aesopfable's Full Review: Reasonable Doubt [PA] by Jay-Z
I'm not going to sit here and say I'm a huge fan of Jay-Z, quite the contrary I really don't like him (Sorry Cletta1201 :-)) Even when Jay-Z released his best version of Stillmatic, The Blueprint I only found about four songs listenable. To me his flow is undoubtedly the most accessible thing to him as a rapper, and still I think it could be improved! But I can't sit here either and state his debut 1996 album Reasonable Doubt doesn't stand among the thresh-hold as one of the most quick witted, spirited and beautiful albums hip hop has encountered. Before the Big Pimpin and the I just wanna love you, Jay was an ordinary brooklynite looking for his big break. As he stumbled over this album with the likes of the B.I.G and Mary J.BligeJay struck gold with one of most chilled, relaxed enjoyable hip hop/rap albums. Someone please contact Nas because we have a Ether wipeover!
Track Listing
1)Can't Knock The Hustle 5/5
2)Politics As Usual 5/5
3)Brooklyns Finest 5/5
4)Dead Presidents II 5/5
5)Feelin' It 5/5
6)D'Evils 4.5
7)22 Two's 4/5
8)Can I Live 5/5
9)Aint No Ni**a 3/5
10)Friend Or Foe 3/5
11)Coming Of Age 3.5/5
12)Cashmere Thoughts 4/5
13)Bring It On 4/5
14)Regrets 4/5
15)Can’t Knock The Hustle Remix 3/5
The amazingly acclaimed Can't Knock The Hustle begins this album perfectly. Over the pounding sound of a heartbeat and a fake Italian gangster, a beat comprised of Bliges's sweet vocal chords, dreamy chiming keys and a heavy looping bass Jay's impeccable relaxed flow calls over Blige's notes and the keys rasping ideal contact over the base:
'Through my peripheral I see ya schemin, stop dreamin, I leave your body steamin'
The brilliant Politics As Usual follows after. The Chinese keys accompanied by Jay's voice introduction carry the perfect combination to the jazzy trumpets and paved scratched woman's voice followed by a looping beat. The production for this carried shoulders on by Ski laps ocean's of jazzy instruments blended with a unique jazzy scratching. Jay doesn't cut short showing his (little known now) political side of things:
'Y'all feel a ni**a's struggle, y'all think a ni**a love to hustle behind the wheel, tryin to escape my trouble. Kids stop they greetin me, I'm talkin sweet to keys, Cursin the very God, that bought this wreath to be...'
One of Jay-Z’s most famous songs comes now, Brooklyn’s Finest. Accompanied by the most famous Brooklynite and the unfair holder of the name ‘King of NY’ B.I.G, both lace slicker rhymes than Rick over a beautiful melodic, snaring beat. The ‘Italian Gangster’ from the first intro enters behind the firing of machine guns, spitting braggadocio about the strength of the two MC’s. Then the most unique blend of jazzy looping keys, electric almost wailed scratching and another concoction of instruments I can’t make out. I feel actually Jay outshines B.I.G in both flow and lyrics, even though the two both come extremely strong:
’ Who shot ya? Mob ties like Sinatra. Peruvians tried to do me in, I ain't paid them yet. Tryin to push 700's, they ain't made them yet’-B.I.G
’ For nine six, the only MC with a flu. Yeah I rhyme sick, I be what you're tryin to do.
Made a fortune off Peru, extradite, china white heron, ni**a please, like short sleeves I bear arms. Stay out my way from here on (CLEAR?) Gone!’-Jay
So here it is arguably Jay-Z’s most famous and greatest song (which I tend to agree with). Over Nas famous verse ’I’m out for presidents to represent me’ from his classic song The World Is Yours. For this production though Ski slows Nas’s voice down quite a lot and adds a brilliantly heavy raw drum loop and soft, jazzy, melodic keys in the background. Jay rhymes vividly in the background about his Brooklyn life and the situations he’s encountered in his life….a truly stunning performance!
’Spill three quarts of my blood into the street, let alone the heat. Fu*k em, they hate a ni**a lovin this life. In all possible ways, know the Feds is buggin my life. Hospital days, reflectin when my man laid up, on the Uptown high block he got his side sprayed up.’
