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Released:

Upon release, Jay-Z's debut was considered solid if not revelatory. Raekwon had (re)invented gangsta rap, while Nas had redrawn the parameters of hip-hop lyricism. Jigga split the difference and threw in a something for the ladies. Scarface fantasies ('Brooklyn's Finest') are tempered by booty calls ('Ain't No N*gg*'), while coffee shop displays of technical acumen ('22 Twos') and drug land morality tales ('Can I Live') are cut with paeans to materialism ('Cashmere Dreams'). This is a well-balanced and consistent album, and though it didn't reinvent the wheel, it made it a lot smoother.