213. JAY-Z biographer Zack O'Malley Greenburg on JAY-Z 'Reasonable Doubt' (1996)

With the release of JAY-Z's first album in years, Forbes magazine senior editor and author Zack O'Malley Greenburg joins me for a look back on Jay's 1996 debut album 'Reasonable Doubt'.

Zack lays out the true stories behind the myths of how the album was released, why Jay-Z founded Roc-A-Fella records, how Biggie almost swiped the track for 'Brooklyn's Finest' and how it became a duet between him and Jay, why it's ignorant to wag your finger at conspicuous consumption in hip-hop, why 'Reasonable Doubt' is particularly special to the man who made it and also what is up with the hyphen in Jay's name.

My Favorite Album is a podcast on the impact great music has on our lives. Each episode features a guest on their favorite album of all time - why they love it, their history with the album and how it's influenced them.

Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music industry since 2007. He directed the the feature music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts (out now!) and the feature film Benjamin Sniddlegrass and the Cauldron of Penguins, in addition to many commercials and music videos.

If you’ve got any feedback or suggestions, drop us a line at myfavoritealbumpodcast@gmail.com.