Editing Jay-Z (section)

===1995–2000: ''Reasonable Doubt'', ''In My Lifetime, Vol. 1'', ''Vol. 2...'', ''Vol. 3...'', and ''The Dynasty''===
With no major label to give him a record deal, Jay-Z sold [[CD-R|burned CDs]] out of his car,<ref name=CBSnews/> and with [[Damon Dash|Damon "Dame" Dash]] and [[Kareem Burke|Kareem "Biggs" Burke]], created [[Roc-A-Fella Records]] as an independent label in 1995. After striking a distribution deal with [[Priority Records|Priority]], Jay-Z released his 1996 debut album ''[[Reasonable Doubt (album)|Reasonable Doubt]]'' with [[Hip hop production|beats]] from acclaimed producers such as [[DJ Premier]] and [[Clark Kent (producer)|Super DJ Clark Kent]] and an appearance by [[The Notorious B.I.G.]] The album reached number 23 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], and was generally favored by critics.<ref name="allmusicbio"/> This album would later be included in [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]] as No. 248 and eventually reach platinum status.<ref name= "riaacertification">{{cite web| url= http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=JAY-Z&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=100| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130814181910/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=JAY-Z&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=100|url-status=dead| archive-date= August 14, 2013 |title=RIAA – Gold & Platinum |access-date= August 22, 2009|publisher=RIAA}}</ref> After reaching a new label distribution deal with [[Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam]] in 1997, Jay-Z released his follow-up ''[[In My Lifetime, Vol. 1]].'' Featuring production by [[Sean Combs|Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs]], DJ Premier, and [[Ski (producer)|Ski]], it earned platinum status in the United States.<ref name="riaacertification"/>

In 1998, Jay-Z released ''[[Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life]]'' which spawned the biggest hit of his career at the time, "[[Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)]]". He relied more on [[Flow (rapping)|flow]] and wordplay, and he continued with his penchant for mining beats from the popular producers of the day such as [[Swizz Beatz]], an upstart in-house producer for [[Ruff Ryders]], and [[Timbaland]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://live.wtmx.com/listen/artist/f82bcf78-5b69-4622-a5ef-73800768d9ac?slide=12|title=101.9 THE MIX LIVE Stream {{!}} Chicago|website=101.9 THE MIX LIVE Stream {{!}} Chicago|language=en-US|access-date=March 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306042937/https://live.wtmx.com/listen/artist/f82bcf78-5b69-4622-a5ef-73800768d9ac?slide=12|archive-date=March 6, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Other producers included [[DJ Premier]], [[Erick Sermon]], [[DJ Mark the 45 King|The 45 King]], and [[Kid Capri]]. Charting hits from this album included "[[Can I Get A...]]", featuring [[Ja Rule]] and [[Amil (rapper)|Amil]], and "[[Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)|Nigga What, Nigga Who]]", featuring Amil and [[Jaz-O]]. ''Vol. 2'' would eventually become Jay-Z's most commercially successful album; it was certified 5× Platinum in the United States and has to date sold over five million copies.<ref name="riaacertification"/> The album went on to win a Grammy Award, although Jay-Z boycotted the ceremony protesting DMX's failure to garner a Grammy nomination and the academy's decision to not broadcast urban music categories.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452653/20020227/jay_z.jhtml|title=Where's The Love? Jay-Z Disses Grammys Again|access-date=May 21, 2024|date=February 27, 2002|first=Shaheem|last=Reid|publisher=MTV News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030831065206/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452653/20020227/jay_z.jhtml|archive-date=August 31, 2003|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
In 1999, Jay-Z collaborated with [[Mariah Carey]] on "[[Heartbreaker (Mariah Carey song)|Heartbreaker]]", a song from her seventh album, ''[[Rainbow (Mariah Carey album)|Rainbow]]''. The song became Jay-Z's first chart-topper in the U.S., spending two weeks atop the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Jay-Z Chart History – Billboard|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jay-z/chart-history/hsi/|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=July 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709062005/https://www.billboard.com/music/jay-z/chart-history/hot-100|archive-date=July 9, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In that same year, Jay-Z released ''[[Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter]]''. The album proved successful and sold over 3&nbsp;million copies.<ref name="riaacertification"/> ''Vol. 3''{{'}}s most successful single was "[[Big Pimpin]]", featuring [[UGK]].

In 2000, Jay-Z released ''[[The Dynasty: Roc La Familia]]'', which was originally intended to become a compilation album for Roc-A-Fella artists but Def Jam turned into a Jay-Z album.<ref>{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Jones|title=Jay-Z's rap dominates|newspaper=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Company, Inc.|date=November 7, 2000}}</ref> The album helped to introduce newcomer producers [[The Neptunes]], [[Just Blaze]], [[Kanye West]], and [[Bink (producer)|Bink]], which have all gone on to achieve notable success. This is also the first album where Jay-Z utilizes a more soulful sound than his previous albums. ''The Dynasty'' sold over two million units in the U.S. alone.<ref name="riaacertification"/>