Jay-Z - The Black Album

This was meant to be a goodbye.

Announcing his retirement to the world, 2003's The Black Album was Jay-Z's attempt to capture his life so far, and turn it into music. Involving some of the hottest hip-hop producers in the world, this was an all-star farewell record, with the intention of proving to any doubters that he was "The Best."

Of course, it wasn't the end of the story at all, and within a few years, he'd be back to making hit albums, eventually becoming the wealthiest musician of all time, but The Black Album still stands as a seminal work from Jay-Z, translating his own rags-to-riches into a hip-hop blockbuster.