Hovva. Jigga. J-Hov. Call him whatever you want, Jay-Z is the undisputed king of rap. He's the ruler of Brooklyn right now but every artist starts somewhere and with Jay, it was his debut Reasonable Doubt. This record put him on the map in a big way. Not necessarily sales wise but within the industry.Jay couldn't get a record deal so he and his crew decided to start their own label, Roc-a-Fella Records. They laid down the record and people were instantly knocked out. Whereas other rappers like Biggie Smalls had a more gruff voice, Jay was more subdued. While some artists took samples of other pop songs, Jay's producers opted for more old soul material along with light jazz and gospel.
The Classic Album series takes a great look at how this record came to be, complete with interviews with Jay and everybody connected with the creative process. There are also clips with Mary J. Blige and Kanye West who pay respect. Some of the musicians and producers recreate some of the instrumental tracks for a terrific look at the other side of the song. Even the photographer gives his take on how he decided on the accompanying artwork.
Of course, the best parts are where Jay talks about the lyrical information that led to lots of the songs. He tells about where he came from and the experiences that led him to where he ended up.
This is a great look at one of the most important rap albums of all time. Definitely recommended.
