What was Jay-Z’s 1996 debut studio album, released through Roc-A-Fella Records?

Jay-Z’s 1996 debut studio album, released through Roc-A-Fella Records, was Reasonable Doubt.

The album arrived on June 25, 1996, through Roc-A-Fella Records and Priority Records. It established Jay-Z as a major New York rapper through polished production, detailed street narratives, and guest appearances from artists including The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and Foxy Brown.

Reasonable Doubt was executive-produced by Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem “Biggs” Burke. Its best-known tracks include “Dead Presidents II,” “Ain’t No Nigga,” “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” and “Feelin’ It.” The album reached number 23 on the US Billboard 200.

Listeners sometimes confuse it with The Blueprint, Jay-Z’s 2001 album, or Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, his 1998 commercial breakthrough. Reasonable Doubt is widely regarded as a foundational album in Jay-Z’s career and a landmark of 1990s East Coast hip hop.