#TBT Anniversaries: Jay-Z

It’s crazy to think now, but at one point not a single person had heard of Jay-Z (we’re going back in time, so we’re keeping the hyphen). Now he is one of the most prominent figures in modern music whether he’s releasing his own music streaming service, or not realizing who Beyonce is. With the 20th anniversary of his debut album coming up we thought we would have a look at what started it all.

Shawn Corey Carter (his non-gangsta name) was leading a rather tough life up to this point. He was selling copies of his mixtapes out of his car and even turning to illicit methods of making money just to survive. Having been into music since a young age and actually attending the same high school as The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes it almost seems like it was inevitable he was set for stardom.

Originally to be called Heir to the Throne, Reasonable Doubt was released in 1996. In its first year it sold 420,000 which by current Jay-Z standards isn’t much but for a brand new artist is quite impressive. In the years after its released the appreciation for the album has risen and the album has now reached platinum status.

This album is considered to be a snapshot of what Jay-Z’s life was like right before he got signed. He considers it to be one of the darkest moments of his life and you can tell. The record is dark, unpolished yet completely real and from the heart. You can feel every emotion that he put into it.

Adding credibility to the project was the inclusion of some big names, the biggest of them all being The Notorious B.I.G.. With such high profile names included it was clear that there was some serious talent here. Even today after conquering the world Jay Z (see we traveled to the future here, no hyphen) still plays songs such as 22 Two’s and Friend or Foe, showing that this album isn’t just one of those throwaway debut’s.

All in all Jay-Z made one of the most successful hip-hop debuts ever and has gone on to become one of the richest artists worldwide. He is a household name and an inspiration to millions around the world and none of that would have happened without this.

Thank you so much for reading, what was your favorite song from Reasonable doubt, comment below, let us know. We have our new app on the American Appstore and if you feel like reading more from us we have plenty of similar articles on our page here.