By K.B. Tindal
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
A reason Jay-Z will always stick out as one of hip hop’s most-iconic figures is because he predicted his success. As early as Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, Jay-Z said he would soon retire from the game. Being a rapper was never a part of the plan, but doing rap music opened the door to the lifestyle he wanted.
From 1996 to 2003, Jay-Z evolved from a simple street rapper to a hood CEO, investing in many ventures alongside Damon Dash. By 2002, he had his hands in so many pots, he decided it was time to call it quits. During this period of time, the feud with Nas had just died down and Jay-Z kept his position, perfect time to call it quits.
Ending it all and fading to black, Jay-Z released The Black Album exactly ten years ago, today. Some have said it is The Black Album and not The Blueprint that is the classic album from Jay-Z to be revered and respected. Regardless of its position, the album is a classic and one of 2003’s best releases.
The theme of the album was goodbye and it’s evident on the first single, “Change Clothes,” as it shows the lifestyle Jay-Z is trading the rap game for. Perfect way to say goodbye, with Pharrell helping to usher him out of the game and Jay-Z also introduced a new suit era to the game, not the shiny suits, but the business suits. This album has left a lasting impact on the game because every emcee and hip hop head has some type of hustle going on, whether they are good at it or not remains to be seen, but Jay-Z bossed dudes up.
The Black Album also shows the first of many comparisons of Jay-Z likening himself to Michael Jordan. Ironically, Jay-Z’s “retirement” came in 2003, ten years after Jordan’s initial retirement. In the end, this was not Jay-Z’s swan song, but he still put forth a memorable retirement album, playing up his end in his other singles, such as “Encore” and “99 Problems,” where he actually “died” at the end of the music video, which was to be his last, signaling the end.
With this album, Jay-Z kept it true to himself with the continued collaborations with Pharrell, who scored him a major hit three years prior with “I Just Wanna Luv U (Give It 2 Me).” They did “Change Clothes” together and Jay-Z kept Kanye West involved, who he began working with during The Blueprint era, as he produced “Encore.” Signaling his retirement with such songs as “What More Can I Say,” Jay-Z kept his honoring of history going with “99 Problems,” which Rick Rubin produced, and he helped build Def Jam.
Since Jay-Z was quitting rap to take over as CEO of Def Jam, it was a very smart play to woo fans by having Rick Rubin produce his final single. But, Jay-Z hit the game all across the board, with Eminem producing the “Moment of Clarity” track, which officially ended all talk about his father, who had recently died. Through Jay-Z’s chronology, he buried the hatchet on record with his father, but the track provided closure, as the title suggested.
It wouldn’t be typical Jay-Z if he did not introduce a new trend with the album and that came with the “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” single, as that phrase dominated 2003-2006 dialogue. But, this ending was not the official ending and many felt it would not be. Just like the leading character in a blockbuster movie, when the sequel premiered, so did a very much so alive Jay-Z, who was thought to have died in 2003-2004 to make room for the rebirth of Shawn Carter.
See content from The Black Album below:
Watch “Change Clothes” by Jay-Z ft. Pharrell below:
Watch Jay-Z performing “Encore” with Pharrell at Madison Square Garden in New York City below:
Watch “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” by Jay-Z below:
Watch “99 Problems” by Jay-Z below:
Follow K.B. Tindal on Twitter @KBTindal.
