Jay-Z brings back the old-school hip-hop sound of his past with his new album, Kingdom Come. With the release of the album he brings himself back as well, after telling the world in 2003 that he was retiring.

The glamorous music of the album features beats produced by the likes of Dr. Dre, Kanye West, The Neptunes and Just Blaze. Despite the polished sound, the album as a whole has a gritty feel to it, as Jay-Z raps his lines to the simple, straightforward beat of the songs.

The title track of the album, “”Kingdom Come,”” has an old-school sound reminiscent of Jay-Z’s earlier material. The lyrics breathe with life as Jay-Z sings: “”Got to admit a little bit I was sick of rap/But despite that the boy is back/And I’m so evolved I’m so involved/I’m showing growth, I’m so in charge.”” The song even uses Rick James’ much-sampled “”Superfreak”” in a fresh way.

“”Lost One,”” one of the album’s more laid-back numbers, features a light piano melody from up-and-coming R&B singer Chrisette Michele.

“”Anything,”” produced by The Neptunes, is an upbeat song that fans of both The Neptunes and Jay-Z will enjoy. The song features Pharrell and Usher singing the chorus in their best tenor voices.

BeyoncǸ, Jay-Z’s girlfriend – as labeled by the tabloids – sings the chorus to “”Hollywood,”” a song that has a catchy, snap-your-fingers beat. It also features a smart transition from a slower tempo to a faster, more upbeat one. BeyoncǸ belts her heart out in the chorus, of course.

All in all, the album showcases what Jay-Z does best: texture-heavy rap for the masses. If this is the comeback that heralds many great albums to come, Jay-Z picked the songs wisely.