I hardly do reviews on this site anymore. Every now and then, I come back. I've been busy studying for my GCSEs that I haven't had any time to be reviewing albums every fortnight. But, the exams are finally over, and I can do whatever the fawk I want to. I'm back, niggas, and this time, it's the In My Lifetime trilogy from the legend himself, Jay Z!
As some of you would probably know, back in 1996, Jay Z officially stepped into the scene with his debut album, Reasonable Doubt. After a few guest appearances on albums and his 1995 non-album debut single (called "In My Lifetime"), it was released during the Summer, and was one of the main highlight albums that featured Mafioso themes. It received critical acclaim, and over 20 years later, is seen as a classic and one of Jay's best albums.
He managed to secure a new distribution deal with Def Jam and started working on his next album. Around this time, his close friend, Christopher Wallace aka the legendary Notorious B.I.G. was shot and passed away in March 1997, which led to one of his "worst periods of his life", according to Jay. In April 1997, he contributed to the soundtrack of the movie Sprung, with "Who You Wit". It wasn't until September that the hype for his next album started to get real, as he put out the commercial "shiny suit" single "(Always Be My) Sunshine" with Foxy Brown and Babyface. In November, the album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 was released.
Released: November 4, 1997
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 was the second album from Jay Z, following up his classic Reasonable Doubt. It featured 14 tracks, with guest appearances from Lil Kim, Blackstreet, Sauce Money, Too $hort and Kelly Price. Unlike his debut, it featured a more commercial sound, with production from The Hitmen, Teddy Riley, Chad Hugo, Poke & Tone, D-Dot and Buckwild. However, DJ Premier and Ski, who produced on the debut, did manage to contribute to the album's production.
The album received mixed to positive reviews. While some critics praised the album for its street and pop appeal, and how his use of commercial producers would attract listeners, a lot of dedicated fans felt that Jay was selling out at the time, especially after the street mafioso style of Reasonable Doubt. The album debuted at #3 and would later be certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Let's see how the album ranks with the rest of his albums.
1. Intro: A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More
DJ Premier is on the boards for what is probably one of my favourite intros of all-time. The two-part opening sees Jigga at his finest, rapping about the success he's had since Reasonable Doubt, and also touches on his drug-dealing lifestyle and shows off his lyricism and wordplay. "A Million and One Questions" samples the Aaliyah classic, "One in a Million" and Premo flips it in his typical hardhitting way. The second part, "Rhyme No More" is a slightly slow and calmer tune, compared to the first part, but still has the banging drums intact as Jay raps about his lifestyle and how he wants to feed his families. Jay doesn't fail to impress me and has my head banging throughout the whole 3 minutes. A great track, and remains one of Jigga's best songs.
2. The City is Mine (feat. Blackstreet)
The album's second single, with Blackstreet on hook duties. This funky tune sees Jigga rap a tribute verse to the late Biggie, and how he's gonna take over the city in memory of him. The next two verses is where Jay delivers the most, talking about his sales, his position in the game and how he represents the lifestyle of the hustlers. It's a decent song, and the production so funky, I can vibe to it. Jay comes through with the bars, and Blackstreet actually did well on the hook.
3. I Know What Girls Like (feat. Lil Kim & Puff Daddy)
This song was honestly trash. I remember listening to it the first time and feeling that it was alright, but really, there's so much wrong with it. The beat is just awful, the hook is trash and Puffy wasn't even necessary on this track. That's all I have to say. On to the next one!
4. Imaginary Player
This shit smooth as shit, boi! Here, on the nostalgic sounding ass track, Jay pokes fun at the fake ballers and players who act like they got money and jewelry, yet Jay doesn't see that, and compares his success to other people. The beat is amazing, kudos to Prestige, and Jay's flow is on point with this one, delivering with almost every bar. A smooth ass track I can vibe to, one of my favourites on the album.
5. Streets is Watching
About time we get a beat from Ski. His production on Reasonable Doubt was amazing: Politics as Usual, Dead Presidents, Feelin' It and 22 Two's. And now this, and it's just as good as those songs. Here, Jay expresses his frustrations at not dealing with his enemies while he's famous. His three verses don't disappoint, and he really details his frustrations very well. His flow is on point, and the third verse manages to really impress me. Unfortunately, this is censored, even on the explicit/uncensored version. But I love this tune, the beat knocks, thanks to Ski and Jay's rhymes is A1. One of the best on the album!
6. Friend or Foe '98
DJ Premier & Hova link up once again for a sequel to the Reasonable Doubt standout. Jay spits a long and impressive verse, that continues from the narrative, where the "foe" didn't listen to Jay's warning in the first part. It's very interesting, and Jay comes with that gritty flow and bars. Premo's beat bangs, as usual and it leaves you banging your head a lot. My only problem is it feels kinda short, like an interlude. I wish there were more verses, or maybe a little bit of scratching from Premo. I would've loved that. Still a dope ass track though.
7. Lucky Me
People only know what they see, but they don't know about what happens behind the scenes. For Jay, yeah, he's famous, getting all the money and girls, but behind all that, he's just a normal guy who's stressed and is trying to live life. Here, on this personal track, he details his stress and issues, hoping for God to take care of him. He also touches on fake promoters, haters, envy and fake friends. Karen Anderson does the hook, and she's alright, adding an emotional feel to the song too with her singing. The beat isn't the best, but it's pretty suiting for the track. It's sombre, kinda emotional and gives a nice touch to the song. Jay really sounds at home on the instrumental. The content is great, and you can see a lot of things have changed since the release of his debut.
