DOLNICK (10:52:50 AM): Jay-Z's new song, his first after his "retirement," was "leaked" on the Internet. You've already listened to it lots --- thoughts?

DREW (10:54:20 AM): The beat is my favorite part. I love the hyperactive drums -- repeating those drum fills and horns over and over again. It's pretty rambunctious. It reminds me of Amerie's "1 Thing" cross-pollinated with Beyonce's "Crazy in Love"

DOLNICK (10:57:08 AM): And I think that's precisely the problem --- it doesn't sound original enough. For all the hype surrounding his non-retirement, I wanted him to come back with a perfect new song. And this one feels so familiar. The Wreckx-N-Effect saxophone throughout makes me think of bar mitzvah season. And the title and chorus, "Show me What You Got" --- it's a hip-hop cliche. How many rap songs use that line? When Mystikal barked it a few years ago, it sounded much fresher than it does now.

DREW (10:58:11 AM): Haha. Good point. So I guess this begs the question, should Jigga have come out of "retirement?"

DOLNICK (11:01:20 AM): You knew he was going to come back. Remember on "The Black Album," which was sold as his last record ever, he said he was going to "come back like Jordan wearing the 4-5." One thing Hov: the season MJ wore 45, the Bulls lost to Penny Hardaway's Orlando Magic in the playoffs.

But I'm glad he came back --- there's nobody in the world quicker or more clever. But I just wish this song sounded a little crisper.

DOLNICK (11:01:25 AM): You think it will be a big hit?

DREW (11:07:16 AM): I think it'll get people excited about his comeback. It's strong enough to build buzz, particularly since people are finding it "leaked" in various places -- classic viral marketing.

But I'm waiting to hear something a little stronger. It seems like big artists often wait at least one song to drop the big single. Remember how "99 Problems" and "Dirt off Your Shoulder" were bigger hits than "Change Clothes?" This one's just the appetizer. What are your thoughts on the lyrics?

DOLNICK (11:14:24 AM): I always love his lyrics and these are as good, if not great. He makes it sound so easy. And re: MJ -- I like how he's updated it for the Lebron era. "Mami in the zone like the homie 2-3 / Jordan or James / Makes no difference boo I'm balling the same." (Although later he calls himself the "Mike Jordan of recording.")

DOLNICK (11:15:05 AM): And you see how he's following through on his Cristal ban -- "Shots of Patron, now she's in a zone..."

DREW (11:22:17 AM): Lyrics are one place this song is weak to me. I've always loved Jay-Z's delivery, but the actual verbal content here feels lazy. Rhyming "recording" with "recording?" Maybe his CEO duties have him tired by the time he gets to the booth.

But that's the thing -- at this point, give him a good beat and he can mail in the lyrics. Jay-Z is a brand name that will sell no matter what, much like his mogul peer Diddy.

DOLNICK (11:23:07 AM): Please. Jay-Z occupies a different stratosphere than Puffy. Even though I don't like the song much, I'll buy the CD the day it comes out. Welcome back, Jigga.

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