Today marks the 20th anniversary of Jay Z's 1996 solo debut, Reasonable Doubt. Jigga originally made the album to impress his friends and, allegedly, planned to never release an album again. Instead, he turned Roc-A-Fella Records into a giant of a company that he then flipped for close to a billion dollars. Of course, he couldn't have done it without his partners Kareem "Biggs" Burke and Dame Dash. That pair brought their money, ears, and hustle to help Jay craft a flawless project. Not only did Reasonable Doubt help the rap game get smarter about business, it served as a "how-to-hustle" manual for the streets.
He spoke from the point-of-view of a boss with expensive taste, had everybody reading the Robb Report and drinking Cristal, while also—crucially—rapping with as much technique and craft as any human in the history of the known universe. To celebrate one my favorite albums, I ranked each song. These picks do not and should not reflect Complex's views, this is personal. (I get chills whenever I listen to "Regrets," the same way I did 20 years ago, and his verse on "Bring It On" is a Top 5 Jay verse.)
15. "Cashmere Thoughts"
14. "Coming of Age"
13. “Can I Live II”
12. “22 Two's”
11. “Ain't No Nigga”
10. “Bring It On”
9. “Politics As Usual”
8. “Friend or Foe”
7. “Can't Knock the Hustle”
6. "Can I Live"
5. "D'Evils"
4. “Brooklyn's Finest”
3. "Feelin' It"
2. "Dead Presidents II"
1. "Regrets"
