The Black Album (Jay-Z)

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The Black Album
Album cover
LP by Jay-Z
Released November 14, 2003 (US)
Recorded N/A
Genre East Coast hip hop
Length N/A
Label Roc-A-Fella
Producer Kanye West, Eminem, 9th Wonder, The Neptunes, Buchannans, Timbaland, DJ Quik, Rick Rubin, Jay-Z, Aqua, Just Blaze, Luis Resto, Joseph Weinberger
Professional reviews
  • AMG (4.5/5) link (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:is9ks39wa39g)
  • Rolling Stone (4/5) link (http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=2047846)
  • Pitchfork Media (8/10) link (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/j/jay-z/black-album.shtml)
Jay-Z Chronology
The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse
(2002)
The Black Album
(2003)
Unfinished Business
(2004)

The Black Album was a 2003 hip hop music album by rapper Jay-Z. It is supposedly his last studio album and has generally been well received by the critics. [1] (http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/jayz/blackalbum)

The album mixes sentimental quotes from Jay-Z's mother in "December 4th" with defiance and anger in tracks like "What More Can I Say" and "Threat", delivering an emotionally driven final statement to the world.

It is rumored that Jay-Z will return to making records under a new pseudonym, most likely S. Carter. This rumor is given some credence because of various lyrics and imagery in his music videos. Most notably, the controversial "99 Problems" music video shows him being shot at the end, which he says signifies the death of Jay-Z.

An a capella version of this album, with the Beatles' self-titled album (the "White Album"), was in 2004 remixed into The Grey Album by DJ Danger Mouse.

Track listing

  1. "Interlude"
  2. "December 4th"
  3. "What More Can I Say"
  4. "Encore"
  5. "Change Clothes"
  6. "Dirt Off Your Shoulder"
  7. "Threat"
  8. "Moment Of Clarity"
  9. "99 Problems"
  10. "Public Service Announcement (Interlude)"
  11. "Justify My Thug"
  12. "Lucifer"
  13. "Allure"
  14. "My 1st Song"
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