8. (Always Be My) Sunshine [feat. Babyface & Foxy Brown]
The album's first single, and it received mixed reception, especially when it was very different from the content on his album. The beat is pretty nostalgic, on some 70s/80s shit. But this is actually pretty decent, and Jigga still comes through with bars. Babyface delivers a memorable ass hook and Foxy goes back and forth with Jay on the second verse, and does a lot of ad-libs (Foxy's "uh-huh"s are amazing, haha). Again, I love the instrumental, that shit gets me vibing. Funky as shit, and I be feeling like Diddy sometimes when I hear the beat, haha!
9. Who You Wit II
In May 1997, Jay released a song called "Who You Wit", which was originally for the Sprung movie soundtrack. The sequel is basically a remix: it's the same beat, but slightly different lyrics. The first and second verses are pretty much the same, but this third verse is actually different from the original third verse. And he freakin' kills it. I actually mess with this verse more than the original one. A great track!
10. Face Off (feat. Sauce Money)
A funky track, that easily could've been a single. It gets me vibing, and I love the video too. Sauce Money does the hook with Jay, and doesn't necessarily have a verse (only a few lines as Jay is rapping), which I don't mind, cos we get to hear Jigga flow effortlessly over the fast-paced instrumental. The beat sounds like a holiday, it screams "Summer". You can imagine the beach (or either a cruise ship), the sun is out and there are fine ladies there. The video makes the song and the vibe even better: girls, tits, twerking and Jay & the crew smoking and having fun. What a tune!
11. Real Niggaz (feat. Too $hort)
A slow-paced track, compared to the previous track. Here, Jay gets the legendary Too $hort as he talks about his past lifestyle of drug dealing and trying to make money. Too $hort's verse is nice, and he doesn't disappoint. Jay does his thing with his verses, telling his stories and touching on his success. Even in his last verse, he says he got love for the West Coast (especially after the East vs. West Coast rivalry), and sends an RIP to both Biggie & Pac. The beat has a Southern/West Coast feel to it, something you can ride to and it's pretty slow. Solid song.
12. Rap Game/Crack Game
On this headbanging standout, Jay compares the rap game to the crack cocaine business. The two verses are impressive as usual, touching on marketing and his singles, comparing them to the cocaine and drug bosses. Jaz-O came through with a fire beat, sampling OutKast & Nas for his scratches, and he does the scratching very well. I wish there was a third verse, cos even with the two verses, it feels a little bit short. Still one of my favourites.
13. Where I'm From
One of my favourite songs from Jay, as he touches on the place he grew up in: Brooklyn. Here, Jay tells stories about the things he has experienced in Brooklyn and the Marcy Projects, including murder, violence, religion, police, drugs and more. It's a very detailed song, and Jay's flow is amazing on this. He snapped on all of his verses in the song, and the way he touches on where he comes from is emotional, gritty, but very interesting. The beat is freakin' amazing, and it bangs like a MF. Everything about this song is so great: the beat, the bars, the hook, scratches, FREAKIN' EVERYTHING!!!! My favourite song, not only from the album, but from Jay.
14. You Must Love Me (feat. Kelly Price)
A deep and emotional closer to the album, which sees Jay rap about his drug-dealing and how it had affected people around him. The first verse is about his mother, who taught him many things, but he feels that he betrayed her when he started selling drugs (and says he sold crack to his mother. He really didn't, that was a metaphor). The second verse is about his older brother, who started to have a drug addiction, and Jay even shot him. Weirdly, the next day, all was forgiven, and Jay saw him in hospital. The third verse is about his girl, who he didn't want in the drug game. But since he trusted her, he got her to help him smuggle drugs. He regrets this, and asks himself why he did this. These verses are very sad, personal and emotional, and I bet a lot of grown men have cried to this. In each verse, he ends with the phrase "You Must Love Me", and it shows how Jay feels about what he had done to the people he knew. Kelly Price does some crooning throughout the track, and comes through with a beautiful hook. Her singing was on point, I loved it. Really though, this song is so beautiful, it can tear me up. It's actually that deep and sad of a song. A wonderful ending to a solid album.
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Final Thoughts
It's annoying how underrated In My Lifetime is, to be honest. It's not exactly slept on in the hip-hop community, but when talking about Jay's discography, nobody really brings it up as much as Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint and The Black Album. This is actually a solid piece of work from Hov. It's not as bad as people make it to be. Is it as good as Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint or The Black Album? Hell no, those are masterpieces. But that doesn't mean the album isn't great. The album takes a slight departure from the mafioso sound of his debut album, and instead, adapts to a more commercial sound, adding to the "jiggy"/shiny suit era in hip-hop at that time. We hear a lot of club smashes such as "(Always Be My) Sunshine", "The City is Mine", "Imaginary Player", I Know What Girls Like" and "Face Off", where Jigga flaunts a lot more about his money, girls and success.
