Jay-Z has recalled feeling “rejected” when his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, failed to secure him a traditional record deal.
The rapper and record executive has explained that although major labels turned down the debut album, the setback ultimately proved beneficial for his career.
Speaking to British GQ, Jay-Z was asked whether he felt “dejected” at the time.
“I was rejected, not dejected, you know what I mean? Every door was (mimes a shutting door),” he said. “But I always believed in myself.”
The music mogul maintained that the rejection was not a reflection of his ability.
“It wasn’t a moment that I thought, I’m not good enough for this industry,” he stated. “At every rejection, I thought, Why do they have this guy in place? He doesn’t know what’s going on.”
In response, Jay-Z and his partners founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1994 to release the project independently, initially selling copies from their cars.
While Reasonable Doubt did not achieve immediate commercial success when it was released in 1996, it was critically acclaimed and played a key role in establishing his reputation as both an artist and an entrepreneur.
“That first album and not getting the deal was the biggest blessing to me,” he told the publication.
However, the 56-year-old acknowledged that, at the time, securing a deal had been his priority.
“No. No, at the time I wanted a deal,” he stated. “That’s why I went to every single label.”
