As spotted on Deadline, MUBI has acquired the international rights to the eight-part series, which finds Hov sitting down with the legendary producer for an expansive conversation about his music, life and creative process. HBO will handle the series in North America, with JAŸ-Z IN 8 premiering Sept. 18 on HBO and HBO Max. The first two episodes will debut back-to-back, with two new installments arriving every Friday through Oct. 9.
According to Hypebeast, the newly released official trailer gives fans their best look yet at what to expect from the project. Rather than a traditional documentary packed with talking heads, JAŸ-Z IN 8 centers on candid conversations between JAY-Z and Rubin as they revisit songs from throughout the Brooklyn rapper’s catalog.
Rubin uses the music as the entry point, with the two unpacking Hov’s lyrics, childhood, personal experiences and evolution as an artist. Songs including “Can’t Knock The Hustle,” “Brooklyn’s Finest,” “99 Problems,” “4:44” and “The Story Of O.J.” are among the records featured throughout the series.
The timing is fitting. The project arrives 30 years after JAY-Z released his 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt, kicking off a run that would eventually make him one of Hip-Hop’s most successful and influential artists. Rubin and Hov also have some history of their own. The Def Jam co-founder produced “99 Problems” from JAY-Z’s 2003 album The Black Album, with the track going on to become one of the rapper’s most recognizable records.
JAŸ-Z IN 8 also marks Rubin’s documentary directorial debut. Shawn Carter, Rubin and Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya serve as executive producers, while acclaimed cinematographer Bradford Young handled the visuals.
The trailer finds JAY-Z reflecting on everything from becoming obsessed with writing as a child to realizing just how far Hip-Hop could travel beyond the neighborhoods where the culture was born. Three decades after Reasonable Doubt, the series looks positioned to give fans something increasingly rare: Hov speaking at length about the thinking behind the bars.
JAŸ-Z IN 8 premieres Sept. 18 on HBO and HBO Max. You can watch the official trailer below.
