Today marks the 24th anniversary of Jay-Z’s classic debut Reasonable Doubt. Since its 1996 release, the album has received praise by critics and fans alike for its unique depiction of street life and hood politics. As a way to celebrate the records anniversary, we will see if the project has withstood the test of time with this special classic review.
Lyrically, Jay-Z’s raw aggression exemplifies how hungry he was for success. Hov sounds years ahead of his time with his complex and personal rhyme schemes covering subjects such as drug dealing and the issues that coincide with it. The technicality and connectedness of his bars on tracks such as “22 Two’s” sounds masterful and more profound than most rappers this day. Jay guides you through the life he chose as a boy and the various effects it has had on him on tracks such as “Politics As Usual” and “D’evils”. While he credits his street empire for instilling him with the work ethic he has now, Hov is extremely blunt about the pain and loss it has caused him. Overall, Reasonable Doubt captures everything a 27-year-old Jay-Z had to say when recollecting upon his dark past.
Sonically, Reasonable Doubt has aged fairly well compared to most of its counterparts. Being produced at the pinnacle of the boom-bap era, the project’s sound captures everything New York hip hop had to offer at the time. With Dj Premer, Ski, and Clark Kent mainly behind the boards, the instrumental direction sounds refined and pleasing. A standout beat is on the track “D’evils” which captures the pain and darkness in Jay’s life while “Can I Live” shows the more elegant side to his newfound stardom. The sampling is done exceptionally well for the time, especially on Dead Presidents II”. To summarize, Reasonable Doubt creates the perfect score for Jay to narrate his life over.
In conclusion, Reasonable Doubt is an all-time hip hop classic, which sounds just as good as the day it came out. We predominantly see the gangster persona of Jay-Z, but he fleshes himself out by also sharing his compelling thoughts and emotions with his listeners. My only gripe with the album is that there is a teeny bit of filler and outdated production, but it hardly hurts the listening experience. In the future, Jay-Z’s debut will continue to resonate with generations to come as it contains all the components a generation-defining rap album needs.
Rating: 9.5/10
