What Is Jay-Z's Best Album?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture.

Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray

​This Week's Panel: Bun B, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Chingo Bling, Chane, Pyrexx, Renzo, hasHBrown, Doughbeezy, Kyle Hubbard, KAB, more.

Not Invited: Beyonce. Because she was busy taking it to Mars.

This Week's Prompt: So, Jay-Z's The Blueprint is now 10 years old. A chance for you to music-nerd out, then: What is Jay-Z's best album and why?

Bun B: The one with me on it [1999's Vol. 3: The Life and Times of Shawn Carter]... cuz I'm on it.

Z-Ro: I've never listened to a whole Jay-Z album before. No disrespect.

Slim Thug: Blueprint, to me. I still listen to it. Played it today.

Chane: Vol.2: Hard Knock Life. That album marked a huge transition in Jay's career. It was his claim to the king of New York since Big passed. Commercially, successful and it had one of hip-hop's biggest tours ever. That was a classic time period for Jay.

​Chingo Bling: When Reasonable Doubt dropped, it fit into my tamale-slangin' lifestyle... put it on and got to cooking.

Pyrexx: It don't matter. All of them went platinum. That speaks for themselves. J is the truth.

Mic Skills: The consensus is The Blueprint, which is great, but I think The Black Album jammed from beginning to end. Every song was epic, back to back. Beats and rhymes were hot, hooks were great. "Dirt Off Ya Shoulder"; "99 Problems"; etc. Classic.

Renzo: I fux wit American Gangster; very, very tough. He embodied the character very well and it flowed perfectly. Everything except "Hello Brooklyn." It seemed very out of place.

Hollywood Floss: It's a tie between Reasonable Doubt and Blueprint. I like Reasonable Doubt's lyrics, but Blueprint's music.

Doughbeezy: The Blueprint.