Jay-Z is undeniably one of the most important artists of our generation. His career has flourished with hit after hit. Need proof? Here's an annotated overview of Jay-Z's discography.
By now, Jay-Z the gully hustler has been polished to utmost luster. To that effect, he encountered his biggest commercial success with Vol. 2, thanks to anthems like the sing-along "Hard Knock Life," "Money Ain't a Thang" and "Can I Get A..." The album earned Jay his first No.1 debut, en route to an impressive 5.5 million records sold. Not to mention a Grammy for Best Rap Album.More »
During Game 5 of the 2013 NBA Finals, Jay-Z announced a new album, Magna Carta... Holy Grail. It debuted on July 4th, with production from Pharrell, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland and guest vocals from Nas, Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean, and Beyonce. As part of his #newrules campaign, Jay teamed up with SAMSUNG to give away a million free copies of the album. Magna Carta... Holy Grail was certified platinum upon its release.
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•'Reasonable Doubt' (1996)
By all creative standards, Jay-Z's first album was his best. Before Reasonable Doubt, no other rap album had been able to straddle the extraordinarily thin line between honest introspection and defiance so well. On one hand, Jay romanticized superficiality; on the other, he flirted with personal regrets that stemmed from said obsession with superficiality. Reasonable Doubt was both an honest narrative of the ills associated with street life and an unrepentant defense of it.More »){kind=link}
•'In My Lifetime Vol. 1' (1997)
Considering that Jay was only supposed to record one album, In My Lifetime is a pretty darn remarkable follow-up. He turns up the braggadocio a couple notches, while sustaining the intelligent thug persona thing that permeated his first CD. Vol. 1 produced classics like "Where I'm From" and "Streets Is Watching."More »){kind=link}
•'Vol. 2 Hardknock Life' (1998)
By now, Jay-Z the gully hustler has been polished to utmost luster. To that effect, he encountered his biggest commercial success with Vol. 2, thanks to anthems like the sing-along "Hard Knock Life," "Money Ain't a Thang" and "Can I Get A..." The album earned Jay his first No.1 debut, en route to an impressive 5.5 million records sold. Not to mention a Grammy for Best Rap Album.More »
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•'Vol.3...Life & Times of S. Carter' (1999)
Jigga's ambivalent part-thug, part-seductive personality is largely at play here. The poignant production is also a big part of the success recipe. DJ Premier, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, and Rockwilder all contribute some hard-hitting anthems. Standout cuts include: "It's Hot," "Big Pimpin'," and "Do It Again."More »){kind=link}
•'The Dynasty: Roc-La-Familia' (2000)
In an attempt to capitalize on his popularity, Jay assembles his protégés Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, and others for this lackluster compilation. Still, The Dynasty managed to debut at No. 1 and went on to be certified platinum.More »){kind=link}
•'The Blueprint' (2001)
It's impossible to exaggerate the grandness of The Blueprint to Jay-Z's career. An album so feisty not even Osama bin Laden could stop its flight to the top when it arrived on the same day as the tragic terrorist events of 9/11, Blueprint solidified Jay's place as a contender for the crown. From power pop ("Izzo (H.O.V.A.)") to vulnerability ("Song Cry"), Jay demonstrated range and versatility throughout The Blueprint.More »){kind=link}
•'The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse' (2002)
This should have been named The Curse After the Gift. Jigga's attempt to follow up his 2001 masterpiece falls flat on its face. The album was intentionally overloaded with guests to flaunt Jay-Z's clout in the game. The drawback of this approach, of course, is an album's worth of filler material. After the 2-disc LP failed to move a substantial amount of units, Jay-Z learned from his mistakes and compressed it into one album which he re-named The Blueprint 2.0.More »){kind=link}
•'The Black Album' (2003)
Ah, the much trumpeted farewell album. If The Black Album had ended up being Jay-Z's final lap, one could safely conclude then that he went out with a loud bang. Jay's eighth studio album gave rise to instant hits like "99 Problems" and "What More Can I Say," as well as the concert favorite "P.S.A."More »){kind=link}
•'Kingdom Come' (2006)
When Jay announced his retirement in 2003, no one believed him. Many saw the move as a scheme to build up anticipation for his next release. Enter Kingdom Come, an album in which Mr. Carter exchanged street clothes for a three-piece suit. Jigga's comeback album was rife with bragfests on anchoring boardroom meetings and paying more taxes than most will make in a lifetime. A big "huh" moment ensued among his audience, many of whom were still scraping up for their first car. Luckily, gems like "Kingdom Come," "Do U Wanna Ride" and "Minority Report" kept the album from being a dud.More »){kind=link}
•'American Gangster' (2007)
After seeing an early version of the Ridley Scott-directed movie American Gangster, Jay-Z decided to record a complementary concept album of the same title. Highlights include "Say Hello," "American Dreaming," and "Blue Magic" (a bonus track).More »){kind=link}
•'The Blueprint 3' (2009)
Jay-Z concludes his Blueprint trilogy with the release of Blueprint 3 on 9/11/09. Kanye contributes a total of 7 tracks, with Timbaland and No. I.D. manning the boards on the other songs. It's a solid effort, but fails to match the intensity of the original disc.Buy from Amazon »){kind=link}
•'Magna Carta... Holy Grail' (2013)
During Game 5 of the 2013 NBA Finals, Jay-Z announced a new album, Magna Carta... Holy Grail. It debuted on July 4th, with production from Pharrell, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland and guest vocals from Nas, Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean, and Beyonce. As part of his #newrules campaign, Jay teamed up with SAMSUNG to give away a million free copies of the album. Magna Carta... Holy Grail was certified platinum upon its release.