The album's radio-friendly sound doesn't mean that Jay doesn't get gritty and lyrical. The intro "A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More" sees Hova at his finest, while Premo provides two banging instrumentals for him to spit on. "Streets is Watching" is where Jay raps about dealing with his enemies while he's famous. "Where I'm From" is a deep and detailed description of Jay's hometown of Brooklyn. "Friend or Foe '98" is a sequel, where the "foe" faces the consequences of not listening to Jay's warning in the original version. And "Rap Game/Crack Game" is a standout, in which Jay touches on the similarities of the rap game and the drug business.
Jay even gets personal and deep on the album too. "Lucky Me" sees Jay talk about his stress and issues with people around him, like fake promoters, fake friends and jealousy. The hook from Karen Anderson is decent, and adds on to the song very well. The album's closer, "You Must Love Me" is Jay at his most emotional and heartfelt on the album, as he speaks about his regrets in his lifetime (no pun intended, haha). He sees how drugs and even his drug-dealing has affected people he knew and loved, from his girl to his family. Kelly Price had an amazing hook, and I loved her singing.
The production is great, and pretty much throughout the whole album. "Imaginary Player" is smooth as shit, thanks to Prestige. Premo provides 3 hard hitting beats on the album with "A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More" and "Friend or Foe '98". Ski continues to deliver fire beats with "Who Ya Wit II" and "Streets is Watching". Poke & Tone came with a funky beat on "Face Off". And Jaz had a fire instrumental for "Rap Game/Crack Game". Honestly, the only problem I had was "I Know What Girls Like". That beat was booty. The song wasn't too bad, but the beat sounded like something was missing.
The features were nice too. Too $hort did his thing on "Real Niggaz", Foxy Brown was nice on "(Always Be My) Sunshine", with Babyface delivering on the hook. Lil Kim was alright on "I Know What Girls Like" but the rest of that song was trash and Diddy was unnecessary on it. Kelly Price's singing on "You Must Love Me" was great, and she really complemented the song. And Sauce Money complemented "Face Off".
Overall, I liked the album. Jay balances the content on the album very well, appealing to both street rap listeners and mainstream audiences. The production was fire, the features were good and Jay manages to provide great lyricism and also reflects on his success and lifestyle. It's a solid follow up to his debut. No, it's not a classic, but doesn't mean it's average or trash. A decent album to Jay's discography!
Recommended Tracks
Where I'm From
A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More
Rap Game/Crack Game
Friend or Foe '98
Imaginary Player
Streets is Watching
You Must Love Me
OK, on to the next one!
Released: September 29, 1998
The reception for In My Lifetime wasn't necessarily the best. While the album was a great balance of hardcore street bangers, radio-friendly hits and personal tunes, a lot of fans didn't like the glossy production, and thought Jay was selling out quick with the album rather than sticking to the mafioso style Reasonable Doubt had. But Jigga was already getting successful, just off his 2 albums, already spawning hits including "Who Ya Wit" and "(Always Be My) Sunshine".
In May 1998, Jay Z released the musical film Streets is Watching. Named after the In My Lifetime standout, the film takes place in his old neighbourhood in Brooklyn, and compiles unreleased music videos into one continuous film. The soundtrack was released along with the film, which features new music from Jay and fellow artists like Christión, Noreaga and M.O.P.. It was in August that he started rolling out his next album, releasing the first single "Can I Get A..." with Amil & Ja Rule also for the Rush Hour soundtrack, which was one of his most successful singles at the time. Fast forward to September 29, one of the best days in rap. It was the day XXL got all of the rappers in a big picture. And it was the day 4 albums from big artists came out: A Tribe Called Quest's The Love Movement, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, OutKast's Aquemini and Jay Z's Vol 2... Hard Knock Life.
The second volume of the trilogy, Hard Knock Life was Jay's third album, featuring 14 tracks (12 originals + 2 bonuses), with features from Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, The LOX, DMX, Da Ranjahz and more. Speaking of the album's content in December 1998, Jay said that he wanted to represent and tell the story of everybody who went through what he's been through, and tell their lifestyle to those who'd want to know about and understand it. Unlike the first volume, the album has a rougher sound compared to the glossy style of In My Lifetime. This time, Jigga relied on flow and wordplay and continued with his penchant of working with the popular producers at the time including Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. The album also featured production from legends such as DJ Premier, Kid Capri, Stevie J and Erick Sermon.
Vol. 2 garnered positive feedback, with critics calling it a progression from the previous volume, and praising the production and lyricism. It also happened to be Jay's most successful album, earning his first #1 debut on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of over 350k copies. By 2000, it was certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA. It also won a Grammy for Best Rap Album in 1999, and while he won, he boycotted the ceremony for its apparent disrespect for hip-hop at the time, as they didn't broadcast the rap nominations.
Anyway, let's see if this album is any better than the first...
1. Intro: Hand It Down [performed by Memphis Bleek]
After a minute skit from Pain in Da Ass mocking Carlito's Way and making a threat as Jay to retire, DJ Premier provides another banging instrumental for the album intro just like he did for the Vol. 1 intro "A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More". But instead of Jay, his protégé Memphis Bleek takes the mic and spits a little verse as Premo does some scratches at the start and end of the song. Bleek completely rips the track with his flow and delivery, and the bars are pretty decent. The beat is fire, as usual, Premo doesn't disappoint. Even with Jay being absent, it's a headbanger and a good way to start the album. I'm glad Jay gave Bleek his own track this time to introduce him properly, compared to before.
2. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
The title track samples the classic Annie song, setting the mood properly for the album. A song that boosted up his superstar status, Jay raps about his rags-to-riches story, reflecting on his success and how he used to hustle in the streets, selling drugs. By the last verse, he brags about his consistency and him blowing up, becoming the hottest rapper out. This is one of my favourite Jay songs, and it never gets old. It's very interesting and nice to hear him rap about his struggles and represent those who had been struggling, while bragging about how hot and successful he is. A great song that helps set the rough mood of the album very well.
3. If I Should Die (feat. Da Ranjahz)
Jay gets Wais & Half Dead aka Da Ranjahz on a hard Swizz Beatz instrumental, where they hope that when they die, their friends will celebrate their lives rather than mourn their deaths. Jay's first verse is great, reminiscing about his former drug dealing lifestyle, his success and his rhymes. Wais also reflects on selling crack back in the 80s and raps about wanting some answers about certain questions. Half Dead comes through with a fire verse, which isn't too reflective but full of dope bars and punchlines. But Jay steals the show once again with an extra verse, wanting to meet Biggie & Pac in heaven and ask questions about the afterlife. It's a banging tune, yet very introspective and dark.
4. Ride or Die
Stevie J is the only Bad Boy producer on the album, providing a funky ass beat as Jay gives free smoke, and is competitive. Jigga sends some subs at Ma$e, which is funny cos Stevie J & Ma$e were on the same label at the time. I wonder how Puffy felt about this, haha! Anyway, he delivers on that verse, same with the next two as well. I remember liking it, but hardly going back to it. But this is actually a pretty great track, and it gets me vibing a lot. Jay shows off his lyricism and aggression very well, even with the beat sounding all funky and radio-friendly.
5. Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator '99) [feat. Amil & Big Jaz]
In 1990, rapper Jaz O aka Big Jaz released "The Originators" with a young Jay, who was his mentee at the time. It was one of the collaborations that'd boost up Jay's career, along with songs like Big Daddy Kane's "Show and Prove" and Big L's "Da Graveyard". Jay would blow up with Reasonable Doubt, and fast forward 8 years later, and they reunite for a sequel with Roc-a-Fella member Amil on the hook. Timbaland provides a dope ass beat as the two come through with a fast-paced flow. Jay delivers on his two verses as usual, and he complements the hook very well with Amil. Jaz does his thing on this track too, coming straight after Jigga spits some bars on the third verse. And I was actually impressed that he managed to keep up with Jay, with the flow and delivery. Then again, Jaz was his mentor, and one of the reasons why Jay got to where he is today. Sadly, this would be the last time they'd ever work with each other. But nevertheless, I love this song. Timbo was a beast on the boards with this tune, and both Jay & Jaz came with an impeccable flow and dope rhymes. Probably one of Jay's best songs.
6. Money, Cash, Hoes (feat. DMX)
I remember when I always heard the start of this song, and the melody put me off so much. This sounded like a little kid playing with a keyboard, haha. Even with the beat knocking, that sample put me off so much, and I didn't really like the flow. Years later, and I freakin' love it. Probably one of my favourite songs on this album. My young mind probably wasn't used to the greatness that is Swizz Beatz, and listening to it now, it's a banger. When the beat kicks in, it gets you bumping your head and pulling squint faces. Everytime this tune comes on, I'm always vibing and pretending to play the keys to that sample. Anyway, about the song, Jay & DMX come through with a sick flow, rapping about their three relevant things in life, and their success. Jigga comes through, bragging about his flow and successful life, and also his criticism on New York after the East/West Coast rivalry ("It's like New York's been soft/Ever since Snoop came through and crushed the buildings/I'm trying to restore the feelings"). While Jay's rhymes and flow is impeccable, I feel DMX really came through a lot better than Jay, with his aggressive flow and delivery. I vibe to it a lot more and you can tell he sounds a lot more comfortable on the beat. That's not to say that Jay didn't kill it, the fact that he managed to get on such a beat like this say a lot. But I mess with this track, it's such a classic!
7. A Week Ago (feat. Too $hort)
Jay & Too $hort hook up for another collab, where they reflect on the drug game, and how partnerships fall apart when one spends time in jail, especially with snitching. Too $hort does the hook, while Jay raps about his drug dealing career with his childhood friend. I expected myself to like it, but I hardly go back to it. And as personal as it is, it kinda bores me. But on to the next one!
8. Coming of Age (Da Sequel) [feat. Memphis Bleek]
Jigga & Memphis Bleek link up once again for a Part 2 of the Reasonable Doubt standout, which is the complete opposite of the original. Part 1 was a laidback tune you could ride out and smoke to, but this shit is so menacing and hard. Both rappers go back and forth, and they do not disappoint. Once again, Swizz Beatz got me making squint faces and bumping my head. He goes in on that beat!! Probably his most most hardcore beat on this album. Jay & Bleek do their thing, and I happen to enjoy it more than the original. The hook is alright, it's something I can rap along to. And I feel Memphis shines a lot more on this song than on the Premo intro "Hand It Down". Jay did his thing too, he flowed over that beat like it was nothing. This is one of my favourite songs on the album, and probably the one with the most replay value.
