Reasonable Doubt is a first solo album by Jay-Z that shows the young writer and self-confident artist in action. This project appeared on the market when the artist was still unknown and had no fame as a businessman or as an influential cultural figure of modern times. That is why it is important to analyze what makes this record so unique.
How the album began
It can be stated that the creation of the album became possible due to the long-term experience of the performer in rap culture and the establishment of his record label. Having spent years among the representatives of rap culture and having been popular in the underground scene, Jay-Z failed to find his way to success due to the lack of connections and funds to enter the music market. However, he created Roc-A-Fella Records with his business partners Damon Dash and Kareem Burke. This event played a very important role in the future career of the artist. Concerning the album itself, it should be said that the name seems suitable, as "Reasonable Doubt" implies the existence of some kind of pressure, but not the loss of confidence.
Reasonable Doubt, created in 1996, is unique because it reveals the author of the album as an experienced writer, although at that time he was still rather young. Unlike many other performers of that time, Jay-Z did not try to copy the styles of his potential fans' favorite artists; instead, he presented his own smooth but streetwise viewpoint on the world around. The themes were money, status, success and the price to pay for all of that. Besides, there were the contradictions between these concepts. Jay-Z revealed different aspects of his style: sometimes it was laid-back, sometimes reflective. Such tracks on this album as "Can't Knock the Hustle", "Dead Presidents II", "Can I Live" and "Ain't No Nigga" serve as a good illustration of Jay-Z's performance. Additionally, there is the interesting fact concerning this album: it contains tracks by Foxy Brown, Mary J. Blige and The Notorious B.I.G.
The sound of Reasonable Doubt
Concerning the production of the album, it should be stated that it remains unique because there was much space left for Jay-Z's rhymes. It should be mentioned that Jay-Z is the performer who attaches great importance not only to the rhyme, but also to its rhythm and timing. Although the performance may seem relaxed, Jay-Z created this atmosphere deliberately to stress the importance of his rhymes. One more positive aspect of the album is the fact that the production did not spoil the possibility to hear the lyrics. On the contrary, it only emphasized the observations about money, status, trust and survival.
It should be admitted that the tracks of this album serve as a good illustration of how Jay-Z is successful in the creation of stories. Thus, "Can't Knock the Hustle" reveals the themes of career ambitions and self-mythology; "Dead Presidents II" reveals the desire to be rich. The track "Brooklyn's Finest", created in collaboration with The Notorious B.I.G., proves that Jay-Z belongs to the best performers of New York. The track "Ain't No Nigga" did not spoil the diversity of the album. Finally, "Can I Live" reveals how reflective stories Jay-Z could create.
Why it still matters
It can be said that this album is remarkable not because it was a crossover, but because it allowed the artist to create the background for himself. Such subsequent Jay-Z albums as In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997), The Blueprint (2001) and The Black Album (2003) made him one of the most influential performers of hip-hop culture. However, the themes popular on these albums can also be found on this one. Nevertheless, Reasonable Doubt remains the most remarkable album of Jay-Z because it was created at the very beginning of his career.
This album is remarkable because it reveals how Jay-Z created the concept of his album and how the artist turned into the performer with business intuition. The artist reveals himself as a person of a big scale who is still not so far from reality. At the same time, Jay-Z manages to combine successfully the ideas of luxury and vulnerability, style and precision. All these features can be found in the subsequent music of this performer. However, this is the first album where they appeared.
For the fans and readers who are looking for the answer "What is the first album of Jay-Z?" it should be said that it is called "Reasonable Doubt". However, for those people who want to understand the reasons for its significance, the answer will be more complicated.