in a word; hmmmmmm.
I've heard it before but years ago, i'm not sure it's that special. Dead Presidents is obviously phenomenal, and there are a few other standout tracks - Can't Knock The Hustle, Brooklyn's Finest, Feelin' It, D'Evils, Aint No Wigga, but i don't think it's any better than 'I Am', 'Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z', 'Life After Death', 'Harlem World', '36 Chambers' or 'The Score'. Thoughts?
No better than some of the highest
regardest rap albums ever made? not exactly the harshest hmmmm ever. I watched something on BBC2 the other day about this album and was actually really impressed with some of the production. I might download it and try to put to bed my aversion to Jay-Z
most highly
regarded*
highest regardest is pretty poor even by my own low standards
1000% this.
I'd been a bit ignorant to hip-hop until then, but i was really impressed at some of the ideas behind the record. I used to like Jay-Z and the others mentioned above when i was 14/15, but ignored it since, but even above the music when i've heard him speak i've been impressed about his knowledge of music, song structures, ideas, lyrics. Because of the type of music he/other hip-hop artists make you(well i, certainly) wouldn't have given them the credit they deserve. Regarding comparing it to records at the top of the genre, i only did that because two people have said to me that Reasonable Doubt is THE definitive record of that genre, and that programme seemed to say the same. For me, the BIG and Mase records are better.
...and at least one of the Tupac LPs.
I didn't know it was
held in such high esteem but then i don't know many people whos first musical language is hip-hop if you know worrimean (black people).
Mase!
I certainly don't agree with that at all. The first half of Reasonable Doubt is just one great song after another, does drop off a bit I'd agree and there are too many other great mid-90s New York rap albums to say it's definitive (i.e. Ready to Die, Illmatic and 36 Chambers).
It's really good
but my fav hip hop album ever has to be Tical by Method Man, its darrrk
It's perhaps not the best place to start with Jay-Z...
In order, my top 5 favourite albums of his for me are:
1) 'The Blueprint'
2) 'The Black Album'
3) 'American Gangster'
4) 'Reasonable Doubt'
5) 'In My Lifetime: Vol3'
Which of those albums
has the soul/jazzy production like what i done heard on the documentary i watched the other night and which have the OTT sampling stuff like 99 Problems? ta muchly
None of them quite get back to the Reasonable Doubt jazz club sound
I'd actually try American Gangster first.
'The Blueprint'...
...and 'American Gangster' are the most sould sounding. The majority of 'The Blueprint is produced by Kanye West and Just Blaze so it's pretty amazing.
'The Black Album' is the most eclectic I guess, but he hasn't done anything else like '99 Problems' really unless you count that album he did with Linkin Park (don't).
.
'Reasonable Doubt' is my favourite Jay-Z album. Don't personally think its a classic album, don't personally think he's ever released a classic album.