On his fourth studio affair, Jay-Z set out to demonstrate that while his music might be played on the radio and in the clubs, his success was still defined on his own terms.

In 2003, Jay-Z formally announced that he was retiring from recording albums, and ‘The Black Album’ was intended to be his swan song of an artistic statement.

With its combination of street savvy and moments of more mainstream appeal, Jay-Z’s third studio LP remains his commercial pinnacle and set into motion the rest of his successful career.

While popular consensus may not rank it among his greatest albums, Jay-Z’s ninth studio affair still contains more hits than misses.

While not his biggest commercial hit, the legend of Jay-Z’s debut LP has grown over the last quarter-century, as its themes have helped shape many of his albums that came afterwards.