Jay-Z was a nobody in 1996

[MooseMouthMthafuga]

I didn't really sit down & listen to RD until around '05.I was just a kid living in Cali '96.Far as out of state sounds, my ear never made it past Chicago/Cleveland.That's about as far east as I went.Stopped at Twista & Bone.Started recognizing Jay as a household name around '98.Before that, he was just that nicca who did the joint with Foxy.

 

[85 East]

This has to be a new trend, dissing Jay-Z, cause in the Hip Hop groups I'm a part of on FB it's been nothing but the same lately. Saying Jay-Z is only where he is because his wife and shyt. Just goofy kids

 

[Bigsuk]

I Mean someone has to start somewhere….yeah he was a nobody compared to the likes of snoop , dre , pac , nas ,biggie , ice cube etc who were already established in rap ….. but again even them Said artists had to start somewhere … so comparing an up and coming artist vs a lot of the cats mentioned at there heights of course jay is gona be a nobody in comparison….. from my memory jay didn’t become a house hold name until 97-98 onwards… am not talking about in newyork am talking all around

 

[mbewane]

It's always been a stupid point. We were listening to RD in France as soon as it came out, and this is an era when you still had to actually buy the CD/know someone who has it.

 

[hex]

As I've said ad nauseum, I only knew one guy with "RD" when it came out. And he was the bootleg guy, that would cop random albums from the corner store without hearing a single song sometimes.

I ran through it once in '96, remember liking "D'Evils" and a couple others songs....then I promptly went back to all the other shyt that was out.

Fred.

 

[Rev]

First concert I ever went to was Puff Daddy and Family World Tour at MSG in December of 1997.

Jay Z was the first act of the evening with Dame as his hype man. After him it was Usher, Foxy (was supposed to be The Firm), Busta, then Bad Boy.

 

[Cladyclad]

The thing that always kill me with this shyt. Its like dudes didn’t follow hip hop. Its like cats only thought it was 5 or 6 rappers. Like how did u not know who jay was in 96? He had the lead single on one of the biggest movies that year. 2 songs with scorching hot Foxy

So u either a cracker or someone who just started to get into rap. Also u could be from the south. Being cable tv didn’t exist til 2000

 

[DrexlersFade]

But now he's a billionaire and married to beyonce. What's ya point?


You're a nobody now. Bet you not Jay z status in 2044 either breh.

 

[Zero]

People here are really bitter about Jay-Zs success so they feel the need to overexaggerate the years where he wasn't a big deal as if they're some sort of referendum on his entire career, nevermind the fact that RD sold the same amount as The Infamous, Cuban Linx, Illmatic etc and Jay already had a Top 40 single and Bad Boy features

This is true but let's address the real issue:

These dudes are pathetic Nas stans and can't let the beef go

 

[Rekkapryde]

This is 1000% cap lmao. I bought Reasonable Doubt the day it dropped too and always thought it was a dope album. But it was not a big deal at all and nobody thought Jay was about to be the biggest rapper in the world after hearing it. His star took off around the time of Streets is Watching.

this.

but he wasn't a "nobody" in '96.

Cats and their agendas

 

[General Mills]

I loved Reasonable Doubt. Album was really good. The issue was it was a crowded ass field in 96 and he was drowned out.

Even then he still carved out a little lane.

 

[Budda]

This is true but let's address the real issue:

These dudes are pathetic Nas stans and can't let the beef go

You mention Nas more than any of his stans.

 

[Zero]

You mention Nas more than any of his stans.

 

[WIA20XX]

1996 Gold per RIAA

Gold & Platinum - RIAA

www.riaa.com

Also Certified Gold in 1996

1. Do or Die - Picture This
2. High School High - Sound Track
3. Various - So So Deff Bass-All Stars
4. Crucial Conflict - Final Tic
5. Lost Boyz - Legal Drug Money
6. Geto Boys - Resurrection
7. Soundtrack - Don't be a Menace
8. Goodie Mob - Soul Food (95)
9. Eazy E - Str8 off the Streets (95)
10. 8 Ball and MJG - On Top of the World (95)

Certified Platinum

1. 2 Pac - All Eyez on Me
2. West Side Connection - Bow Down
3. Outkast - Atliens
4. ATCQ - Beats Rhymes and Life
5. Master P - The Ice Cream Man
6. Fugees - The Score
7. Nas - It was Written
8. Too Short - Getting It
9. Sound Track - Sunset Park
10. Busta Rhymes - The Coming
11. Sound Track - Friday (95)
12. Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (95)
13. Bone Thugs - E. 1999 Eternal (95)
14. LL Cool J - Mr. Smith (95)

Platinum R&B

1. Black Street - Another Level
2. Sound Track - Set it Off
3. Sound Track - The Nutty Professor
4. Aaliyah - One in a Million
5. SWV - A New Beginning

There's an interesting narrative here.

 

[Street Knowledge]

Going gold in 3 months Independent with a song on the soundtrack of one of the biggest movies of the year