Before Jay-Z fashioned himself into hip-hop's most notorious capitalist, he was a street hustler from the projects who rapped about what he knew -- and was very, very good at it. Skeptics who've never cared for Jigga's crossover efforts should turn to his debut, Reasonable Doubt, as the deserving source of his legend. Reasonable Doubt is often compared to another New York landmark, Nas' Illmatic: A hungry young MC with a substantial underground buzz drops an instant classic of a deb...   [ read more ]

CD $16.13

Reasonable Doubt stands out among Jay-Z's many albums and not entirely because it's his debut album. Unlike most of his subsequent albums, it's seamless. Every song belongs here, from timeless hits like "Can't Knock the Hustle" to personal moments like "Regrets." Each song is like a separate chapter, revealing another aspect of Jay-Z's story, which, in 1996, was still untold. Nobody knew who he was when Reasonable Doubt dropped, keep in mind. Jay-Z seemingly came from nowhere. All list...   [ read more ]

CD $16.13

Three years on from its The Fat of the Land LP, there was hardly a word from the Prodigy camp, save for the release of mastermind Liam Howlett's mix extravaganza, The Dirtchamber Sessions. Under increasing speculation about the band's status, or lack thereof, Leeroy Thornhill launched his own Flightcrank project with the four-track Twisted EP. Those with their ears to the U.K. dance underground were already aware of Thornhill's work under alter egos Lowrise and Longman. In ...   [ read more ]

CD $44.63