Jay-Z restores original JAŸ-Z name styling, as Reasonable Doubt turns 30...

Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z has reinstated the original spelling of his stage name, reverting to “JAŸ-Z” across major streaming platforms as of Wednesday, Feb. 18, a move that echoes the branding of his 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt.

The reason for the change was not disclosed.

The updated stylisation restores both the hyphen and the umlaut over the “Y,” punctuation that featured prominently on early pressings and promotional materials tied to the landmark release, which marks its 30th anniversary this year.

In the years following his debut, the Brooklyn-born artist, born Shawn Carter, gradually simplified the name. The umlaut was dropped first, followed by the hyphen in certain iterations. By the 2010s, his branding alternated between “JAY-Z” and “Jay-Z,” reflecting a streamlined corporate identity as his business interests expanded.

The reintroduction of “JAŸ-Z” signals a return to the aesthetic of his early career at a symbolic milestone. Widely regarded as one of hip-hop’s most influential debuts, “Reasonable Doubt” established him as a lyricist chronicling ambition, risk and survival, with tracks such as “Can I Live,” “Brooklyn’s Finest” and “Dead Presidents.”

Industry observers note that legacy artists often revisit archival imagery and typography to mark major anniversaries. In this case, the punctuation itself serves as a nod to the mid-1990s era when independent hustle defined his rise and Roc-A-Fella Records was in its infancy.

For Jay-Z, whose brand evolution has paralleled his shift from rapper to global business figure, each stylistic adjustment has coincided with a new chapter. The revival of “JAŸ-Z” reconnects his current empire with the ambition that defined his debut.