Jay- Z's sixth studio album, The Blueprint, a hip-hop classic released in 2001 joins the illustrious batch of recordings added to the Library's National Recording Registry.
Every year the library selects choice recordings that are deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” to be archived.
The Blueprint will be joining other classics such as John Coltrane’s ''A Love Supreme'' and Radiohead’s 1997 album ''OK Computer'', Run-DMC’s ''Raising Hell'' as announced by the National Recording Registry on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.
The Blueprint, a critical and commercial success that parades hits like 'Song Cry,' 'Izzo [H.O.V.A] has been certified double platinum and is ranked as one of best hip-hop's album of all time.
In the official press release, the Librarian of Congress gave the following statement:
“The National Recording Registry honors the music that enriches our souls, the voices that tell our stories and the sounds that mirror our lives.
The influence of recorded sound over its nearly 160-year history has been profound and technology has increased its reach and significance exponentially. The Library of Congress and its many collaborators are working to preserve these sounds and moments in time, which reflect our past, present and future.”
The new batch of recordings which “reflect our past, present, and future” also includes Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam,” Curtis Mayfield’s ''Superfly,'' Cyndi Lauper’s ''She’s So Unusual,'' Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” and more.
The Library of Congress has been seeking to preserve important sound recordings for 15 years under terms of a preservation act passed by Congress.