To lighten the dark, deep and cold lyric’s of Jay-Z’s last track the great track Feelin It creeps on past. The beat starts sincerely with wonderful jazzy piano keys slated by a flickering tambourine. Two woman’s quite deep but pleasant voices cave over the top calling ’ I'm feelin it fill the glass to the top with Moet, feelin it feel the Lex pushin up on the set. I'm feelin it through the high that you get from the lye, feelin it if you feel it raise your L in the sky’. Jay performs well (though I have to say it’s nothing compared to the last track, or his AMAZING verse on The Graveyard with Big L). But the beat on this track is the main attraction for me. Jazzy, unique and completely summery this is great Jay-Z work!
Well the track that most people though would be the best, as the production is catered by the one and only Primo! Primo’s standardized sample’s of Snoop Dogg to name just one. But he does the thing we would suspect. Adding rather beautifully heavy scratches, a looping drum and deep piano keys in the background, you can literally taste the genius as the bold scratches and politically forced Jay creep from the crevices.
’ Whoever said illegal was the easy way out couldn't understand the mechanics, and the workings of the underworld, granted. Nine to five is how to survive, I ain't trying to survive, I'm trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot.’
Can I Live turns around and happens to be my second favourite song on the album. The intro kicks in with a light trumpet solo and a whistle as Jay flusters among Dj Irv’s production. The production kicks in quite late in comparison to most tracks, with maracas (VERY quiet) a lovely trumpet and horn solo, light drums and melodic keys passing through. This track is great for highlighting Jay’s relaxed and flawless flow as he glides through the percussion and storms the keys….so refreshing.
Coming Of Age comes after a not so great period of the album, where to of the poorest songs on it occupy nearly 6 minutes of our time…it’s not very pleasant. Slightly picking up the falling score this track comes with a good beat mixed by Clark Kent calling beautiful piano keys, a deep horn and an electric loop. Memphis Bleek (it has to be said) doesn’t perform greatly on this track (then again when does he!?) and Jay easily sails past him in every aspect on creativity:
’ I see his hunger pains, I know his blood boils, he wanna, run with me, I know this kid'll be loyal’-Jay-Z
’ I'm out here slingin bringin the drama, tryin to come up in the game and add a couple of dollar signs to my name’-Memphis Bleek
Bring It On also produced by Premier does not match up to D’Evils but is still good. It’s quite different to Primo’s usual stuff, with violins playing lightly in the background, and a great drum loop over the top. Sauce Money who’s voice I think sounds a bit like Nas’s enters with lyrics that lets say aren’t Rakim’s but aren’t 50 cent’s either…somewhere in-between. I personally think that like all the guess on this album Jay out does the two guest’s on this album (Big Jaz as well). ’ Mannerisms of a young Bobby DeNiro, spent Spanish wisdom’s
in a whip with dinero, crime organized like the pharaoh..’-Jay. Primo does retreat back to this signature samples as Fat Joe’s voice calls over the top ’Bring it on if you think you can hang, and if not just let me do my thing’. Good track but not classic.
Regrets (the last song in my eyes) ends with AMAZING production by Peter Panic. Looping keys under take (what I think to be) a electric key note, but could easily pass as an unusual instrument. A light drum snare (almost unheard) accompanies it, as Jay tells a great story of his drug dealing days. He comes with the passion chorus ’ This is the number one rule for your set.
In order to survive, gotta learn to live with regrets. On the, rise to the top, many drop, don't forget. In order to survive, gotta learn to live with regrets’ This is a very touching song and a great end to the album, as Jay kicks story’s about drugs affect on his mum and friends he’s lost.
’ As sure as this, Earth is turning souls burning in search of higher learning turning in every direction seeking direction. My moms cryin cause her insides are dyin, her son tryin her patience, keep her heart racin..’
If you’ve read the review and not just scrolled down, you will see why this is Jay-Z’s finest album, and indeed a classic. A young Jay-Z is starting to find his destiny in life. Not filed with million dolor videos and cases of MTV awards Jay tells his life but also uses witty and quick battle lyrics. With not an array of phenomenal producers (excluding Primo) Jay holds down this album in true underground form. Maybe not as dark as others, but single handedly, on his own record label he concocts and album of keys, violins, trumpets, snares and raw drum beats. Not only that but he comes with an impeccable, relaxed flow and (not jaw-dropping) but enjoyable (and at times) amazing lyrics. Once in a while when I see this CD in my collection I delve into a time where rap had a wonderful year. ’Stands the test of time?’ I truly think so!
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