On November 14, 2003, Jay-Z released what was supposed to be his final album before retirement, The Black Album.

Obviously, Jay's plans didn't stick — he was back at it again three years later with 2006's Kingdom Come, but the retirement claims were strong at the time. Almost 20 years later, The Black Album is considered to be one of the strongest in his discography, a fan favorite due to the sheer number of signature Jay tracks it includes, from — "What More Can I Say," "Encore," "99 Problems," and "A Moment of Clarity" to "Dirt Off Ya Shoulder" and "Public Service Announcement (Interlude).

The album also featured a heavy line-up of producers — Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, Kanye West, DJ Quik, The Neptunes, and Timbaland all lend assists to the 14-track project.

“The Black Album, along with Fade to Black was a career defining period of time for me personally and professionally," Just Blaze, who produced "Public Service Announcement," "Interlude," and "December 4th," said in a 2018 interview with Tidal. From going through the process of recording and putting the album together, to performing it just weeks later at Madison Square Garden was beyond surreal… “PSA” (which almost never happened) ended up becoming one of the highlights of that night.  Everyone in the audience knew every word and was losing their minds. I wasn’t surprised, but I was in awe and stunned regardless. For me, the fact that it went on to become one of his hallmark songs is a blessing, but it’s also a testament to the synergy and energy we created in the culture at that time."

The Black Album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and went on to be nominated for a Grammy, and is still considered one of the defining projects of Jay's long career.