JAY-Z revisits his legendary catalog with Rick Rubin in an intimate conversation exploring the music and life behind his lyrics.

JAY-Z and Rick Rubin are teaming up for JAŸ-Z IN 8, an eight-part HBO documentary series that premieres September 18. The series will center on an extended conversation between the two, with JAY-Z revisiting his lyrics, career, influences, writing process, and the life experiences that helped shape his music. Two episodes will debut on September 18, followed by two each Friday through October 9.

This is arriving at an especially fitting moment for JAY-Z. 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt, giving the series an opportunity to look back at three decades of music and examine how JAY-Z evolved from a Brooklyn rapper into one of the biggest artists and cultural figures in the world. It also comes amid a very active year for HOV, which has included a few live performances, a guest feature on Beyoncé’s latest single, and rumors of a potential album release circulating like crazy.

The documentary will revisit plenty of recognizable records, including “99 Problems,” “Brooklyn’s Finest,” “4:44,” “The Story Of O.J.,” “No Church In The Wild,” “Family Feud,” and “Legacy.” The episodes will apparently use those songs as jumping-off points for deeper conversations about JAY-Z’s life and artistry.

Having Rick Rubin conduct the conversation makes this even more interesting. Rubin previously produced “99 Problems” and is making his directorial documentary debut here. His previous music documentary, McCartney 3,2,1, showed how effective he can be when he simply lets an iconic artist talk about the music.

Considering how much JAŸ’s reputation is tied to his writing, I’m hoping this gets very nerdy about the lyrics. Give me the stories behind the lines, the discarded ideas, and the moments when he knew a song was special. That’s where this could really shine.

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.