ABSTRACT
It’s considered common practice in the hip-hop community to borrow and sample each other’s work; it’s not thought of as stealing but, rather, as a sign of respect. A few years ago some rappers even began making available a cappella versions of one or two of their raps when they released a new album in order to make it easier for others to use their material. So when the rapper Jay-Z’s Black Album appeared in November 2003, it wasn’t so unusual that he would also release some of the unaccompanied solo raps; what was unexpected, however, was that he would make them all available, all fourteen tracks. It was almost as if he was challenging DJs to remix his entire album—which he said would be his last—and to show what they could do.
