Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt

Originally released in 1996, Reasonable Doubt is the landmark debut album from JAY-Z and one of the defining records of 1990s East Coast hip-hop. Thirty years later, its intricate rhymes, cinematic production and clear-eyed depiction of ambition, loyalty and consequence remain as compelling as ever.

Long before becoming one of hip-hop's biggest figures, JAY-Z used Reasonable Doubt to document the mentality and contradictions of the hustle. Rather than simply celebrating street life, tracks such as D'Evils, Can I Live and Regrets explore its paranoia, fractured relationships and consequences, while JAY-Z's remarkably assured flow points towards the career that would follow.

The album features an extraordinary supporting cast, including The Notorious B.I.G. on Brooklyn's Finest, Mary J. Blige on Can't Knock The Hustle, Foxy Brown on Ain't No N*a** and Memphis Bleek on Coming Of Age. Other classics including Dead Presidents II, Feelin' It and Can I Live have helped establish Reasonable Doubt as an essential hip-hop album.

This 2026 reissue presents the album across Black Vinyl 2LP and expands the original 14-track album with Can I Live II and the Fool's Paradise Remix of Can't Knock The Hustle.