The 500 - #250 - Reasonable Doubt - Jay-Z

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #250
Album Title: Reasonable Doubt
Artist: Jay-Z
Genre: Mafiosa Rap, East Coast Hip Hop
Recorded: D&D Studios, New York City, USA
Released: June, 1996
My age at release: 30 
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #67, up 183 spots since 2012
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Reasonable Doubt

In January, 2019, when I began the daunting journey of listening to and blogging about The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (Rolling Stone Magazine 2012 Edition), I had some reasonable doubts:

Was I biting off more than I could chew?
Would I get 40 records into the project and sputter?
Would life get too busy for me to maintain a weekly pace?

Now I am feeling much more optimistic since officially making it to the halfway point with this week’s presentation. It's been a terrific experience so far and I am meeting the goals I set out for myself:

• Write weekly: This blog began with a focus on education; however, weekly topics were often elusive. But The 500 allowed me to evolve and innovate by providing a launching point to intertwine the evolution of music albums and, when it fit, classroom teaching.
• If you teach it, do it: I try to inspire my love of learning with my students. More than anything, I want them to be critical thinkers who are life-long learners. I teach writing, so I write. I'm also learning piano and Spanish while staying active in sports. Education truly is a life-long experience.
• Explore Diverse Music Genres: It is easy to get stagnant with one's music tastes. By the time we hit our 40s, we have "aged-out" of popular music trends and tend to listen to tried and true favourites over and over again. I wanted to shake up my listening habits and the journey through The 500 has diversified my audio choices while expanding my knowledge and appreciation of music.

I listened to Reasonable Doubt, the debut album from Jay-Z, for the first time in preparation for this week’s offering. It is the third from the Mafioso Rap genre featured on The 500. I wrote about the first one, Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Links, back in May, 2019. It is at position #480. Additionally, at position #476, I wrote about Life After Death from Notorious B.I.G. the following month.

Album Cover for Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Links

Mafioso Rap is characterized by references to organized crime. Sometimes, a gritty narrative presented in the lyrics focuses on low-level street toughs and thugs, unfazed by the danger of crime because it can be the ticket to money and status. Mafioso Rap can also chronicle the lavish lifestyles of crime bosses, soaking up the materialistic and hedonistic pleasures of champagne, expensive drugs, beautiful women, high-end jewelry and fancy cars.

On Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z weaves a tale that straddles both worlds. It is full of clever, double-entendres and contrasts the glamorous lifestyle of crime kingpins to the toll wreaked on the inner-peace and mental health of those who emulate them. Music critic Steve Huey summarized the record brilliantly by saying:

Jay-Z is cocky bordering on arrogant, but playful and witty, and exudes an effortless, unaffected cool throughout. And even if he's rapping about rising to the top instead of being there, his material obsessions are already apparent. The album demonstrates his extraordinary talent as a pure freestyle rapper, but also preaches a subtle message...'bad behavior gets in the way of making money.' Perhaps that's why Jay-Z waxes reflective, not enthusiastic, about the darker side of the streets."

I'll admit, Mafioso Rap is not my cup of tea. Still, I enjoy Jay-Z's clever use of language and his ability to weave long, lyrical passages filled with internal, multi-syllabic rhymes mixed with ingenious pop-culture references. It's easy to understand why he is so highly regarded in hip-hop culture. He is a dexterous wordsmith.

Jay-Z reportedly called the record Reasonable Doubt because he recognized the risk he was taking on his first solo project. He knew that any artistic endeavor draws criticism and judgment. He also knew that many of his rhymes were bold, boastful and even arrogant.

His doubts were quickly assuaged and, over the past 28 years, he has built an empire, securing a lavish lifestyle without participating in crime. He and his wife, Beyonce, have a combined worth of $2.5 Billion, not bad for a kid who was raised by a single mother in the tough Bedford-Stuyvesant housing projects in Brooklyn where gangster life was a reality.

Jay-Z and his wife of 15 years, Beyonce

My reasonable doubt has also been eased. I now have fewer records to write about than I have written about. The end is still four years away. but it seems increasingly likely I will make it there. Hope you can join me.

The 500 - #251 - The Blueprint - Jay Z

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #252
Album Title: The Blueprint
Artist: Jay-Z
Genre: East Coast Hip-Hop
Recorded: Two Studios, New York, NY
Released: September, 2001
My age at release: 36
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #50, moving up 201 spots since 2012
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: IZZO (H.O.V.A.)

In the mid-’80s, music retailers in remote geographical areas were frustrated. When a new record was released, they would often receive it days after it had made its way to shelves at other stores -- usually those in larger cities with faster postal delivery. To level the playing field record labels decided on Tuesdays as a universal release day. Records and compact discs that arrived before the weekend were kept boxed-up until the store opened on Tuesday morning, giving stores at the end of the supply chain a little extra time to receive their deliveries. Hence, an industry standard - dubbed New Music Tuesday, Record Release Tuesday or New Release Tuesday - was born.

