Jay Z's Reasonable Doubt (sampling sources)

By Kenton Rambsy

 This post is part of our "Sampling & Signifying: The Music of Jay Z" series.

Reasonable Doubt
Release Date: June 25, 1996

1. "Can't Knock the Hustle" (featuring Mary J. Blige) (Runtime: 5:17)
Producers: Knobody, Dahoud Darien, Sean Cane
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Much Too Much” by Marcus Miller (1983)
Movie/television clips:
• “Dishwashing” from Scarface (1983)
Vocals/Lyrics:
• “Fool's Paradise” by Meli'sa Morgan (1986)
• “I Know You Got Soul” by Eric B. & Rakim (1987)
• “My Life” by Mary J. Blige (1994)

2."Politics as Usual" (Runtime: 3:41)
Producer: Ski
Hook/Riff:
• “Hurry Up This Way Again” by The Stylistics (1980)

3. "Brooklyn's Finest" (featuring The Notorious B.I.G.) (Runtime: 4:36)
Producer: DJ Clark Kent
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Ecstasy” by Ohio Players (1973)
Movie/television clips:
• “I'm Reloaded” from Carlito's Way (1993)
Vocals/Lyrics:
• “Brooklyn Zoo” by Ol' Dirty Bastard (1995)
•“Brooklyn's in the House” by Cutmaster D.C. (1986)

4."Dead Presidents II" (Runtime: 4:27)
Producer: Ski
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “A Garden of Peace” by Lonnie Liston Smith (1979)
Vocals/Lyrics:
• “The World Is Yours” (Tip Mix) by Nas (1994)
Drums:
• “Oh My God (Remix)” by A Tribe Called Quest (1994)

5."Feelin' It" (Runtime: 3:48)
Producer: Ski
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Pastures” by Ahmad Jamal (1974)

6."D'Evils" (Runtime: 3:31)
Producer: DJ Premier
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Go Back Home” by Allen Toussaint (1965)
Vocals/Lyrics:
• “I Shot Ya” (Remix) by LL Cool J and Prodigy feat. Keith Murray, Fat Joe and Foxy Brown (1995)
• “Murder Was the Case (Death After Visualizing Eternity)” by Snoop Dogg feat. Daz Dillinger (1993)

7. "22 Two's" (Runtime: 3:29)
Producer: Ski
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Blue Wind” by John Kaizan Neptune (1981)
Vocals/Lyrics:
• “Can I Kick It?” by A Tribe Called Quest (1990)

8. "Can I Live" (Runtime: 4:10)
Producer: Irv Gotti
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “The Look of Love” by Isaac Hayes (1970)

9. "Ain't No Nigga" (featuring Foxy Brown) (Runtime: 4:03)
Producer: Jaz-O
Vocals/Lyrics:
• “Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)” by Four Tops (1972)
• “Creep” by TLC (1994)
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Seven Minutes of Funk” by The Whole Darn Family (1976)

10."Friend or Foe" (Runtime: 1:49)
Producer: DJ Premier
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Hey, What's That You Say” by Brother to Brother (1974)
Movie/television clips:
• “Smokey and Rita” from Friday (1995)

11. "Coming of Age" (featuring Memphis Bleek) (Runtime: 3:59)
Producer: DJ Clark Kent
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Inside You” by Eddie Henderson (1976)
Movie/television clips:
• “My Balls and My Words” from Scarface (1983)

12. "Cashmere Thoughts" (Runtime: 2:56)
Producer: DJ Clark Kent
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “Save Their Souls” by Hamilton Bohannon (1973)

13. "Bring It On" (featuring Sauce Money & Jaz-O) (Runtime: 5:01)
Producer: DJ Premier
Vocals/Lyrics:
• “1, 2 Pass It” by D&D All-Stars (1995)

14. "Regrets" (Runtime: 4:34)
Producer: Peter Panic
Instrumentation and Composition:
• “It’s So Easy Loving You” by Hurbet Laws and Earl Klugh (1980)

Related:
• The African American Literary Studies Lab