The Black Album is released

Why it matters

The Black Album came out on Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam on November 14, 2003. It was sold as Jay-Z's retirement album. He had announced he was leaving recording-and-touring to run Def Jam (where he would become president three years later). The album was conceived as a career-summary statement. The production roster is the all-star list: Just Blaze, Kanye West, Timbaland, the Neptunes, Eminem, 9th Wonder, DJ Quik, Rick Rubin. The opening cut is "December 4th," produced by Just Blaze, with Jay's mother narrating his life. "What More Can I Say," "99 Problems" (the Rick Rubin track), "Public Service Announcement," "Encore," "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" (the Timbaland one), "My 1st Song." The album sold three million copies and is one of the most generally beloved Jay-Z records, partly because it is structured as a coherent valedictory and partly because the production is the best collection of beats he had ever rapped over. The retirement did not stick. Jay was back in 2006 with Kingdom Come. The Black Album is the album he made when he believed it was the last one. You can hear the care.