Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Damn. This joint is like an hour long but I had to post it cuz Jay is my idol and Reasonable Doubt is a timeless classic. The documentary explains the album and features the commentary of Jay and several of the producers that worked on it. They delve into the particulars of each track and try to capture the essence of each song and the album in general. Its definitely an exclusive look at RD and brought me back. It really got me reflecting on what makes the album so special. Some of my rambling thoughts can be found below.

Reasonable Doubt is an epic piece of gritty artistry that reveals a complex hood mentality not yet glorified and reproduced by a generation of half-assed copycats. Jay finds his genius by vacillating between the confident braggadocio of a young hustler and the introspective nature of a guilt-ridden young man. Songs like "Regrets" reveal the conflicted nature of a hustler- the inner struggle between making a better life for yourself and the realization that you are doing so at the expense of others. That said, Jay knows he has to do what he must to make a life for himself as he recites, "I'd rather die enormous than live dormant, that’s how we on it."

Too many rappers out now feel a need validate themselves by spouting rags-to-riches clichés, but Jay comes off as a real dude just trying to navigate the streets and life. Jay didn't release his first album until he was in his mid-twenties and that maturity shines through. Jay may be introspective, but he is also the smooth talking hustler we've grown to love. "The ghetto's Errol Flynn." The corner drug peddler come social elite. This was the birth of that. To borrow a Miles Davis album title, Reasonable Doubt is the Birth of The Cool.

Jay's smooth conversational flow paired with a deep vocabulary and excellent metaphors and couplets also stand out as deal breakers. The self-proclaimed "Kingpin of the Ink Pen and Monsta of the Double Entendre” takes a savvy lyrical game reminiscent of Big L, matches it with the story telling of a grittier Slick Rick, the humor of Biggie Smalls and the swagger of Big Daddy Kane and out comes the legend- Hova.

Do yourself a favor and watch this documentary and then listen to Reasonable Doubt if you never have. Jay has critics galore, but once you get past the radio singles, Jay's catalogue is impossible to dispute. Jay is the greatest beyond a Reasonable Doubt.