The Blueprint, the sixth studio record, from rapper, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur Jay-Z (born: Shawn Corey Carter), was released on a Tuesday. Unfortunately, it was one of 19 major record releases that were scheduled to hit shelves on September 11, 2001 -- when four planes hijacked by terrorists were flown into the World Trade Centre in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, and a rural field in Pennsylvania. About 3,000 people were killed – and the world was convulsed and changed forever.

Among the other records debuting on that terrible day was Bob Dylan's Love And Theft, which came in at #385 on The 500. I wrote about it in January, 2021. That is a strange coincidence, but not the strangest I've discovered.

The most mind-bending coincidence involved the release of a live recording from the progressive rock band Dream Theatre. Unwittingly titled Live Scenes from New York. The recording was made at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City in August, 2000. Like 18 other records in the works, it, too, was scheduled to arrive in record stores that world-wrenching week 13 months later. The artwork selected for the cover was based on a motif printed on Dream Theatre’s 1992 album, Images and Words, featuring a burning heart wrapped in barbed wire.

Cover to Image and Words, by Dream Theatre 

On Live Scenes From New York, the heart was replaced with a flaming apple wrapped in barbed wire, set against the backdrop of the New York City skyline showing the World Trade Center engulfed in flames.

Original cover of Live Scenes From New York

Given the events of the day, the band/record company panicked and pulled the record from the shelves, to be replaced by a re-issued cover weeks later – before the conspiratorially-minded among us were thrown into a frenzy.

Reissued cover to Live Scenes From New York

The Blueprint, from Jay-Z, required no changes to its cover art. It features an aerial shot, depicting the New York-based rapper smoking a cigar while seated on a table. It was taken by photographer Jonathan Mannion, who shot many of Jay-Z's covers. However, its composition was inspired by the portfolio of British photographer Jocelyn Bain Hogg, who spent 10 years documenting British gangsters in South London for her 2001 exhibit, The Firm.    

Jocelyn Bain Hogg shot on the left, from her The Firm portfolio
Jay-Z inspired, The Blueprint, cover on the right.

The gangster motif Jay-Z selected to emulate was fitting. At the time, Carter, who also goes by the monikers, Hova, El Presidente, Jigga, HOV and The Carter Administration, was awaiting two criminal trials for gun possession and assault. He pleaded not-guilty, but eventually accepted a three-year probationary sentence on a lesser charge of third-degree assault.

Jay Z - early 200s

Jay-Z was also embroiled in a number of "feuds" with other rappers, including Jadakiss, Fat Joe, Nas and Mobb Deep. Takeover, the second song on The Blueprint, features lyrics intended to "disrespect" or "disparage" all four -- a familiar tactic in hip-hop music called a "diss track". The premise presented in the song's lyrics asserted the dominance of Jay-Z and his rap crew, The Roc A-Fella Family, as the best in the genre. Each verse is then dedicated to defaming the skills and reputation of his rivals, who are identified by name within the song.

Promotional photo for Jay-Z and his posse - Roc A-Fella Family

"Diss Tracks" were common in the rap genre at the time and could have real world consequences. Numerous hip-hop feuds have turned violent and several have resulted in death. Consequently, the cover of The Blueprint, depicting Jay-Z as a confident, cigar-smoking gangster, is an intentional part of the fearless and tough image he deliberately portrayed.

Fortunately, with age comes wisdom and cooler heads eventually prevailed. Nas, whose record Illmatic (#402 on The 500) reconciled with Jay-Z in 2005 when the pair performed together at a concert in New Jersey -- fitting neutral grounds for two of the biggest artists to come out of the New York scene in the ‘90s.

Nas (left) and Jay-Z reconcile in New Jersey (2005)

The practise of releasing records on New Music Tuesday came to an end in 2015 when digital downloads became the industry norm. The Blueprint, which was released on that fateful Tuesday in September, 2001, rebounded quickly from understandably poor sales in its first week. It went to the top of the Billboard charts a few weeks later and has been certified platinum three times in the United States -- more than 3 million copies sold. It also moved to the top 50 on the 2020 edition of The 500.

What about Illmatic by Nas?

Well, it jumped 358 spots to land at #41. So, if a quiet beef was still going on, Nas won that battle. Granted, with a combined worth of three billion dollars, Jay-Z and his wife, Beyonce, are likely unconcerned with arbitrary album rankings.

  

The 500 - #349 - The Black Album - Jay Z

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: # 349

Album Title: The Black Album

Artist: Jay Z

Genre: Hip-Hop

Recorded: 4 U.S. Studios (New York, Detroit, Los Angeles & Miami)

Released: November, 2003

My age at release: 38

How familiar was I with it before this week: One Song

Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: 99 Problems

On the Ontario Report Card for elementary students (Grade 1-8), the most important section is Learning Skills and Working Habits. In Growing Success, the 2010 document that outlines the policies and practises for educators to assess, evaluate and report on student progress in Ontario schools, six specific learning skills are identified: Responsibility, Organization, Independent Work, Initiative, Self-Regulation and Collaboration.

