No Black Album From Jay Z

[THouse623]

So now that I have sucked you in with an intriguing headline, allow me to explain a few things. A black album is not just a title Jay or others have given their albums, it is a specific type of album. A black album is the ultimate underground album, no single, no radio play, no video, no promotion, no advertising. Just word of mouth.

Now did anyone believe Jay, MTV, BET, Hot 97 favorite and all around media darling, would hold true to that? He didn’t. Some five months before the scheduled release (11/28, or Black Tuesday) of his “last” album, Jay is pulling advertisements.

The ad is quite intriguing though, as the album is being billed with “12 songs...12 producers...” Even better is that the ad gives the names of all 12 producers. The chosen few are Dr.Dre, DJ Premier, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Kanye West, Eminem, Just Blaze, Rick Rubin, Swizz Beats, DJ Quik, Ski, and Trackmasters. Damn, Jay must have a lot of respect for Em’s production ability.

This is from HipHopDX.com

[Twentytwofifty]

I think we all knew this when he was on MTV talking about it and mentioning it everytime someone puts a mic in front of him.  He's just trying to sell a ton of units here, then "retire" which probably means take a year off since he puts out an album every year, then come back with an album late 2005.

[white Boy]

is rakims album going to be a black album?

[West Coast Veteran]

Other than Prince was there anyone else who put out a true Black Album? (Although Prince re-released it 7 years later).

[Trauma-san]

I know of 3

Prince had the black album

Metallica had the black album

and the beatles invented it with "the white album".  It was a completely white album, no single to promote it, with the words "the beatles" on it.  That was the first "black album" type album.  

[Vigilante]

is rakims album going to be a black album?

then it wont sell at all idiot

[West Coast Veteran]

I know of 3

Prince had the black album

Metallica had the black album

and the beatles invented it with "the white album".  It was a completely white album, no single to promote it, with the words "the beatles" on it.  That was the first "black album" type album.  

Metallica had singles though. So I guess it's just Prince and the Beatles who didn't use any promotion whatsoever.

[Trauma-san]

The beatles probably promoted it too.  We might be talking about two different things.

In the case of the beatles, and Metallica, it was about just going back to basics, etc.  Instead of all the comercialized b.s., they just called the album "The Beatles" and didn't have a special cover, or anything.  They still wanted to sell, though.. it was just they wanted it to sell on the merit that, it was a Beatles Album.  If you're a beatles fan, buy the album.  It doesn't matter what's on the album, or what the cover looks like, that's not what's selling the album; the only thing selling the album is that it's by The Beatles.  

That's kind of how I take the whole "black album" concept.  

Like if Dr. Dre did a black album, I'd buy it, because you know, without a doubt, if it's a Dre album, it's good.  All you need to know is it's Dr. Dre's.  

So they still Promoted it, they were just making a statement that they didn't need any B.S., it was a beatles album, it was good.  

And they were right!

[_That_Cracka_J]

Other than Prince was there anyone else who put out a true Black Album? (Although Prince re-released it 7 years later).

Dark Lotus - Tales from the Lotus Pod

This was about as "Black" as you can get....no promotion(just word of mouth), no MAJOR music chains carried it and there is no tracklist on it.  Still it was #1 in 2001 on Heatseekers Billboard chart for weeks.