HBO and Rick Rubin Announce New JAY-Z Documentary Series
- The documentary series gives an intimate look at Jay-Z's creative process and the life experiences that shaped his music.
- Each episode features a listening session where Jay-Z and Rubin break down individual tracks and the stories behind them.
- The project marks an important milestone for producer Rick Rubin, who is making his feature directorial debut.
JAY-Z is opening up about the stories and experiences behind some of his biggest songs in a new HBO documentary series directed by one of the most influential producers in music.
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JAŸ-Z IN 8 will give fans an unusually personal look at the rapper’s career, with Rick Rubin sitting down with JAY-Z for an eight-part conversation about his music and the moments that helped shape it. The series comes more than 30 years after JAY-Z released his classic debut album, Reasonable Doubt.
Rather than simply walking through the rapper’s career chronologically, the documentary focuses heavily on how JAY-Z writes and where his lyrics come from. Rubin and JAY-Z revisit songs from across his catalog, discussing the personal experiences, childhood memories and career milestones that influenced the music.
Each episode centers around a listening session, giving the two longtime music figures a chance to break down individual tracks and explore what was happening in JAY-Z’s life when they were created. Songs featured throughout the series include “Can’t Knock The Hustle,” “Brooklyn’s Finest,” “99 Problems,” “4:44” and “The Story Of O.J.”
The format gives JAY-Z an opportunity to look at some of his most recognizable work from a different perspective, while Rubin brings his own history and experience as a producer into the conversation.
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The project also marks an important milestone for Rubin, who is making his feature directorial debut with the series. The documentary was filmed by acclaimed cinematographer Bradford Young and produced through Rubin’s Tetragrammaton banner.
JAY-Z serves as an executive producer alongside Rubin and actor Daniel Kaluuya, adding another layer to the project’s creative team.
Across its eight chapters, JAŸ-Z IN 8 aims to connect JAY-Z’s music to the personal and cultural moments surrounding it. The result is expected to be more than a traditional music documentary, instead focusing on the thinking, memories and creative decisions behind a body of work that has helped define hip-hop for generations.
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The series arrives on HBO and HBO Max on Friday, September 18, 2026. The premiere will feature two episodes airing back-to-back beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Two new episodes will then be released each week, with the final episodes arriving October 9.
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For fans who have followed JAY-Z’s career from Reasonable Doubt through 4:44 and beyond, the series offers a chance to hear the story behind the songs directly from the artist himself.
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