Take Two #3: Jay-Z’s “Reasonable Doubt” (1996)

Episode notes

We continue our Take Two miniseries and looking at two albums from an iconic artist. This time, it’s Jay-Z and his debut studio album Reasonable Doubt. This marks the first time we’re talking about a Hova album  in depth and we discuss why that may be, Jay’s features before this album dropped, and what the future of New York rap and Jigga’s career might have looked like if Biggie was still with us.

More on Reasonable Doubt

• Jay Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ at 20: Classic Track-by-Track Album Look-Back (Billboard)
• The oral history of Jay Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ cover (Revolt)
• Breaking Down Every Contributor For JAY-Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ (Tidal)

Show tracklisting (all songs from Reasonable Doubt unless otherwise indicated):

• Bring It On
• Ain’t No N****
• The Jaz: It’s That Simple
• Jay-Z: In My Lifetime (Remix)
• Can I Live II
• Feelin’ It
• Ain’t No N****
• The Whole Darn Family: Seven Minutes of Funk
• Ain’t No N****
• The Ohio Platers: Ecstasy
• Brooklyn’s Finest
• D’Evils
• Allen Toussaint: Go Back Home
• D’Evils
• Junior M.A.F.I.A: Player’s Anthem (Remix)
• Can’t Knock the Hustle
• Brooklyn’s Finest
• Coming of Age
• Dead Presidents II
• Politics As Usual
• Brooklyn’s Finest
• De La Soul: Dog Eat Dog
• Foxy Brown: Ill Na Na

Here is the Spotify playlist of as many songs as we can find on there.
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