Nearly 20 years after the release of his debut album, Mass Appeal has shared a collection of pre-Reasonable Doubt demos from a young Jay Z.
Of the ten songs included in the release, Sauce Money features on half, including on songs with titles like “Broken English & Drug Sellin'” and “Behind The Ropes.” The previously unreleased tracks show off Jay’s youthful flow and are jumpstarted by the first track, “Greatest MC.” According to Mass Appeal, “The Five Percenter references and the street slang require their own glossary, and speak specifically to how much smarter his rhymes were than the package he used to deliver them.”
Noticeably, Jay’s one-time mentor Jaz-O doesn’t appear anywhere on the demos which leads some to believe that there could be more out there.
Listen to the full demo tape below:
For additional Jay Z coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
THROWBACK HOV FLOW
Jay-Z is a smart businessman but a medicore rapper.
This shit is just nothing special.
Negro please!!! Top 5 hands down!
Top 5 of rappers who bite lyrics and flows
“You used to rap like the Fu-Schnickens, Nas designed the Bluepring who you kidding”
‘Your blood will flow faster than the old Jay Z’
Im a Nas fan and yes he won the battle, and yes personally I think Jay-Z as a person is corny and nervous all the time, but this shit is golden. Amazing demo.
Who NAS?….did anybody really listen to the lyrics of ether…he was saying childish shit like dick suckin lips…Jay was spittin facts on takeover.
Corporal Punisher Nas killed Jay-Z with Ether. Only people who didn’t listen to the lyrics were Jay-Z dick riders like you. And yes Nas did have facts in it. Jay-Z was Jaz-O’s hype man for over 10 years. And he did speed rap. There is a reason why Jay-Z didn’t have a solid album until Blueprint 3, that’s because Nas Ethered Jay-Z’s ass.
But, Big L and Pun kills Jay Z all of the time when it comes to the old shit.
So you gots to chill cause I kill at will
Like solid water dude; y’all niggas don’t get it
“Kill at Will,” solid water? Ice Cube
I love how Jay brought that back for the Missy song
Dayum Jay already had GOMD Than J.Cole….Dayum that’s wild!
Hov was still trying to find his style before Reasonable Doubt and finally got it down when it was his time. It’s not Hov at his best but it’s still 1000 times better than Nas’ best work. Get over it, you Nas stans.
jumped on nas dick and blew
SMH @ the hate! This is a goldmine!!
I HAVEN’T LISTENED TO JAY Z IN YEARS
your not alone. kinda forgot how nice he was.
The last track sounds like it’s from 98-02. Sauce makes a line about not signing to the Roc, and Jay’s flow sounds like post-Vol.2 days.
There is tracks with Jaz and no “Reach The Top”. WEAK also got em in better quality + more
Somebody get at DJ Clark Kent.
I might be in the minority here, but I never thought Reasonable Doubt was dope…I don’t think it’ll get the same attention Illmatic got during it’s 20th year anniversary next year.
Of course it will, only because he has money and popularity, and in this sad world, it’s not about skill (Nas) it’s about $$$ (Jay-Z).
Psh, obviously Illmatic is the better project. But Reasonable Doubt is damn near close.
I actually listened to Reasonal Doubt couple years ago to see what the fuss is about… I couldnt tell you one song off that album. I can’t believe people are comparing a Classic to Jay-z mediocre album.
Reasonable Doubt was a complete rip off of Biggie’s style and flow. Good album, but Jay-Z bit Biggie’s flow. Jay-Z was still speed rapping very shortly before Reasonable Doubt. There is a freestyle he had with Big L in 1995 where he was still speed rapping.
These joints been out on you tube years prior
All these joints been out there. Jay is underrated. His pen game is still sharp too! And I don’t know what these clowns are talking about Reasonable Doubt is a certified classic. I hate to admit it, but it is musically and lyrically bar for bar better than Illmatic but there is a 2 year period between the 2 albums. Jay proved he can do what Nas did (e.g., slow flow), but Nas could never do what Jay did (speed flow, consistent, intelligent business descions, and maintain a relatively high degree of lyrical integrity and still crossover–not to mention keep most of his bishes in line). Jay is the greatest overall rapper and his story is not even close to being finished yet. If you asked me in 96 about Jay I would have been like he’s a good rapper but he’s no Nas, but he’s surpassed him in 2014 and still going. Stop living in the past.
WTF… wait a min WTF???
“I hate to admit it, but it is musically and lyrically bar for bar better than Illmatic but there is a 2 year period between the 2 albums. Jay proved he can do what Nas did (e.g., slow flow)”
This is why Gay-Z stans are the worst. They are so far out of teach with reality. Do you seriously believe that? like seriously…??
And what slow flow are you talking about?? Nas had fast flows and various other type of flows on Illmatic. Nas is known for creating original shit, Jay-Z is just copying everybody elses style.
it’s ok to like them both nerd, lol stop living thru these rappers and get your own accolades
To ALL Jay fans, what do Jay Z’s business ventures have to do with how dope of an MC he is? If Bill Gates started rapping tomorrow, would that make him the best rapper alive since he would be the richest rapper alive?
Typical Jigga stan suckin him off.
jay z is a beast on pre reasonable doubt and generally on all of his unreleased works with sauce money, jaz o but I haven’t heard a full decent album from jay z in a while like in the last 10 years all his albums have been pretty shit.
Nas’ word play, flow, vocabulary, and story telling is far better than Jay mans. A lot of times Jay sounds ugly and awkward when he’s rapping.
Reasonable doubt bar for bar better than Illmatic?!?!? Hahaha yeah right man, go back n bump some Illmatic, you wont be sayin that. Check these out if you don’t know man(which it seems you dont)
Affirmative Action The Firm
Phone Tap The Firm
Live Nigga Rap Nas
Eye For An Eye Mobb Deep ft Nas
I Gave You Power Nas
Oh…..and the whole Illmatic album.
understand me is definitely my favourite by far ,, real niggaz could relate
This is cool, nothing to go crazy over.
i hear the hunger in his voice
ive never heard a lazier voice in my life since snoop. this nigga got his first blowjob and gave up on life after that. “hunger” lmao. shut the fuck up stanboy.
Illmatic and Reasonable Doubt are equals in every way… the only difference is the point of view between the two!! Technically, and bar structure is where Nas is superior and when it comes to talking that hustler shit and being witty that goes to Hov!!! I don’t understand why ya’ll on here arguing about who is better because at the end of the day… they are two of the top 5 MCs ever and it really just comes down to preference!!
they aint equal for the fact of what the albums ultimately led to. look at the dynasty around jay z and the dynasty around nas and compare them. hip hop is special because it’s the only genre where the stuff happening AROUND the music makes it BETTER music and makes you feel something special.
i see where his style elevated from here. he’s nowhere near this now. he’s rich and very happy i’m sure, but this is what i appreciate the most.
Hes style resembles 2pac in these tracks