JAY-Z's classic LP 'The Blueprint' to be archived in the Library of Congress

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.