For the past few years, I have been teaching Grade 7 students (12 to 13 year-olds). They are at the age where they can develop a deeper understanding of these learning skills and reflect on their strengths and challenges through a metacognitive lens. This involves working with them to write their own report card comments. For me, this means much less writing, but much more time discussing how best to assess each learner's triumphs and prepare strategies to improve their work habits.

Among the questions I ask are two that almost always elicit the same responses. The first is, "Which of these learning skills do you think is the most important in our class, and for life?" The second is, "Which learning skill do you think is your best?"

I don't have documented data, but venture to say that, overwhelmingly, the answer to both questions is Collaboration. The responses thrill me because employment opportunities are increasingly prioritizing teamwork. The Google Workplace Model, which fosters creativity, flexibility and collaboration, is being adopted by companies in greater numbers. This is particularly true in the tech-sector, where many jobs can now be found.

I thought a lot about collaboration as I listened to this week's record, The Black Album by Jay Z. It is the eighth studio record by the rapper, songwriter, record executive and entrepreneur who is widely regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists in history. 

Jay Z with his wife  Beyoncé

The Black Album features almost 50 collaborators, including many big names from the world of entertainment, such as: Kanye West, Eminem, Cedric The Entertainer, John Legend, Timbaland, Rick Rubin and Pharrell Williams. Additionally, samples have been borrowed from multiple artists, including: Bill Haley and The Comets, Madonna, Wilson Pickett and Billy Squier. Rather than relying on a single producer, Jay Z recruited ten individuals or production teams. He even co-produced the song Threat alongside Patrick Denard Douthit, better known by his hip-hop pseudonym, 9th Wonder. 

Hip Hop Producer 9th Wonder

There was a time when I didn't recognize the importance of the spirit of collaboration in the hip-hop recording community. I grew up as a fan of music that was written, performed and sometimes even produced by the members of the bands I loved. My favourite group growing up, Rush, comprised a trio that wrote and performed all of the music. For nine of their first ten records, they employed Terry Brown as their sole producer. 

Rush with producer Terry Brown (third from left)

In 2015, fans of performer Beyoncé (who call themselves The Beehive), were outraged when the singer's fifth record, Beyoncé, failed to win the Grammy Award for Album of The Year. The honour was, instead, awarded to the record Morning Phase by Beck. Fans of Beck were quick to post the following graphic to social media threads, suggesting that the Beck record was superior because Morning Phase had been written and produced by Beck while Beyoncé had worked with more than 20 writers and producers, including her husband Shawn "Jay Z" Carter.

Social Media graphic comparing Beck's record with Beyonce's

At the time of this controversy, I would have been on Team Beck. My mindset about record production prioritized individual creativity above collaboration. However, as my appreciation of the hip-hop genre has increased, mainly because of The 500, I better understand the importance of a collaborative spirit. After all, I encourage collaboration with my students daily. Why, then, wouldn't I tout Beyoncé’s record? -- An album which on the updated 2020 list is ranked #81. Beck's Morning Phase failed to chart.  

The Black Album exhibits Jay Z's willingness to work with many artists to create a record that welcomes a variety of sounds and styles. It is, as Rolling Stone Magazine writer Joe Caramanica put it, "both old school and utterly modern. showcasing Jay Z's rapping talents at the top of their game."

My first exposure to the album came when the song 99 Problems was remixed by producer Danger Mouse for The Grey Album, a record that blended "a cappella" versions of Jay Z's raps with samples from The Beatles' 1968 self-titled record, often called The White Album -- A clever title given that elements from The Black Album blended with The White Album -- created The Grey Album.

I was hooked. The aggressive and catchy lyrics from 99 Problems brilliantly fused with the raw and raunchy signature guitar riff from the song Helter Skelter.  It's worth a listen.

I was hesitant to rhapsodize about this song for some time because of being troubled by the apparently disparaging chorus. 

"If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son,

I've got 99 problems and a bitch ain't one."

However, I recently learned (through The 500 Podcast episode with guest Neal Brennan) that "bitches" referred to police dogs. In his 2010 autobiography, Decoded, Jay Z maintained that the lyrics referenced a 1994 incident when he was pulled over by police. He refused to allow them to search his car. The police threatened to bring in police "drug" dogs to sniff the vehicle and, potentially, give them just cause for a search. However, the dogs never arrived and the threat proved to be an empty one.

When I revisited verse two of 99 Problems, the narrative became obvious and the deeper commentary on the prevalence of racial profiling was crystal clear.

"So I pull over to the side of the road
I heard, "Son, do you know why I'm stopping you for?"
‘Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hat's real low?
Do I look like a mind reader, sir? I don't know
Am I under arrest or should I guess some more?
"Well, you was doing 55 in a 54
License and registration and step out of the car
Are you carrying a weapon on you? I know a lot of you are."

So, a tip-of-the-hat to Jay Z and Beyoncé and their comfort with collaboration, as well as the guts to relinquish control of their art in the hopes of creating something even better. Clearly, with The Black Album, this was achieved.