User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 239 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 224 out of 239
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Mixed: 3 out of 239
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Negative: 12 out of 239
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Aug 22, 2011This album is amazing. This is still my favorite rap album to date and is one of the best I've ever heard. Jay Z was trying to retire with a bang and he did just that. This is Jay Z's best album. The production was amazing, the lyrics were on point and we heard every jay Z. Classic and new.
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jayzeroMar 19, 2004if 2pac was alive, jay-z wouldn't be shit right now...
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RodrigoR.Apr 9, 2008Jay-Z's best album, one of the best albums ever made, it's real hip-hop, it's black music! 99 problems, dirt off your shoulder best songs from album!
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Jul 14, 2017Jay Z is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and I believe this is his most meaningful work since Reasonable Doubt. Mostly all of the songs in The Black Album are some of Jay Z's classics.
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mikepNov 8, 2004another masterpiece by Jay.
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delshaineJan 5, 2004it's a great album though i felt he went on too long about him leaving ......like we aint missin him enuff already.
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MiguelFeb 3, 2004Yo this CD is hot yall cant blame da dude 4 spitten his whole life in one album da boy doin big thangs and it f* up dat he retiring but its cool he left his mark
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CeCeTMar 2, 2004I got 99 problems but a Bi### ain't one. That song was on point. I was feeling that and the cd is hott...
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Kenneth(Tupac)DurrantMay 27, 2004Jay-Z worked so hard every year. People tried to compare him with B.I.G, you cannot compare the two no matter what people say Jay-Z is One of the best and Compare 2 none. Kenneth Durrant AKA Tupac
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PHATPCHIPIMay 18, 2005yo the beats destroyed the album and i expected a lot more than 14 tracks but the lyrics were off the hook i just hope he'll cme out of retirement and hit us with one more.
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datnigga20geezyJan 30, 2004Dude the best rapper ever, fuck the hatters they just mad a hustler made it, SLIM did it with this album, I love you big hommie. U definitley put yourself high on that pedestal n u got the right.U made it to the top hommie and the spot that u earned. THANKS.
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youngoneOct 3, 2004jigga got soft take him back to resonable doubt time he rhymes changed around vol 3 more resonable doubt
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floydWFeb 17, 2004
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BabyTaeMar 10, 2004This is the tightest album that has eva came out and whoeva think different fuck ya'll.
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deandrehApr 18, 2004jay-z is the best rapper alive, and the black album is one of his best. cant nobody touch him, even in his retirement
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evanskApr 27, 2004too damn hott I can't wait for the nex one. yeah, I said it.
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zackAug 4, 2004i like the cd the best
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BrannonMApr 6, 2007High Quality shit
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DanAJun 24, 2007A wonderful coup de grace for Jay'z "retirement." It really is a shame he went and made Kingdom Come. This would've finished the legacy off fine.
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CarlosPNov 24, 2003Not as good as Reasonable Doubt or the Blueprint but good enough to warrant a purchase. Probably Jay's third best album. With Volume 3 being the next.
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chriscDec 22, 2003This album is so hot, people need to stop frontin on Jay. He is the best rapper in the game, period.
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**JayDee**Dec 25, 2003This album really reveals Jay's life a little bit more to us. He got alot of things off his chest in this album and every track was above average in quality. I really enjoyed listening to the Black album and there is no doubt in my mind that Jay-Z is one of the best MC's to ever grace the hip-hop industry.
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Marvelous.Dec 30, 2003hands down the best CD of 2003.The perfect album 2 go out on.
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timdDec 8, 2003It's a classic in context as well as in practice. Even the ho-hum "Change Clothes" and "Justify my Thug" are better than everything in mainstream hip hop (except Eminem, Outkast, Missy, and half of 50's album). It is excellent to think this may be the way he goes out. With this burst of creativity and focus we recognize one of the giants of popular music.
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[Anonymous]Dec 9, 2003This truly is one of his greatest CDs to date. And just as usual, he didn't hold back any emotion or try to hide anything; it's laid all out in the open. This makes him one of the greatest artists of all time because he doesn't sugar coat anything, it's just him being real.
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makaveliNov 8, 2004Jay's pinpoint lyricism and crafty wordplay surpass that of any of his previous cd's. "Justify My Thug" and "Change Clothes..." keep it from ranking ahead of Blueprint and Reasonable Doubt, but even those are above average tracks.
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MichaelLJan 9, 2004Near-perfect...this is easily one the best albums of his career.
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JasonCFeb 16, 2004Hands down best ever! Those who think its wack don't even listen carefully to the track. Hov is the realest shit there is. Thats why most people give it a good rating.
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kingheartsMar 10, 2004this is was so far the greatest
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kamleshpApr 27, 2004jay is shiva man!
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Awards & Rankings
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VibeIt's monumental because it's a culmination of Jigga's natural thoughtfulness delivered with transcendent skill. [Jan 2004, p.120]
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There are better storytellers, there are better battle rappers, there are undoubtedly rhymers with more on their minds. But there isn't a better MC around, if you're talking about the art of sheer mic domination.
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Even in falling short of Jay's classics, Reasonable Doubt and 2001's The Blueprint, it manages to eclipse 1999's brilliant Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter as his third-best album-- which in itself still makes it one of the year's best.