Rapper Jay-Z poses behind his desk in the New York offices of Roc-A-Fella Records in April 1996.

(COLUMBIA, SC) “Reasonable Doubt” was not the first rap album I ever owned. But Jay-Z’s debut was the first hip-hop album I bought with my own money. More importantly, it was the first one I studied as a young writer who aspired to become a rapper, a dream that eventually came true.

Jay-Z sounded cool in a way that resembled a jazz musician more than a conventional rap star. He rapped with a quiet calm that also conveyed supreme confidence. His lyrics were layered, skillful and unorthodox.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.