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With the release of Jay-Z 4:44 a few weeks ago, it was a quick brief reminder to most of his peers when he wants the crown he can take it. Jay-Z is in unprecedented territory he’s the last of dying breed a rapper where people stop what there doing to find and listen to Jay Z. How did we get here there are numerous amount of factors at play here. Many of them I will not get into here but one of the biggest reason in a day of social media and artists just giving away their music for free. Jay has found a way monetize his music like no one else. Go head and go and YouTube or any other popular media outlets and download or listen to any of your favorite Jay z song you will run into countless roadblocks or songs were J is getting residuals on. Let’s talk about how we got here over the next few weeks I will be listening to every Jay-Z album trying pin point when Shawn Carter a kid from Brooklyn, NY turned into Jay-Z a hip hop icon worth over 800 million dollars.
Reasonable Doubt is widely considered his best album by fans and critics a like. I’ve have never subscribe to this theory myself, but I’ve listened to this album several times this week and I myself was pleasantly surprised how well this album still holds up. It’s a very easy listen from beginning to end with an intelligent blend of diverse tracks. Now don’t get me wrong everyone is entitled to their own opinions and this blog is mine but this album is not a masterpiece and it has it flaws. Best or not best album it was the beginning of 21 year influential career that has slowed down but shows no sign of slowing down.
The album started off with a bang with Can’t knock the hustle feat the great Mary J Blige where Jay-Z exhibits his unseasonable lyrically ability. It’s an ironic title considering that title can be used to describe his whole career. Take this track 99% of artists start an album with something high energy why not it’s smart gets you engaged early. Jay z has he would continue to do throughout his career choose a path less traveled by gambling on his aptness to draw you in with strictly his words. Diversity is something 80% of rappers struggle with if you ask me. Some rap slow some fast talk about girls riches guns and ect, very few have been able to be all. While some will disagree J is definitely in that category. While he did not have all the tools in the toolbox at this point in his career but he could duck tape your ears to the radio. The diversity is shown the very next track with Political as Usual, it’s a subtle switch but his flow becomes very steady and methodical complimented with a calm easy chorus.
The most shocking fact about this album that I had completely forgotten is that Jay did not do one chorus on the entire album until Regrets. Now to some that may not be a big deal but it shows a few things one clearly he wasn’t comfortable writing them so he didn’t and two he was smart enough early to realize since I can’t do that I will be very creative and different about the type of choruses I do that would not draw any attention to it because 21 years later when I remind people of this it’s followed with seconds of pondering with the familiar response “really”. Now it’s as not much of a criticism just an observation. Hey my favorite of all time Mr. Shakur was known for not doing his own either but this is a skill set would pick up with time as latter albums would attest to. I said the album wasn’t with its flaws in though it actually lacked some direction and had a bit of repetitiveness to it on subjects matters. There were a few tracks where I thought he was trying to hit some deep social issues and just missed. Another gapping whole in this album was there was very little that the female audience could relate too. For some that may be great but being able to get 100% of people to listen to you is better than 50%. This is something Jay clearly figured out has later albums he definitely reaches that audience.
Reasonable Doubt was an early look into the mindset of one of the most remarkable rags to riches story this industry
Has seen. It’s an album that pretty much sticks to only a few notes which is pretty common he doesn’t have but a few 5 star tracks on the album such as Devils, 22 Two’s, and Regrets. For a debut album that’s is fine considering most albums don’t possess one. If you have the time Reasonable Doubt is definitely worth a re listen too after listening to it over and over i would give this 7/10.