When neverending debates of the greatest of all time in rap commence, Jay-Z's name reigns as mandatory in these conversations. The longevity that Jay-Z has adored over the course of almost 30 years is unprecedented and unheard of in any profession. Success that lasts that long only comes from an artist who excels at Jay-Z's level, but does his discography excel enough to warrant his GOAT status?
To best assess Jay-Z's GOAT status, one must assess all 13 of his solo rap albums. Without including collaborative albums with the likes of Beyoncé and Kanye West, seeing how Hov presents himself without consistent assistance throughout the project is the best way to review his worthiness as the all-time best rapper ever. By the same accord, in assessing all of his albums in unison, it allows readers to understand which of his albums rank unremarkably as the worst and which ones rank highly as the undisputed best.
13 Kingdom Come
Even Jay-Z Hates It
Three years after promoting The Black Album as his last album, Kingdom Come arrived as his comeback album. With those expectations, the project is already underwhelming. It's telling that Jay himself isn't a fan of Kingdom Come. In 2013 for Life and Times, he celebrated his 44th birthday by ranking all of his albums, placing Kingdom Come dead last and defending himself by saying, "First game back, don't shoot me." No one should shoot the messenger, but Kingdom Come is weak enough to shoot off the record player.
12 The Blueprint 3
A Disappointing End to a Great Trilogy
Both The Blueprint and The Blueprint 2 rank highly among Jay-Z's best albums. In fact, in different ways, both projects are viewed as actual blueprints for how to craft excellent hip-hop music. The Blueprint 3, unfortunately, does not hold up in the same way and, for many fans of the trilogy, stands out as the significantly worst out of the three. Like Kingdom Come, there are a small handful of redeeming tracks, but not enough to recommend the album.
11 American Gangster
A True Comeback Album and Return to Form
After the disappointment of Kingdom Come, Jay-Z manages to find new inspiration in the 2007 movie of the same name to land the dismount this time. The concept album is deeply rooted in mafioso themes that place Jay-Z gangster motifs into the past into a cinematic setting, not just because the album sports a prominent cameo from Idris Elba. An all-star cast featuring fellow superstar Lil Wayne and former rival Nas gives the project a special touch, as does the funk production.
10 Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life
Perfectly Transitions Jay-Z into the Mainstream
The second Volume of Jay-Z's Vol. trilogy can be viewed as a breakout of sorts. While Reasonable Doubt introduced Jay-Z to the hip hop landscape, this album cemented his space as a superstar in that same landscape. The album is chock-full of club bangers that solidified Jay's place in mainstream culture, namely "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)." After that song alone, Jay was off to the races, especially when they're followed by "Can I Get A..." and "Money, Cash, Hoes."
8 Great Fusion Hip-Hop Albums That Took Artists To Another Level
These albums pushed the boundaries of what hip-hop meant when they were released, and still resonate today as phenomenal pieces of art.
Still, though, just because Vol. 2 is defined by its title track and accompanying posse cuts does not mean that the B-sides aren't worthy of a listen. Songs like "A Week Ago" make for compelling head nods. Meanwhile, "Coming of Age (Da Sequel)" and "Reservoir Dogs" make it clear why Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel are often hailed as Jay-Z's best collab partners in the booth.
9 Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
The Most Underappreciated Volume
Jay-Z's Blueprint trilogy is often hailed for what Jay-Z brings to the table, but his Volume trilogy doesn't get enough love. Each issue in the trilogy is good, even great, and the finale to the trilogy is no exception. It's easy to under-rate or underappreciate Vol. 3 when when Vol. 1 and 2 are so strong, but that shouldn't take away anything from the third volume. Truthfully, one can argue that even if Vol. 3 isn't the best in the trilogy, it might sport the best production out of any of the albums.
Similarly, while the songs may not hit as memorably as its counterparts, songs like "Nymp" and especially "Anything" showcase a tongue that is at its sharpest yet for Jay-Z. His lyrical ability seems to improve with every album and his pen is at its most cunning in Vol. 3.