9. Can I Get A... (feat. Amil & Ja Rule)
One of Jigga's biggest hits, originally from the Rush Hour soundtrack. I remember hearing it when I was young, and even to this day, it's still a banger. Former Roc-a-Fella member Amil gets her second appearance on the album, and we also get a feature from Ja Rule; and they both deliver. A notable thing is that the hook is more explicit than the radio edit. And honestly, the vibe of that hook doesn't even feel the same when you think about how the "woop woop" complemented the track very well. But it still gives me memories, especially and I love banging it out every now and then.
10. Paper Chase (feat. Foxy Brown)
Timbaland's a legend on the boards, but this is one of those rare moments where he provides a beat that is pretty bland, to my liking, and not even Jay & Foxy can save the song for me. It's not great but it's certainly not trash. It's just... meh!
11. Reservoir Dogs (feat. The LOX, Beanie Sigel & Sauce Money)
We in for a treat with this one. Jay recruits a great ensemble of rappers for such a dope posse cut, one of the best on the album. The beat is a groovy one, and every rapper sounds just right on the beat. I thought Jadakiss & Styles P really killed their verses, and Beanie did his thing too. Sheek & Sauce were decent with theirs as well. But as soon as Jay comes in, it's a prime example of how underrated of a lyricist he is. He really came through on this one, like washed everybody, in my opinion. Just when I was vibing to Kiss and Beans' verses, I just ended up bopping my head so much to Jigga, had me dancing like Diddy, haha. That flow was on another level! It's one of my favourite posse cuts OAT, and it's one where hardly anyone disappoints.
12. It's Like That (feat. Kid Capri)
A solid ending to the album, with Kid Capri on the boards (also providing some adlibs). This one a little chill and introspective, seeing Jay explain his upbringing, going from selling drugs to being a successful rapper. The first verse was great, with his reflecting on his past life, but it's the second verse where he really goes off, bragging about his position in the game as usual, and being his usual competitive self. It's a pretty underrated song in Jay's catalog and doesn't get the credit he deserves. Jay did his thing on it, even if the beat was a little bland for my liking. He managed to save the song a lot with his bars.
The following are previously-released bonus tracks:
13. It's Alright (with Memphis Bleek)
This was probably one of my favourite songs on this album, and it's a bonus track. Sampling a classic song from Talking Heads ("Once in a Lifetime"), this was originally on the Streets is Watching soundtrack as a Memphis Bleek song with Jay as a feature, probably to boost up Memph's career. But Jay is the one that steals the shine, considering his two verses. Bleek did his thing tho, it was actually better than his usual verses. Jigga, on the other hand, snapped, especially on his second verse. Reason #2 why I love Hov. Plus, the beat knocks like a MF. I love this tune!
14. Money Ain't a Thang (feat. Jermaine Dupri)
Taken from Dupri's debut Life in 1472, Jermaine & Hov link up for a groovy braggadocios tune, with its hook/title being inspired by the Reasonable Doubt classic "Can't Knock the Hustle". I remember loving the song back when I was younger, and to this day, it's still a banger. Jay starts off the song with a great verse about his success and how much money he got. It's good for what it is, and even Jermaine held his own with his verses too. Not to mention, I love the hook so much, and the beat is dope. Great tune!
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Final Thoughts
I said about Vol. 1 that the album was good for what it was, with hardly any skippables and that it managed to appeal to the core and mainstream fans very well. Well, scratch that! Vol. 2 is even better. I think, here, Jay was able to improve his sound, with new flows, producers and content for the fans. From start to finish, I'm impressed with almost every song on the album, and it seemed like Hov found his touch on the project, in comparison to before.
There are a lot of good tracks on the album. The intro "Hand It Down" is where Jay gives Memphis Bleek his time to shine, having his own song. And while Bleek wasn't necessarily the best rapper on Roc-a-Fella (Beanie Sigel was, to be honest), he held his own on this song, along with "Coming of Age (Da Sequel)". Classics such as "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", "Money, Cash, Hoes" and "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator '99)" see Hov mess with new flows and styles as he flaunts his success, reflects on his past life and shows off his lyrical skill. He even manages to send some subs at Ma$e on "Ride or Die" while on a Stevie J beat. Petty! Songs like "Reservoir Dogs" and "It's Alright" is where Jay really brings out the best in him, showing how skilled of a rapper he can be, and that it's not just accolades and success to give him credit on.
The production is a lot better on here, once again, being a mix of new and older producers. My favourite beats on this album has to be from Swizz Beatz, that guy knows how to create bangers. For something so dark and introspective, "If I Should Die" bangs out so hard, making me pull squint faces and I bump this. Jay and Da Ranjahz both do their thing, and fail to disappoint. The beat on "Money, Cash, Hoes" is so bad that it's good, haha! One minute, the beat turns you off from the track, the next, you bumping your head to Jay's flow, the hook, DMX's verse and all that. "Coming of Age (Da Sequel)" is one of those rare moments which prove that a sequel can shit all over the original. Not saying that the original isn't great, it's actually one of the best tracks on Reasonable Doubt. But I felt that Jay & Bleek flowed over that beat like it's nothing, and Swizz killed it on the boards. Other producers include Timbaland, who created a nice, futuristic beat for "Nigga What, Nigga Who". DJ Premier created another headbanger as usual for the intro "Hand It Down", which honestly saved the song from being meh. Probably the reason why that song has a lot of replay value. The 45 King creates a dope tune for the title track, and I loved the "Reservoir Dogs" instrumental. Erick Sermon, POP and Rockwilder's flip on Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft" was on point, giving the song a funky vibe as each rapper provides a sick verse.
