On Friday, February 20, 2026, Roc Nation announced the official re-release of the original version of Jay-Z’s 1996 single, “Dead Presidents,” marking both the song’s 30th anniversary and the launch of a new website, JayZ30.com, dedicated to celebrating three decades of the artist’s career. The track, initially released independently through Roc-A-Fella Records, is now available on digital streaming platforms for the first time, according to a statement from Roc Nation.
“Dead Presidents,” produced by Ski Beatz, gained prominence as the lead single from Jay-Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt. The song’s distinctive sound hinges on a sample from Nas’s 1994 remix of “The World Is Yours,” specifically the line, “I’m out for dead presidents to represent me.” This sampling, as noted by Consequence, is widely considered a pivotal moment in the developing rivalry between Jay-Z and Nas, later addressed in Jay-Z’s 2001 track “Takeover.”
The release of “Dead Presidents” occurred during a period of independent operation for Roc-A-Fella Records, co-founded by Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem “Biggs” Burke. While the song proved influential, the original version was ultimately excluded from the final tracklist of Reasonable Doubt, replaced by “Dead Presidents II,” which featured altered lyrics over the same instrumental. The re-release on streaming services includes the original, previously unavailable version of the song.
Beyond streaming, the 30th-anniversary edition of “Dead Presidents” is as well available for purchase in physical formats – vinyl, CD, and cassette – through JayZ30.com. Notably, Jay-Z has also restored the umlaut over the “y” in his name – “JAŸ-Z” – across all music videos on his official YouTube channel, a stylistic choice harking back to his earlier work.
The anniversary celebration currently focuses on “Dead Presidents,” with no immediate announcements regarding plans to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt, which was released on June 25, 1996. The album featured collaborations with artists including The Notorious B.I.G., Foxy Brown, and Mary J. Blige, and production from a range of influential figures such as DJ Premier and Irv Gotti. Roc Nation has not indicated whether further releases or events are planned to mark the milestone.
