Jay-Z Launches Website for 'Dead Presidents' 30th Anniversary

- The original promotional single "Dead Presidents" was released on February 20, 1996, and was not included on Jay-Z's debut album, *Reasonable Doubt*. A reworked version with new lyrics, "Dead Presidents II," was featured on the album instead. - The track's title is slang for money, referencing the portraits of deceased U.S. presidents on banknotes. Its iconic chorus, "I'm out for dead presidents to represent me," is a sample from Nas' 1994 song "The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)." This sampling later became a point of contention in the infamous rivalry between the two New York rappers. - The song's distinctive piano melody is sampled from Lonnie Liston Smith's 1974 track, "A Garden of Peace." The production was handled by Ski Beatz, who was inspired by the feel of Nas' "The World Is Yours" and was specifically asked by Jay-Z to keep the Nas vocal sample in the final beat. - "Dead Presidents" was released independently through Roc-A-Fella Records, the label Jay-Z co-founded with Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke. This was a significant move in an era when independent labels had difficulty achieving mainstream success. - Despite its classic status, the original single did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The album *Reasonable Doubt* debuted at number 23 on the Billboard 200, selling 43,000 copies in its first week and initially had modest commercial success. - *Reasonable Doubt* was certified Platinum by the RIAA on February 7, 2002, and as of 2006, had sold 1.5 million copies in the United States. It is now widely regarded by critics and fans as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. - For its 30th anniversary, the original version of "Dead Presidents" was made available on digital streaming platforms for the first time, along with newly pressed vinyl, CD, and cassette editions. - The music video featured cameos from notable figures including The Notorious B.I.G., Damon Dash, Kareem "Biggs" Burke, and AZ. The white 1993 Lexus GS 300 from the video was later displayed at "The Book of Hov" exhibit at the Brooklyn Library in 2023.