first single. He was talked out of it, which was fine since “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” had already taken off at radio.
“Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)” Originally Had R. Kelly on It
Another interesting fact about “Heart of The City”: According to Kanye West, the song originally had R. Kelly on it. Considering that Yeezy and Kelly are both from Chicago, and Jay and Kelly's “Fiesta (Remix)” was killing airwaves at the time, it seems plausible.
"Song Cry" Convinced Jay-Z That Just Blaze Was The Best Producer Around
In 2011, we spoke to Just Blaze about some of his classic records, including “Song Cry,” the emotional single from The Blueprint. After hearing the beat, Jay called Just Blaze and told him, “Right now you’re the best producer around. Nobody can take that from you.” According to Just Blaze, Jay proceeded to call up Timbaland and tell him, “Yo, you cool but Just Blaze is the best.”
The Cover is Inspired by a British Photographer
The Blueprint's album art was shot by legendary photographer Jonathan Mannion (who's shot most of Jay-Z’s album covers), but it was inspired by a British photographer named Jocelyn Bain Hogg.
The image is from Hogg’s 2001 collection The Firm, which was created after Hogg spent 10 years following British gangsters in South London.
Smoking Weed Helped Jay-Z Finish Making “Izzo”
Since Reasonable Doubt, Jay has made it clear that he will often "leave that weed alone, man." However, Jigga admitted to XXL that after constantly touching up "Izzo," he didn’t finish it until he blazed one. “My man who sold weed and shit came, and he said, ‘Man, you need—man, just smoke some weed.’ I smoked some weed, and that’s how I finished ‘Izzo.’”
Michael Jackson Has an Uncredited Appearance on "Girls, Girls, Girls”
In 2009, after Michael Jackson passed away, Hov paid tribute to the late icon in an issue of NME. In the article, he revealed that Jackson contributed uncredited vocals to “Girls, Girls, Girls.” The song, which already featured vocals from Slick Rick, Biz Markie, and Q-Tip, went on to peak at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Prodigy Thought it was Ashanti Who Gave Jay-Z the Infamous “Ballerina” Picture
In Prodigy’s autobiography, My Infamous Life, he ponders on how Jay-Z got the “ballerina” picture of him that was famously put on "that Summer Jam screen" for thousands to see while Jay performed diss track, "Takeover."
P’s guess is that Jay got it from Ashanti because Prodigy’s grandmother ran a dance studio that both he and Ashanti attended as children.
The Competition Between Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Bink! Got Intense
When we asked No I.D. about the friendly rivalry between himself, Common, and Twilite Tone during the making of Resurrection, his answer was simple and perfect, “Steel sharpens steel.” It seems that same philosophy was present while The Blueprint was created. Jay-Z says the battles between Kanye and Just Blaze were “like a heavyweight slugfest.”
Jay explained, “Just would peep his head in and hear what me and Kanye was doing and would just go back mad. Like, go back and just go [pounds fist on table], and just come in and be like, ‘Yo.’”
Meanwhile, Bink! (who quietly contributed three crucial cuts to the album) felt he was being short-changed. Def Jam A&R Lenny Santiago recalled, “I remember personally arguing with Bink because he wanted an equal amount with Just and Kanye, as far as beats placed on the album. [Laughs.] I told him, ‘Bink, man, you got, like, two or three joints on this. What is wrong with you?’”
Just Blaze Wasn’t Satisfied With The “U Don’t Know” Beat
Just Blaze told us, “We knew it was hot, but I wanted to do more with it. I always wanted to make it bigger and better, and make the drums hit harder, and the bass more in your face. I always say to myself, 'I wish I got the opportunity to do that over.'
He did get that opportunity on the double album The Blueprint 2 when Jay-Z commissioned a remix “U Don’t Know” with M.O.P., but the original still stands as the superior cut of the two.
Several Tracks Were Meant For Other People
As previously mentioned, “Heart of The City” was meant for DMX. Just Blaze also claims that “Girls, Girls, Girls” was meant for Ghostface Killah. Bink has admitted that he made “The Ruler's Back” for either Loon or Black Rob. Tone of Trackmasters has said that “Jigga That Nigga” was meant for either MC Lyte or N.O.R.E.
