JAY-Z in 8 Finale Covers Hard Knock Life and Empire State of Mind

Views 3 Published by October 10, 2026

The final two episodes of the HBO Max docuseries JAY-Z in 8 were released Friday, October 9, completing the eight-part series directed by Rick Rubin. Episodes seven and eight examine key releases from the later years of JAY-Z's career.

The final two episodes of JAY-Z in 8, the HBO Max docuseries directed by Rick Rubin, were released Friday evening, October 9. Rubin helps JAY-Z unpack the stories behind key moments and releases from the later years of his career.

Episode seven covers “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” and “Empire State of Mind” with Alicia Keys, as well as projects including The Blueprint 3 and “Streets Is Watching.” Reflecting on his 2009 album, JAY-Z agreed with Rubin’s observation that the release marked a shift in his approach to album artwork. “I started getting into collecting art around that time,” he said, according to Billboard.

Episode eight focuses on JAY-Z’s more political work, including “The Story of O.J.” and “No Church in the Wild.” He also draws a throughline of generational healing between “Family Feud” and “Legacy.”

The series is a Tetragrammaton production. Executive producers include Daniel Kaluuya, JAY-Z and Rubin, and Leila Mattimore and David Rohde also serve as producers. Billboard notes that the docuseries argues rap is a quintessential American art form.

The release comes during what Billboard describes as a celebratory year for JAY-Z. He headlined the Roots Picnic in May and kicked off his JAY-Z 30 concerts with three sold-out Yankee Stadium shows in New York. The concerts also took place in Los Angeles, London and Paris. The Yankee Stadium shows featured guests including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Eminem, Usher and Pharrell Williams.