Jay-Z - The Black Album

NME.COM feature on Jay-Z - The Black Album album including album review, artwork, tracks, listen now, tour dates, discography and more.

Album Review

Release date: 02 March 2010

Jay-Z - The Black Album

Jay-Z : The Black Album

Jay-Z's 'last ever' album sees him make a return to form, but is it really the Jigga's final curtain?

And now, the end is near. The jigga faces the final curtain. 'The Black Album' is Jay-Z 's ninth album in seven years and, if we're to believe this elegant hip-hop institution, the last one he'll ever make. "Pound for pound I'm the best that ever come around," he claims on 'What More Can I Say?' And, while the rap world is necessarily full of...

Read full review

More Jay-Z Reviews

Jay-Z feat. BIC - 'Glory'

Jay-Z feat. BIC - 'Glory'

Can reduce a cynic to a big pile of mush

Live Review: Jay-Z And Kanye West

Live Review: Jay-Z And Kanye West

New Jersey Izod Centre, Saturday 5th November

Album review: Jay-Z - 'The Blueprint III'

Album review: Jay-Z - 'The Blueprint III'

Three 'Blueprint...''s in and Jigga delivers with quality beats and an all-star cast

More Jay-Z Reviews

Jay-Z Tickets

Date / Time Artist Venue Town/City Seetickets Viagogo
Jun 11, 2012 20:15 Jay Z Manchester Arena Manchester

Buy Jay Z Tickets
from £53

 

Jun 13, 2012 19:30 Jay Z Lg Arena, The Nec Birmingham

Buy Jay Z Tickets

 

All Jay-Z Tickets

Jay-Z - The Black Album Videos

More Jay-Z - The Black Album Videos

Jay-Z - The Black Album YouTube Videos

More Jay-Z - The Black Album YouTube Videos

Jay-Z News

Jay-Z to write new songs for Willow Smith-starring version of 'Annie'

Jay-Z to write new songs for Willow Smith-starring version of 'Annie'

The rapper will score the Will Smith produced musical

Jay-Z to curate and headline his own music festival this summer

Jay-Z to curate and headline his own music festival this summer

Rapper will headline the 'Made In America' festival in Philadelphia

Fans frustrated as BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend ticket site crashes

Fans frustrated as BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend ticket site crashes

Tickets for Jay-Z and Rihanna headlined bash go on-sale

More Jay-Z News

Jay-Z - The Black Album: Wikipedia Album Entry

The Black Album is a 2003 hip hop album by rapper Jay-Z. It was promoted as his final studio album, although Jay-Z subsequently announced a return to solo recording in 2006. The album was very well received by critics and was also a commercial success, debuting at #1 with about 463,000 sold in its first week and more than 3.5 million to date. The black disc is accompanied by a black-covered set of liner notes and a black jewel case.

The album features a guest appearance by Pharrell Williams (in "Change Clothes"), and Jay-Z's mother, who speaks about his childhood in different portions of "December 4th". An a cappella-only version of The Black Album featuring these performances was also released.

In early interviews, Jay-Z said that the album would be a return to his Reasonable Doubt sound (responding to criticism from some fans that his subsequent efforts were too commercial) and that it would be "for the streets", with no promotion or singles however, "Change Clothes" and "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" were both successful singles.

He also claimed that the album would have a different producer for each track, and early magazine advertisements listed a series of numbers (representing tracks) and a producer for each number. The final album did feature a variety in producers, although Roc-A-Fella producers Kanye West and Just Blaze produced two tracks each, in addition to the two produced by frequent Jay-Z collaborators The Neptunes. Longtime collaborators DJ Premier and Dr. Dre did not produce any tracks. 9th Wonder saw a boost in popularity after producing "Threat" for the album. (Jay-Z is credited as the second producer on the track for finding the R. Kelly sample that was included in the beat.)

User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.

Like Jay-Z? You might also like...

Powered by Last.fm

Artist/Album artwork images hosted by Last.fm. For copyright enquiries please see here.

Buy Jay-Z Albums

All Jay-Z Albums

Jay-Z - The Black Album Lyrics

Jay-Z - Intro Lyrics

It's the Dynasty niggaz as promised
The world's most infamous Roc-A-Fella Records
This is Roc La Familia
It's Young Hova, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Amil-lion

More Jay-Z - Intro Lyrics

Jay-Z - Allure Lyrics

Young it's the life
Once again it's the life
Yes
I don't know why I .get so high off get so high off .get so highhigh off the life

More Jay-Z - Allure Lyrics

Jay-Z - Lucifer Lyrics

Lucifer son of da mornin'
I'm gonna chase you out of earth
Lucifer, Lucifer son of da mornin'
I'm from the murder capitol

More Jay-Z - Lucifer Lyrics

Jay-Z - Justify My Thug Lyrics

This feel right, right here, quick
It's like it's supposed to happen, this one right here
Young, God damn
Let me justify my thug on this one right here

More Jay-Z - Justify My Thug Lyrics

Jay-Z - Public Service Announcement (Interlude) Lyrics

This is a public service announcement
Sponsored by Just Blaze and the good folks at Roc-A-Fella records
Fellow Americans, it is with the utmost pride and sincerity
That I present this recording, as a living testament and recollection

More Jay-Z - Public Service Announcement (Interlude) Lyrics

Jay-Z - 99 Problems Lyrics

If you havin' girl problems I feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one

I got the Rap Patrol on the gat patrol

More Jay-Z - 99 Problems Lyrics

Jay-Z - Moment Of Clarity Lyrics

Ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah
Turn the music up, turn the lights down, I'm in my zone

Thank God for grantin' me this moment of clarity

More Jay-Z - Moment Of Clarity Lyrics

Jay-Z - Threat Lyrics

Yo once a pimp gets threats
That's right, that's the the that's, that's threats them
And I'm serious about mine, I'm so sin-surr
And I, nigga I'll kill ya, I'll chop ya up

More Jay-Z - Threat Lyrics

Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder Lyrics

You're now tuned into the muh'fuckin' greatest
Turn the music up in the headphones
Tim, you can go and brush your shoulder off nigga
I got you, yeah

More Jay-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder Lyrics

Jay-Z - Change Clothes Lyrics

Uh, uh, uh, yeah, uh, your boy is back
(Sexy sexy) I know y'all miss the bounce
Need to bounce for the sexy you know

More Jay-Z - Change Clothes Lyrics

Jay-Z - Encore Lyrics

Thank you, thank you
Thank you, you're far too kind

Now can I get an encore, do you want more

More Jay-Z - Encore Lyrics

Jay-Z - What More Can I Say? Lyrics

Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained?
Is this not why you are here?
Uh uh-huh
Uh uh-huh uhh

More Jay-Z - What More Can I Say? Lyrics

Jay-Z - December 4th Lyrics

Shawn Carter was born December 4th
Weighing in at 10 pounds 8 ounces, he was the last of my 4 children
The only one who didn't give me any pain when I gave birth to him
And that's how I knew that he was a special child

More Jay-Z - December 4th Lyrics

Jay-Z - My 1st Song Lyrics

I'm just, tryin' to stay above water y'know
Just stay busy, stay workin'
Puff told me like, the key to this joint
The key to staying, on top of things

More Jay-Z - My 1st Song Lyrics

More Jay-Z - The Black Album Lyrics

New Issue On Sale Now
Newsletter

Free weekly music news, videos and MP3s in your inbox:

Most Read News
Popular This Week
NME Store & Framed Prints
Inside NME.COM
On NME.COM Today