It's hard to believe that no one wanted to sign Jay-Z in the mid-'90s.

Before he became one of rap's most decorated and celebrated moguls, the Brooklyn-bred emcee, born Shawn Carter, faced so much rejection from record labels that he was forced to release his first album independently. Little did the naysayers know, that project marked the beginning of perhaps rap's most prosperous career.

Arriving June 25, 1996, Reasonable Doubt introduced Jay-Z as a rapper who wasn't afraid to tell a gritty tale, and who would do so with a captivating and calculated delivery. The album's 14 tracks offer stories of cut-throat street hustling, near-fatal bouts with opposition and the lavish lifestyle acquired from a life of crime — narratives that were true to his background. But that also hinted that Hova had a hunger and wisdom that would take him far.

Reasonable Doubt's now-iconic black-and-white cover further leans into the album's mafioso themes, with then-26-year-old Jay in a suit and brimmed cap, cigar in hand. The cover "was really more like establishing him as this timeless character from Brooklyn. Styled out, sharp and clean," photographer Jonathan Mannion explained to Revolt.

On May 16, the album will be honored with an induction into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, alongside impactful works by Santana, Luther Vandross, Emmylou Harris, Fela Kuti & Afrika 70, and Cat Stevens. The inducted recordings will be celebrated at an exclusive gala in Los Angeles.

While 1998's Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life is Jay's most commercially successful album, and platinum projects like Blueprint and 4:44 are among his most personal records, Reasonable Doubt was the musical spadework that made all his ambitions possible. The project — which sold roughly 420,000 units by the end of 1996 — laid the foundation for the legendary emcee, whose contributions inspired generations of artists.

Jay-Z has often talked about his love for Reasonable Doubt, asserting that it's his favorite album in a 2013 interview with "The Breakfast Club": "That's the joint it took my whole life to make."

But the journey to his first album didn't come easy — yet that's exactly what made Reasonable Doubt so special.

Jay-Z's early collaborations with fellow Brooklyn emcees and mentors Jaz-O and Big Daddy Kane flashed his tongue-twisting rhymes and fast-twitch sound, but records like 1989's "Hawaiian Sophie" failed to convince execs he was anything more than a sidekick to a bigger name. In true hustler form, Hov decided to take matters into his own hands.

"I had to put [Reasonable Doubt] out myself, nobody would sign me," Jay-Z said in a 2001 interview with MTV. "I went to every single record label and they were like, 'This guy is terrible.' He's nothing."

Recorded between 1994-1995 at the former D&D Studios in Manhattan and released independently via Jay-Z's own Roc-A-Fella Records, Reasonable Doubt was elevated by contributions from DJ Clark Kent, Irv Gotti, DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody, and other contributors. Featuring dialogue from Scarface and Carlito's Way, the album leaned into stories that seemed to be torn from the pages of life in the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn.

Part of Jay-Z's genius is in the diversity of offerings on Reasonable Doubt. Tracks like "Politics as Usual" offered a 360 view of the dark and unforgiving drug underworld; "Dead Presidents II" became a generation-spanning motivational anthem; "22 Two's" was a lyrical exercise executed in flawless fashion; and "Can't Knock The Hustle" was a radio-friendly serving.

"Reasonable Doubt showed a mentality of the bosses versus the runners," rapper Tone Hooker said in 2016's Reasonable Doubt documentary, RD 20. "In the '90s, everybody wanted to be the best rapper. Now, everybody wants to be the best hustler."

Similar to Nas' 1994 classic Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt reshaped the genre. Jay introduced a new generation of hip-hop fans to luxury rap. Rather than rapping about his superior flow as was common at the time, Jay talked about hustling your way to exclusivity — like taking boat rides to foreign land while sipping Moet.

Along with rhymes of caviar scoops and margarita sips on "Cashmere Thoughts," the closer "Regrets" reflects on the life-altering costs of these choices — from imprisonment to paranoia and death. Songs like "Can I Live" and "Coming Of Age" flashed his razor-sharp lyrics and street wisdom, while songs like "Ain't No N—" revealed his commercial appeal. The project was further elevated by guest appearances from Mary J. Blige, Foxy Brown, Jaz-O, and The Notorious B.I.G., the latter of which became all the more impactful following Biggie's death in 1997.

The album proved to be the introduction Jay and Roc-A-Fella Records needed. "Had I gone to a label, I don't think I would have been able to fully explore what was really happening," Jay said in a 2023 interview with Gayle King.

Frustrated by record label rejections, Jay, Damon Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke used the funds from their singles-only deal with Payday Records (which spawned Jay's "In My Lifetime" and "I Can't Get With That") to establish an imprint of their own. Roc-A-Fella was born from the trio's ability to "rock" or outmatch a fellow emcee on the mic, and their drive for riches like real-life businessman John D. Rockefeller. The label would eventually birth or accelerate the careers of Kanye West, Beanie Sigel, N.O.R.E, Cam'ron, and others.

After landing a distribution deal with Priority Records, which gave Roc-A-Fella the resources they needed to make a notable splash, Jay was the sole artist and musical backbone of the newly-formed company. And with his growing talent, and the support of top-end producers, Jay was prepared to put himself and the label on the map.

Reasonable Doubt launched Jay-Z to stardom. He went from selling CDs of his single "In My Life" from the trunk of his white Lexus at near-empty college campuses to becoming the most dominant force in hip-hop throughout the late 1990s and 2000s. While it didn't land on the top of the Billboard charts, or garner much buzz on the day of release, it established Roc-A-Fella Records as a formidable hip-hop music label and Hov as a premiere face of the genre.

After the success of Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z notched bonafide No. 1 hits like "Empire State of Mind," 14 chart-topping albums, and 25 GRAMMY wins and a staggering 89 nominations — making him the most celebrated rapper in Recording Academy history. While it's hard to imagine any other artists achieving Jay-Z's level of success, his first body of work certainly provided breadcrumbs. The path he blazed as an artist and billionaire-mogul was sparked with the release of Reasonable Doubt.