8 The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse
A Worthy Sequel
The Blueprint was instantly recognized as Jay-Z's magnum opus upon release, and the sequel carrying its name instantly carried a weight of expectations alongside it. With opening track "A Dream" sporting vocals from Jay-Z's late would-be Commission stablemate Notorious B.I.G. and widow Faith Evans intensified those expectations. Not just because the track is great, but because evoking the spirit of a GOAT-level artist long past is going to illicit early expectations for any rap fan, naturally.
Although not reaching the high heights of The Blueprint itself, The Blueprint 2 lives up to expectations. Numerous tracks have continued to be in rotation, like the timeless "03 Bonnie & Clyde," which Jay-Z made with future wife Beyoncé.
7 Magna Carter ... Holy Grail
Underrated and Overhated
Magna Carter ... Holy Grail has a reputation as one of Jay-Z's most hated albums by purists who think it fails to reach the heights of anything comparable to Jay-Z's best. While it's easy to see how fans who grew up on Jay-Z's earliest masterpieces, but keep in mind that in 2013, Jay-Z's modern image and lifestyle was a far cry from the image and reputation he had heading into Reasonable Doubt.
Now dominated by glitz and glam, Jay was catering to and bringing in a newer, younger, more mainstream audience and for that audience, there's a lot to enjoy here.
One of the album's overlooked standouts is "Part II (On the Run)," a spiritual sequel to Beyoncé and Jay-Z's "03 Bonnie & Clyde." The Grammy-winning power couple create a track that's equal parts sultry and romantic. The poppier tracks like "Hol Grail," "Picasso Baby," and BBC" are an adjustment for Jay-Z loyalists, but it's not bad. In fact, for younger audiences discovering Jay-Z, it makes a great gateway to discovering Jay-Z past classics.
6 The Black Album
An Ambitious Would-Be Swan Song
When Jay-Z started working on what he originally planned on being his final album, Hov had the idea of surrounding the production with producers who were vital to his career, but with the caveat that each producer can only produce one song for the album. Kanye West was allowed two songs, because he's Kanye West, someone who means a great deal to Jay, and Pharrell Williams had to force his way to a second song with a "Allure" beat so good that Jay-Z couldn't deny it. Regardless, it's a unique and ambitious concept for an album that is executed to perfection.
The 2004 documentary Fade to Black recounts the making of The Black Album in real time, featuring behind the scenes footage.
"99 Problems" is obviously the standout classic that everyone talks about, but listeners can't overlook the aforementioned "Allure," or the thunderous "Lucifer," the victory lap of "What More Can I Say" ... the point is that a lot can be said about this one album and it would've made for a winning exit had Jay-Z called it quits after.
5 The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
An Underrated Masterpiece
On paper, this is a solo Jay-Z album, but off the record, there are enough features from Roc-a-Fella label mates that this is practically a collab project. However, that definitely is not a detterent as The Dynasty s Jay-Z at his finest. For some reason, this album doesn't get talked about often, if at all. It's like a dirty little secret in Jay-Z conversations to the point that it is easy to forget that his fifth studio album even exists.
However, anyone who actually hears it knows how unforgettable The Dynasty is. "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)," "Streets Is Talking," and "Where Have You Been" help make this a memorable gem that deserves more attention. It's Jay-Z at his peak alongside his favorite collaborators.
4 4:44
A Potential Career Sendoff?
Released in 2017, this remains Jay-Z's last album. While it's killing his biggest fans to not have a project from the man in eight years, 4:44 is a great album to end a career on if it truly is Jay-Z's final project. It showcases the natural evolution of Jay-Z's career, still finding substance to talk about when his life isn't reflective of who he was on his first album.
He trades diatrabes about drug dealing to talking to the listner about the value of credit, how to improve credit, maintaining the family structure, and owning up to the mistakes he's made as a father and a husband. It's Jay-Z at his most mature and introspective. If it proves to be a true, unofficial swan song, then so be it. It's better than his past attempts to retire while also being a masterpiece in its own right. Some may even consider it his best album.