Guest appearances have their shine on this album too, and even managed to outshine Hov at some points. Jay gives Memphis Bleek his own song, "Hand It Down", which was decent, but saved by the DJ Premier instrumental. He's also on 2 more songs, but I think he shone out more on "Coming of Age (Da Sequel)", going back and forth with Jigga, like it was a conversation. Da Ranjahz killed their verses on "If I Should Die", especially Wais. And if it wasn't for the extra Jay verse at the end, I would've said Wais washed everybody. Jaz O came through with his verse on "Nigga What, Nigga Who", and you can see how much Jigga learned from him. "Reservoir Dogs" is a big highlight on the album, with everybody delivering a great verse. While I thought Jay washed everybody, I thought Beanie, Jadakiss & Styles P held their own too; and I was impressed by them. And I loved Amil & Ja Rule on "Can I Get A...", that tune's a classic, and everyone holds their own on that, especially Ja.
And Jigga stepped it up from Vol. 1 and has a lot more impressive moments. The fact that he could flow effortlessly on "Money, Cash, Hoes" is just amazing, I can't imagine anybody that could do it like Hov. How many times have I mentioned "Reservoir Dogs"? That's how much I loved his verse, to be honest. And it shows how skilled he can be. He did his thing on "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", and he was really wit it on "Ride or Die". Not to mention, Jay's extra verse on "If I Should Die" was great.
There were still a couple flaws. "A Week Ago" bored me, and while the content was there, the instrumental and flows weren't doing it for me. And Timbaland normally doesn't disappoint, but he did with "Paper Chase". Both Foxy & Jigga were alright, and the song hardly has any replay value for me when I go back to the album. Then again, that's just me, and maybe I might like it with a few more listens.
But yeah, in conclusion, I loved Vol. 2. The replay value is there, the bars are there, the production has improved and everybody involved does their thing. There are new flows, content, producers, and hardly any skippables. I know I said Vol. 1 is underrated, but I can see why, especially when you compare it to this. Jay really improved his sound on here, the production is almost flawless, and the balance of the street bangers and commercial tunes is way better. It's my favourite project on the trilogy. One of his top 5 best albums!
Recommended Tracks
Coming of Age (Da Sequel)
Reservoir Dogs
Money, Cash Hoes
Nigga What, Nigga Who
It's Alright
If I Should Die
Can I Get A...
At this point, with every album, it seemed that Jay was only getting bigger, quickly surpassing everybody with his commercial success and hits. "Feelin' It", "Who Ya Wit", "Can I Get A...", all radio smashes, and now the year was 1999. He changed the rap game: hits, street shit, platinum success. He really managed to commercialise the rap game just like that. As he continued to pump out two more singles from Vol. 2, he had some more hits with two Swizz Beatz produced singles: In March was "Jigga My Nigga" originally from the Ruff Ryders compilation Ryde or Die, Vol. 1; and August was "Girl's Best Friend" off the Blue Streak movie soundtrack. It wasn't until December until Jay started the rollout of his fourth album, 2 weeks prior. The 14th saw the release of the lead single, "Do It Again (Put Your Hands Up)" with Beanie Sigel & Amil. 2 weeks later, on the 28th, the full album aka Vol. 3 dropped!
Life and Times of S. Carter was the third and final volume of the Life + Times trilogy. The album features 15 tracks (17 if you include the previously-released bonuses), with production from various producers including Rockwilder, Swizz Beatz, DJ Premier, DJ Clue, Irv Gotti; and features from Dr. Dre, Amil, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, Juvenile, Mariah Carey and more.
You already know the deal, debuted at #1, had decent reviews and went triple plat. Blah, blah, blah, let's get on wit it!
1. Hova Song (Intro)
Jay spits a little verse to set the mood for the album, and he doesn't disappoint, with his boasting about his success and skill, with lines like "Jigga the shit, even when he rhyme in third person/Hova the God, I should be rapping with a turban". Pain in the Ass comes through once again with his mafia boss impersonation just like he did with Jay's previous albums, and it's still a great way to open up the album, suiting Jay's whole Mafioso concept with his albums. The beat is great, and I remember not liking it too much. Salute to K-Rob! Fire intro.
2. So Ghetto
Classic Hov. That's all I need to say here. A timeless DJ Premier beat and 3 killer verses from Jigga. What more can I say?
3. Do It Again (Put Your Hands Up) [feat. Beanie Sigel & Amil]
The album's lead single, which I absolutely loved when I first heard it. A club banger, and Rockwilder killed it on the boards. Roc-a-Fella crewmates Beanie Sigel & Amil link up with Hov on this one, and they both do their thing. Beanie came through with a solid verse, and he held his own with Hov. Jigga the star of the show here as he provides a fire verse where he talks about rappers biting his style, or not rapping the same as he tries to come for the crown; with lines like "How the fuck you gon' talk about MC's on our heel?/When we just cop them things homie, the chromey wheels". Amil doesn't do much, but sing the hook. I wouldn't mind if she had a verse though, although I personally found her average. But it's whatever tho, the song is one of my favourites from this album, and it still bumps to this day.
