Jay-Z shines here. Part of it has to do with the grandiose way his protégé Kanye West introduces him and much of it has to do with the beat; an Indianish dance joint led by a Shirley Bassey song sample he (Jay-Z) is wise enough to acknowledge.

He uses too many bars for Memphis Bleek, but this is one of his best verses. West stays truer to the theme; a moral argument against diamonds cut to promote war in Africa. “These ain’t conflict diamonds,” he asks Jacob The Jeweler, “Don’t lie to me, man.”

my rating : 4 of 5

2005