The oldest federal cultural institution in the United States, the Library of Congress is home to thousands of texts, maps, recordings, and more, making it a living collection of culturally significant contemporary media. Joining artists like Radiohead, Chic, John Coltrane, and Run-D.M.C., JAY-Z has been honored by the National Recording Registry, as his classic album, The Blueprint, has officially received archive status in the Library of Congress.
The Blueprint was critically-acclaimed for lyrically cataloging Brooklyn life at the turn of the millennium, while showcasing then up-and-coming producers Kanye West and Just Blaze. A status given to recordings that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States,” other notable projects being simultaneously archived include Nina Simone‘s “Mississippi Goddam,” Earth, Wind, & Fire‘s “September,” and Curtis Mayfield‘s Superfly.
Source: dancingastronaut.com