4. Dope Man
First off, let me say that this beat is legendary, I freakin' love it, salute to the producers. Jay brings out his millennial flow on this underrated song, using the concept of being on trial as an extended metaphor for starting the Dynasty (aka the Roc-a-Fella crew). He revisits his past 3 albums and how people reacted to them, like how fans have been hooked onto Hov since Reasonable Doubt, and also calls his previous volume, Hard Knock Life, a "lethal dosage". He's been dropping heat consistently that he should be in prison for it, haha! The third verse sees him reflect on his past life and shares his thoughts on how the system can screw blacks over in America. It's a solid track, where Jay shows off his consistency in his heat, while talking about the system and growing up in Brooklyn. It's a shame that this song doesn't get the love it deserves.
5. Things That U Do (feat. Mariah Carey)
Swizz Beatz is on the boards this time, as Mariah Carey hooks up with Hov for a radio-friendly jam, and it sounds fresh and original for what was supposed to be a commercial cut. Here, Mariah is obviously on hook duties as Hov talks about how his success and past experiences made him who he is today. And his flow is on point, with this. Another reason why he's a legend, switching flows like no other. Mariah's hook is dope too, catchy AF. Probably one of Jay's underrated commercial cuts.
6. It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)
I remember not expecting myself to like the song where I heard the intro, but when the beat kicks in and Hov starts spitting, it's amazing. Timbaland provides a bumping beat as Jigga raps about thug domination, and even throws a shot at a younger 50 Cent (because of "How to Rob", which was lowkey a hit at the time). His flow on point once again, spitting hot fire, with lines like "Hova's like Noah keep two in the truck/I'm like U-Haul; every bitch moving I fuck" and "Give my ladies dick, my young hoes pee-pee/Hits in a row like MJ; 'Hee-hee!'". Another solid track.
7. Snoopy Track (feat. Juvenile)
This was alright, it didn't impress me too much. Juvenile's hook was trash, Hov's verses were... eh, and this is another of Timbaland's weak beats, just like "Paper Chase". On to the next one!
8. S. Carter (feat. Amil)
Jay & Amil come through with a banger, which I'm surprised isn't produced by Swizz Beatz. Hov's two verses are more impressive here, compared to the previous song, and Amil does a few lines and ad-libs while Jay spits his bars. Amil is after Jay, and she actually does a good job, considering how average she can be at times. Her flow is sick, and I enjoyed her bars on this song. Overall, the song gets me vibing and bumping my head, and I would've loved to hear DMX or The LOX on this. But, Amil is fine, and she doesn't affect the song badly at all. In fact, she makes it better, complementing with Jay on the hook and verses. One of my favourites on the album.
9. Pop 4 Roc (feat. Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek & Amil)
Probably the first Dynasty song, with Beans, Memphis Bleek & Amil linking up with Jigga as DJ Clue? provides a funky beat. This one is more of a club banger you can ride to, rather than an aggressive one. Everybody does their thing on this one, especially Beans & Hov. Amil was kinda trash on this, and Bleek did alright. But Beans killed it, and Hov came through with a sick verse. Compare it to their later collabs, it's... eh. But they do their thing.
10. Watch Me (feat. Dr. Dre)
Another alright song. Dr. Dre comes on here with an unnecessary hook, the guy didn't even produce the song. Loved the beat tho, and Jay's verses were decent.
11. Big Pimpin' (feat. UGK)
One of Jay's best songs ever, and honestly it's not even cos of him. UGK gets on the track, as the three create an ode to the pimping lifestyle. It's a track that helped get the South into the mainstream, and I love it. Jay's verse were decent, but his flow was on point. And I enjoyed Bun B on this, he killed it, and did a lot better than Hov. But Pimp C... PIMP MUTHAFAWKIN' C! With an iconic verse like that, God damn! It might have not been the most lyrical on there, that belonged to Bun B, but C snapped still with his legendary lines. If there's any more reasons to love this song, other than the hook, the Timbaland beat and Bun B's verse, Pimp C is one. Which is funny cos he was hesitant to do this track at first cos of how "pop" it was, but he killed it. Classic Hov and UGK, point blank, period.
12. There's Been a Murder
One of the weaker tracks on the album, can't lie, it kinda bores me. Although, I liked the concept of Jay killing off his alter ego. The verses are good, but the beat is... eh, and the sampled Alana Davis hook doesn't suit the song, to be honest (it's not on-key with the beat, that's why). But it's whatever tho, on to the next one.
13. Come and Get Me
Not gonna lie, that transition from the previous track into this song was smooth, I almost thought the beat switched up and he decided to spit an extra verse on "There's Been a Murder". Anyway, this is probably the most underrated Timbaland/Hov collab, and it's a strong point from Timbo, along with "Big Pimpin'". This six-minute standout sees Jay bragging about how tough and untouchable he is. And the first minute of this song was bumping hard, but when the beat switches up, it's when Hov snaps like a beast. rapping about putting his hood on and representing the streets. Out of all the Timbo/Hov collabs on here, this & "Big Pimpin'" are my favourites. Sadly, this one remains underrated, and it shouldn't be. There are weaker collabs aka "Paper Chase" and "Snoopy Track".
