25 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums Of The Last Decade

When you've had a career as long as Jay-Z has, you often wonder what else is left to say on albums. However, like all great artists, he manages to find different ways to compel us. His most recent project, 4:44, is an impressive example of this.

So what sets 4:44 apart from all the other classic albums the New York rapper has given us throughout the years? Maybe it's his growth as a person or the fact that he's more a businessman now than an active rapper, but this is his most honest and open record yet.

Sure we've had songs like "Song Cry" and "This Can't Be Life," but this entire record is us listening to someone share intimate details about his life like never before. Jay-Z used to be shrouded in mystery, but he pulled the curtain back for an entire album and it was a crazy experience. From the Grammy-nominated epic, "The Story of O.J" to "Marcy Me," the heartfelt ode to the projects he grew up in, the rapper continues to prove that when he's ready to rap, he's still several steps ahead of everyone else.

Although the entire album really stands out and has added to his already-extensive collection of songs, the one that really anchors the entire album is the title track. Opening up about his infidelities, his insecurities and putting his private life out there for the world to know, Jay shows a part of himself that we never thought he would, let alone could.