A sharp, reflective 'retirement' record of star production and quotable verses. Confident and cohesive. A peak. Holds up as a strong record in its own right, not just context.
On vinyl: Not all 2000s releases got a vinyl pressing; check availability before you search.
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Tracks from this album on our lists
- 99 Problems on Best Songs of the 2000s, Best Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, Best Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, Best 2000s Hip-Hop Songs
We don't reproduce full tracklists — only the songs from this record we've featured in our best-of lists.
More from Jay-Z — where to go next
If you have The Black Album, these are the Jay-Z records worth reaching for next.
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1
Reasonable Doubt1996 · Hip-HopStart here
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2
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life1998 · Hip-HopClassic
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3
The Blueprint2001 · Hip-HopClassic
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4
The Black Album2003 · you're viewing this oneClassic
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5
4:442017 · Hip-HopClassic
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