Jay-Z’s 2003 release, The Black Album, was widely publicized as his final album before retiring, a theme that gave the project a legendary air of finality. It was a massive commercial success, debuting at Number One on the Billboard 200, selling 463,000 copies in its first week, and was later certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in 2023. Known for its all-star production lineup—featuring a different elite producer for every track—the album generated enduring hits like “99 Problems” and cemented Jay-Z’s legacy as an all-time great.
Here are five little-known facts about the making and background of this influential album:
- The Album Was Designed to Be Reworked by Producers. Roc-A-Fella Records broke with tradition by releasing The Black Album on vinyl with no beats underneath Jay-Z’s vocals. This move was intentional, spurring producers and DJs to “remix the hell out of it,” leading to fan creations like The Brown Album.
- The “99 Problems” Traffic Stop Verse is Based on a Real Event. The acclaimed second verse of “99 Problems,” which describes a tense traffic stop, was based on an actual experience Jay-Z had in the 1990s in New Jersey while carrying illegal drugs. He refused the police search, and they were forced to let him go when the drug-sniffing dogs failed to arrive.
- “99 Problems” Is Used as a Tool to Teach Constitutional Law. The second verse of “99 Problems” has been widely studied by law experts. A Southwestern Law School Professor wrote an article analyzing the verse line-by-line from a legal perspective, using it as a tool to teach law students about search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment.
- The Critical Mashup The Grey Album Caused Digital Civil Disobedience. The controversial The Grey Album by Danger Mouse, which combined Jay-Z’s vocals with The Beatles’ “White Album” instrumentals, led to EMI attempting to halt its distribution. In protest, music activists coordinated “Grey Tuesday,” resulting in over 100,000 copies being downloaded for free in a single day.
- “Encore” Features a Beatles Sample and Won a Grammy. Kanye West’s production on “Encore” samples the trumpet introduction to John Holt’s cover of “I Will” by The Beatles, resulting in a Lennon–McCartney songwriting credit. It gained further fame and won a Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Grammy after being mashed up with Linkin Park’s “Numb.”