Magna Carta... Holy Grail

Pitchfork 5.8/10 Jay-Z’s first solo album since 2009’s The Blueprint 3, released initially on Samsung mobile devices, finds him working with marquee names including Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Pharrell Williams, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, and Nas.

A.V. Club F The moment it was released in 2007, the iPhone became a signifier of taste and prosperity, and like all status symbols, it quickly worked its way into rap lyrics, earning name checks from dozens, if not hundreds, of rappers eager to associate themselves with Apple’s trendy gadget. The Samsung Galaxy, on the other…

The Line of Best Fit 7/10 Hova returns with a record that's inconsistencies can be forgiven thanks to the immaculate nature of its peaks.

Rolling Stone 3/5 Check out our album review of Artist's Magna Carta . . . Holy Grail on Rolling Stone.com.

Clash 6/10 Clash reviews 'Magna Carta... Holy Grail', the 12th studio album from American rapper Jay-Z

The Observer 3/5 <p>Jay-Z's music is almost in danger of being overshadowed by the hoopla surrounding the album's release, writes <strong>Kitty Empire</strong></p>

Slant 2/5 Hoary and pompous, Magna Carta definitively signals the rapper’s shift toward creative insignificance.

The Telegraph 3/5 Jay Z's new album is perfectly enjoyable but does nothing to ease the sense that his position as the "King of Rap" is in question, finds Helen Brown.