Jay Z ‘Reasonable Doubt’ 20th Anniversary
In the coming months we’ll be reformatting these album related posts to make them more browsable so we’re switching up the format a little. All the essential info you need about classic releases in one place!
Release date: June 25th 1996
Label: Roc-a-fella / Priority
Producers: Sean Cane, DJ Clark Kent, DJ Premier, Irv Gotti, Jaz-O, Knobody, Peter Panic, Ski
Profile (courtesy of Wikipedia):
“Reasonable Doubt is the debut studio album by American rapperJay-Z. It was released on June 25, 1996, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Priority Records. The album features production provided by DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody and Clark Kent, and also it includes guest appearances from Memphis Bleek, Mary J. Blige and The Notorious B.I.G., among others. The album features Mafioso rap themes and gritty lyrics about the “hustler” lifestyle and material obsessions.
Reasonable Doubt debuted at number 23 on the US Billboard 200, on which it charted for 18 weeks. It was promoted with four singles; including “Ain’t No Nigga” and “Can’t Knock the Hustle”. Reasonable Doubt was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and, as of 2006, has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States. A critical success, it has been ranked on several publications’ lists of the greatest rap albums ever, while many hip hop fans have viewed it as Jay-Z’s best work.”
Additional info:
- Album comes in at #1 on Ego Trip’s Top 25 Rap Albums of 1996.
- Singles from the album ‘Dead Presidents’ and ‘Can’t Knock the Hustle’ come in at #2 and #4 respectively on Ego Trip’s Top 40 Rap Singles of 1996.
- For further listening check out Classic Material contributor DJ Matman‘s Reasonable Doubt 20th Anniversary Mixtape.
Purchase: Discogs