It became Jay-Z's top selling record of the 2000s decade, and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2005.

It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 463,000 copies in its first week.

The album received widespread acclaim from music critics and was a massive commercial success. It was also supported by three singles: ' 99 Problems', also the Billboard top-ten hits ' Change Clothes' and ' Dirt off Your Shoulder'. The Black Album was promoted with a retirement tour by Jay-Z. The album also features a guest appearance by Pharrell Williams.

For the album, Jay-Z wanted to enlist a different producer for each song, working with Just Blaze, Kanye West, The Neptunes, Eminem, DJ Quik, Timbaland, 9th Wonder and Rick Rubin, among others. It was advertised as his final album before retiring, which is also a recurring theme throughout the songs, although Jay-Z resumed his recording career in 2005. It was released on November 14, 2003, through Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. The Black Album is the eighth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z.

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