Jay-Z "The Black Album"
Jay-Z's "The Black Album", released in 2003, is his eighth studio album and was promoted as his final album before retirement.
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Jay-Z's "The Black Album", released in 2003, is his eighth studio album and was promoted as his final album before retirement. It features a different producer for each song, including Just Blaze, Kanye West, The Neptunes, Eminem, DJ Quik, Timbaland, 9th Wonder, and Rick Rubin. The album also includes a guest appearance by Pharrell Williams.
"The Black Album" was supported by a retirement tour and three singles, including "99 Problems", "Change Clothes", and "Dirt off Your Shoulder". The album was met with critical acclaim, although some reviewers were less enthusiastic. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and became Jay-Z's top-selling record of the 2000s decade. It was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2005. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 2005, and it was ranked number 349 on Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. It was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2005.
According to Nielsen Soundscan, "The Black Album" sold 463,000 copies in its first week, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. This made it Jay-Z's sixth album to reach the number one position. The album blocked "Tupac: Resurrection" and "Beg for Mercy" from the top spot, which charted at numbers two and three, respectively. In the second week, the album dropped to number four, selling an additional 288,000 copies. However, it climbed back to number one in the third week, selling 288,000 more copies. By the fourth week, it dropped to number ten, selling 124,000 copies. The album was certified triple platinum by RIAA on August 16, 2005, and had sold over 3 million copies in the US by July 2013. The singles "Change Clothes" and "Dirt off Your Shoulder" both made it to the top 10 of the Hot 100, while "99 Problems" peaked at number 30. According to Billboard, it was Jay-Z's highest-selling record of the 2000s and the 136th highest-selling record of the decade in the US.
