The album also showcased his curatorial talents: Jay makes the most of his collaborators through an exceptional selection of beats, identifying the strongest contributions from each of his offsiders. The Brooklyn-born rapper, then 34-years-old, had arguably reached the peak of his talents: his mastery of varying flows was matched by his biting lyricism, which he put to use recounting his origins ( “December 4th”), recalling police stops ( “99 Problems”), revelling in his status ( “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”) and courting violence ( “Threats”). More than that, however, it stands as one of Jay’s greatest efforts. Fate may have had other plans for Shawn Carter, but his eighth studio album still stands as a premature swan song one that acts as a conclusion to the first wave of his career.

He planned to cast himself off with one final effort, The Black Album, a statement piece encapsulating his storied career and articulating his final thoughts. Seven years on from his debut LP, Reasonable Doubt, the era’s most celebrated emcee was on the verge of retirement. Fifteen years on, we reflect on the production throughout the LP, breaking down the sampling, examining the sonic palette and looking at the collaborators Jay chose to score his classic curtain closer.įifteen years ago, Jay-Z felt he’d said all he had to say. November 14, 2003: with nothing left to prove, Jay Z releases The Black Album, a project billed as his last.

Jay z the black album track list