Jay-Z was a nobody in 1996

[Stick Up Kid]

Nggas proudly admitting they was dweebs

You saw cats clowning his mainstream success and thought that made it safe for you. Nah ngga, jay z wasn’t MAINSTREAM but he was thoroughly known by Vol 1 and especially Vol 2

Hard knock life was a top 10 billboard track and #1 rap song

Jay headlined the Hard Knock life tour, over DMX.

Also everyone always mentions Vol 2. But they forget Streets is watching dropped before Vol 2. It was on the streets. It’s Alright and Love for Free was bangers. And not crossover, he was respected in the hood. He was ringing out in whips.

Nope.
1995-1997., was all about Pac, Wu, Snoop, Nas, Bootcamp Click, Fugees, Biggie, Mobb Deep, Warren G, Dogg Pound, Scarface, Bone etc

Sorry man, Jay was irrelevant during the golden years of hip hop

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

2pac was a nobody in 1991 50 cent was a nobody in 1999 master p was a nobody in 1995

All true, but that's not when they dropped their best work

Tbh if it meant dropping more albums like RD or on the lyrical level of Vol 1, I'd rather have had Jay stay "unpopular".

 

[FunkDoc1112]

You sucked Jay-Z's dikk with your post better than Bey ever has. Don't try to move the goalposts now lmao. Hov is a legend, not my #1 DOA but the argument can be made. Let's just stop pretending he was immediately a star with Reasonable Doubt because that shyt is a lie.

Did you just not read his post at all or something? Reading comprehension be whooping y'alls asses

 

[Braman]

Nope.
1995-1997., was all about Pac, Wu, Snoop, Nas, Bootcamp Click, Fugees, Biggie, Mobb Deep, Warren G, Dogg Pound, Scarface, Bone etc

Sorry man, Jay was irrelevant during the golden years of hip hop

He was not as popular as them Ok?!? But to say irrelevant you just tellin on yourself.

Wasn’t no ‘all about’, the world was our oyster. You just wasn’t outside. Only real one was inside Sam Goody and Tower Music listening to whole ass albums on the in store headphones. Arguing with the employees bc we wasn’t spending no money but be in there 3,4 hours. Not to mention having bootleg dvds and tapes meant you was plugged in. You never copped Streets is watching or a movie taped from the last row with the crowd visibly in it.

You revisionist nggas think you can go undetected Nah ngga you wasnt there

 

[Braman]

….

 

[TripleAgent]

It took 3 months actually.

Cross promotion worth Nutty Professor sdtk, and capitalizing on Foxy's buzz.

Multiple bags dropped for radio play and beats, including bribing Ski to give him Feelin' It, a Camp Lo song. Not a crazy reach to think they may have bought some of their own albums to say they went gold.

They bought their way in and he capitalized (many would say sold out).

 

[Braman]

When Jay z rises up slowly, it means he was a lame

When another artist does it, it’s a badge of honor that he’s one of us and it’s trendy to be underground. Like no one would ever disparage a Sean Peice bc he didn’t sell.

Nope.
1995-1997., was all about Pac, Wu, Snoop, Nas, Bootcamp Click,

Ayo!

Surgical with this bytch Jake

 

[Cladyclad]

He was still just another rapper at that point. He wasn't A or B-List. There was a small margin of folks that were actual fans, which is fine. It was the same for most rappers that weren't superstars.

A gold artist does not have a small margin of fans lol

Rappers debuts during that time rarely ever lit the world on fire in regards to street content. Big debut had a slow burn too

Snoop had the chronic to set him up

People need to show me a list of debuts that sold crazy prior to 96 jot named Hammer, Vanilla Ice or some acts like that

Because Nas & Pac debuts aint sell better than Jay its debut year

 

[bigde09]

A gold artist does not have a small margin of fans lol

Rappers debuts during that time rarely ever lit the world on fire in regards to street content. Big debut had a slow burn too

Snoop had the chronic to set him up

People need to show me a list of debuts that sold crazy prior to 96 jot named Hammer, Vanilla Ice or some acts like that

Because Nas & Pac debuts aint sell better than Jay its debut year

Was Jay on Nas Pac or Bigs level in 96?

 

[Yecht]

I bought Reasonable Doubt in 1996. I can tell you for a fact that was an instant classic album. He toed the line so brilliantly between hardcore, underground & mainstream. The album is bar for bar one of the most lyrical albums ever made. His ability to rap street/drug raps so vividly was unparalleled. He could drop an underground record like Bring It On & at the same time drop a smooth track with Mary J but then another hardcore joint like D’evils & then back to another commercial joint like Ain’t No N***a. Dead Presidents II is a certified legendary banger. Then to top it off with Brooklyn’s Finest W/B.I.G. Jay-Z was right there with B.I.G. in ‘96. Such a classic album. After all these years & hearing heads call everything under the sun a classic year after year… 99% of those records compared to Reasonable Doubt? To that I say GTFOH!!!!!!!!!!

Did you just not read his post at all or something? Reading comprehension be whooping y'alls asses

How small was the bus you rode to school @FunkDoc1112 and how close was your classroom to the radiator?


This Camel Cum Guzzler came out the jump saying album was an instant classic, when NOBODY felt that way at the time. RD became more revered many years later, in part thanks to a lot of juelzing by Hov and goalpost moving by his stans because one of the talking points for him not being the NYC GOAT was that out of the big 3 (Biggie/Nas/Jay), he was the only one WITHOUT a classic debut album.

 

[DOSDUMUNI]

Man that show must've been nuts.

 

[FunkDoc1112]

It took 3 months actually. Also it's based on albums SHIPPED, not sold, as Soundscan wasn't invented yet.

Cross promotion worth Nutty Professor sdtk, and capitalizing on Foxy's buzz.

Multiple bags dropped for radio play and beats, including bribing Ski to give him Feelin' It, a Camp Lo song. Not a crazy reach to think they may have bought some of their own albums to say they went gold.

They bought their way in and he capitalized (many would say sold out).

SOundscan was already around (started in 91) and according to Soundscan it sold 420K by the end of 96

 

[Cladyclad]

Was Jay on Nas Pac or Bigs level in 96?

No it was his fukkin debut lol

Was pac on cube level in 91?

Was nas on snoop level in 94?

Big was the closest someone debuted at the top of the game in the 90s

 

[TripleAgent]

SOundscan was already around (started in 91) and according to Soundscan it sold 420K by the end of 96

I thought it was closer to 2000. I stand corrected. Thanks breh.

 

[FunkDoc1112]

How small was the bus you rode to school @FunkDoc1112 and how close was your classroom to the radiator?


This Camel Cum Guzzler came out the jump saying album was an instant classic, when NOBODY felt that way at the time. RD became more revered many years later, in part thanks to a lot of juelzing by Hov and goalpost moving by his stans because one of the talking points for him not being the NYC GOAT was that out of the big 3 (Biggie/Nas/Jay), he was the only one WITHOUT a classic debut album.

He's emphasized multiple times he's talking about his own personal experience and opinion with the album, you fukking dullard.