14. NYMP
Underrated gem, which sees Hov reflect on growing up in the Marcy Projects and how he used to hustle. I enjoyed this, as it slowed down the mood from what was a funky and fast paced album, and hearing Jay touch on his past days was a lot more interesting than his other introspective cuts from his previous albums.
15. Hova Song (Outro)
Same beat from the intro, but different lyrics, which sees Jay reflect on how he's changed the game ever since his first album; and how he has got more haters ever since then ("First album niggas love me cause they thought I was poor/Guess I'm successful; industry don't love me no more/Well I'm the same nigga from your corner, bubblin raw"). It's a great way to end the whole project, with his bragging about success and reflection on his father abandoning him or people changing on him. Honestly find it slightly better than the intro.
The following are previously-released hidden tracks from after the Outro:
16. Jigga My Nigga
Originally from Ryde or Die, Vol. 1, Jay & Swizz Beatz show their chemistry once again with this banger. I remember hearing parodies of this song a couple years back, and YouTube comedian Lenarr had an intro that made a parody of this, but didn't get to hear the original till a month ago. And it's a fawkin' tune, and Hov muses on his hustler/rapper persona with his 3 verses. The hook is just legendary, and Jay's flow is amazing on this. Got me bumping my head like MAUD! Classic tune.
17. Girl's Best Friend
Taken from the Blue Streak soundtrack, this has got to be my favourite Swizz/Jay collab, tied up with "Money, Cash, Hoes". I remember listening to this for the first time, I was fully vibing to this. With Swizz's then-girlfriend Mashonda on the hook, Jay metaphorically dedicates the song to diamonds aka a girl's best friend, and it's an unusual love song, considering it's not about women. And he delivers. Plus, Swizz's beat is fire, that deserves credit cos when that hook and beat kicks in, I just be vibing out to it, and dancing my arse off, ha! Classic!
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Final Thoughts
I gotta admit, Life and Times of S. Carter is probably the weakest of the trilogy. Not saying it's trash, it's actually a solid effort, but compare it to Vol. 1 & 2, it's just meh. With those two, Jay managed to balance his street and commercial sound very well, making classics such as "Who Ya Wit" and "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". But, this is a slight stepback, and it doesn't sound like he was trying too much on this. Some of the songs end up being so lackluster, and some of the production was average.
Let's talk about the good things first though. The album started off very well, with the intro and classic "So Ghetto", and I loved the singles including "Big Pimpin'" and "Girl's Best Friend". There's a range of songs with different content. "Dope Man" reflects on his past efforts since '96, and how he's been consistent with the heat. "So Ghetto" takes shots at magazines who'd post negative/clickbait stories about him, but would get him on the cover. "It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)" focuses on thug domination, and takes shots at 50 Cent post-How to Rob. "Big Pimpin'" is an ode to the pimping lifestyle, with a classic Southern vibe. "Girl's Best Friend" is metaphorically about diamonds. And "There's Been a Murder" sees Jay try to kill off his alter ego as he wants to go back to hustling.
The production was great in most cases. Premo made a classic with "So Ghetto". Swizz Beatz did alright with "Things That U Do", giving a fresh original vibe to such a commercial tune. Also "Jigga My Nigga" and "Girl's Best Friend" bang so hard!!! Timbaland was good with "Big Pimpin'" and "Come and Get Me", although he slipped with "Snoopy Track". "Pop 4 Roc" was a funky one, thanks to Clue & Ken Ifill. "S. Carter" was a Swizz Beatz copy, to be honest, yet managed to be one of the standouts on the album. And the beat for "Watch Me" was fire, although the rest of the song was just alright. However, a few lackluster moments included "There's Been A Murder" and "Snoopy Track". They weren't necessarily shitty, but didn't manage to interest me too much.
Which leads me to list the flaws on the album. "There's Been a Murder" features an interesting concept of Jay trying to kill his alter ego and return to hustling, but the beat was a bit trash, which disappointed me cos K-Rob did his thing with the "Hova Song" instrumental. Plus, the off-key sampled hook from Alana Davis put me off. "Snoopy Track" is another example of a Timbo/Jay collab being meh. The beat was weak, Jay's verses were... eh, but Juvenile's hook was trash. What was the actual point of having him there? Same with Dr. Dre on "Watch Me". While the beat was fire, and Jay's verses were decent, Dre was pointless on it. He didn't even freakin' produce the song. He could've had a verse or something, rather than a hook. And "Pop 4 Roc" was actually not bad. It was dope and funky, but compare it to some of the tracks on the album and later Dynasty collabs, this was, errr... decent.
But it's whatever tho, Vol. 3 is still a decent effort from Hov, but however, manages to be the weakest of the trilogy. While there are good moments such as "So Ghetto", "Jigga My Nigga" and "Big Pimpin'", I feel there are more flaws in this album than in the previous installments. If I was to rank and rate the trilogy, it'd go like this:
1st Place: Hard Knock Life - 8/10 (top 5 Jay Z album)
2nd: In My Lifetime - 7/10 (7th place in his overall discography)
3rd: Life and Times of S. Carter - 6.5/10 (8th or 9th place in overall discography)
Do I recommend a purchase for this album? I don't know, you decide on that. but check out my recommended tracks from the project.
Recommended Tracks
Big Pimpin'
Girl's Best Friend
So Ghetto
Jigga My Nigga
S. Carter
NYMP
Do It Again (Put Your Hands Up)
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