With the release of his supposed last CD, “The Black Album”, Jay-Z plans on ending his illustrious career on a high note. Often comparing himself to Michael Jordan, Jay-Z does not want to be remembered as one of the greats that simply stuck around too long. The Brooklyn native feels that his career is unparalleled, and he has nothing more to accomplish. With nine albums in eight years, critical acclaim and multiple awards and nominations, it is hard to argue with that claim.

Although the opinions of those who believe Jay-Z is all about women and jewelry probably won’t change after hearing the album’s first single, “Change Clothes,” listeners will be pleased to hear the wide range of topics Jay-Z covers in nearly an hour. On his final opus, Jay-Z seems bored with the current state of the rap game and as a result pushes his art to high levels of creativity. This includes taking on a variety of concepts as well as enlisting a different producer for almost every song.

Throughout the disc, the artist shows depth in his lyrics, regardless of the subject. On “December 4th,” Jay-Z discusses the struggle of growing up in a single-parent home. The track even features vocals from the rapper’s mother, in which she reveals interesting facts about one of the best to ever pick up a microphone.

The appropriately titled, Eminem-produced, “Moment of Clarity,” expands on the nonexistent relationship Jay-Z had with his father. The emcee reveals that he was able to reconcile with the man that walked out of his life just shortly before he died last year. It is this type of willingness to express inner feelings that has drawn fans to Jay-Z over the years.

Hip-hop purists will love the hardcore thump of “Public Service Announcement,” the clever wordplay on “99 Problems” and the sinister “Threat,” which features vocals by Cedric the Entertainer. Meanwhile, songs like “What More Can I Say” and “Encore” actually play on the fact that Jay-Z is retiring. The latter is an audio re-enactment of his last concert, filled with roaring screams from the crowd.

However, two songs in particular, “Justify My Thug” and “Allure,” really display the special artist that Jay-Z is. On “Justify,” Jay-Z is smart enough to couple his politically charged lyrics with an up-tempo, dance-ready DJ Quik track to ensure that everyone hears his frustration. “Mr. President, there’s drugs in our residence; tell me what you want me to do, come break bread with us. Mr. Governor, I swear there’s a cover-up. Every other corner there’s a liquor store, what the f— is up?,” asks the Jigga-man. It is quite remarkable to hear a multi-millionaire express so much concern for the poverty-stricken areas in America and the lack of care and involvement by the government. Leave it up to the self-proclaimed “Hova” of rap to discuss issues that others remain silent about.

“Allure” is Jay-Z’s acknowledgement of his tendency to indulge in the fast life, as well as his pledge to slow it down. Behind a bass-heavy string and piano backdrop provided by the Neptunes, he vividly depicts the ups and downs of the drug-dealing life he led prior to his music career and his want for change. His self-examination has been consistent throughout his catalog of classic albums and allows his listeners to relate to him.

From start to finish, the music on “The Black Album” is as heavy in meaningful content as anything Jay-Z has ever recorded. Producers Kanye West, Just Blaze and Timbaland all make sure listeners dance and nod their heads while Jay-Z takes them on a lyrical ride. Not since the “Hard Knock Life” days has his versatility on an album been shown like this. After a few listens, it becomes obvious what a great talent the rap game will be losing.

The artist has created timeless music year after year, but despite creating a great farewell album, Jay-Z still feels slightly under-appreciated. The rapper sounds hurt when he says, “I’m supposed to be No.1 on everybody’s list. We’ll see what happens when I no longer exist.” Yet, if Jay-Z is not No.1, he shouldn’t be much further behind.