Jay-Z preps Ridley Scott-inspired American Gangster album

It turns out Jay-Z was unwittingly backing himself into a corner with all of those Michael Jordan analogies in his lyrics sheets throughout the years. Like #23, he came into the game underrated and overlooked, but quickly essayed a career of such technical and commercial dominance that people had to stand up and take notice. ast year's comeback release Kingdom Come, however, had that awkward feeling of Washington Wizards-era MJ: an unwanted and unnecessary return from an all-time great that threatened to tarnish his legacy.

On Nov. 6, Hova will try to break from the Jordan script he's constructed by taking inspiration from a script of another sort. The upcoming Ridley Scott film American Gangster, which portrays the rise of '70s Harlem drug kingpin Frank Lucas, evidently made a huge impact on ol' Hova. He aims to release a concept album of the same name, with many of the cuts inspired by specific scenes in the movie.

“It was like I was watching the film, and putting it on pause, and giving a back story to the story,” Jay told The New York Times.

Mr. Shawn Carter also saw a bit of himself in Denzel Washington's portrayal of Lucas: "The way he carried himself. The way he went about things. The way he wasn’t loud, but he was very strong."

Jay-Z's American Gangster album arrives in conjunction with the film's official soundtrack, which features a more "period" feel with tunes by Bobby Womack, Sam & Dave, and the Staple Singers. Jay also isn't the only hip-hop figure contributing to the film's marketing campaign. Rappers T.I., Common and the RZA all make guest appearances in the film. As the Times article mentions, producers hope this hip-hop crossover appeal brings in the younger crowd, since American Gangster cost over $100 million to put together.

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.