‘JAŸ-Z in 8’ brings Jay-Z and Rick Rubin back to the music
‘JAŸ-Z in 8’ brings Jay-Z and Rick Rubin back to the music
Rick Rubin makes his documentary directorial debut with an intimate, music-first look at Jay-Z’s career.
I love when successful artists pull the curtain back on their creative process. That’s why the idea of sitting down with JAŸ-Z and Rick Rubin as they talk about music, life, and legacy has me pretty excited. The new documentary series, “JAŸ-Z in 8” premieres with two episodes on Friday, Sept. 18 on HBO and HBO Max. JAŸ-Z will help pull apart hits like “99 Problems,” “4:44,” and “Dead Presidents II,” as well as touch on his childhood, when he caught the obsession for rap, and much more. Here’s how to watch “JAŸ-Z in 8.”
How to watch ‘JAŸ-Z in 8’
- When: Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET
- TV: HBO
- Stream: Watch with a subscription to HBO Max.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know about ‘JAŸ-Z in 8’
When will episodes of ‘JAŸ-Z in 8’ come on HBO Max?
“JAŸ-Z in 8” premieres Friday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on HBO, with Chapter 2 following at 8:45 p.m. ET. If you’re streaming instead, you can watch both episodes on HBO Max starting at 8 p.m. ET. After that, HBO will drop two episodes at those same times every Friday, leading up to the final Episodes 7 and 8 on Friday, Oct. 9.
Why do we recommend HBO Max for watching ‘JAŸ-Z in 8’?
Because it’s the best way to watch “JAŸ-Z in 8” on your own schedule. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper than getting a live TV subscription just to watch one channel for one documentary. I’ve been a long time subscriber with zero complaints with the Basic ad-supported plan for $11 per month. If you want to skip the ads, go for the Standard plan for $19 per month, and if you absolutely need 4K, the Premium plan costs $23 per month. And because this doc rolls out over four Fridays, you can watch the entire series for the price of one month if you time it right.
Can you watch episodes of ‘JAŸ-Z in 8’ for free?
Nope. HBO Max doesn’t offer a free trial right now, so you’ll need one of the paid subscriptions to watch “JAŸ-Z in 8.” The good news is there are a lot of GOAT TV shows on the platform. So if you do subscribe, make sure you take some time to check out shows like “Game of Thrones,” “Succession” and classics like “The Sopranos.”
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
Watch the trailer for ‘JAŸ-Z in 8’
What is ‘JAŸ-Z in 8’ about?
“JAŸ-Z in 8” is basically one very long conversation between JAŸ-Z and Rick Rubin, chopped into eight chapters and built around the music. Thirty years after the release of “Reasonable Doubt,” JAŸ-Z sits down with Rubin to revisit songs from across his career and explain where the words came from.
That means talking about childhood, ambition, success, mistakes, family, and how what was happening in his life eventually influenced the words he wrote. Rubin also directs the series, his documentary directorial debut, which is very cool.
JAŸ-Z in 8
Thirty years after his landmark debut album, artist, icon, philanthropist, and entrepreneur JAŸ-Z sits down with longtime friend, producer, and director Rick Rubin for an intimate reflection on his storied career.