9th Wonder - The Dream Merchant, Vol. 1 & 2

I think it should be acknowledged that 9th Wonder is one of my favourite producers of all time. Anybody can name J Dilla, Kanye West, DJ Premier, Timbaland and Pharrell as their top 5 when it comes to hip-hop production. But 9th is one that deserves to be mentioned with some of the legendary beatmakers. I remember first hearing his production on Christian rapper Lecrae's mixtape Church Clothes; on the two standouts "Rise" and "Long Time Coming" with Swoope. But I never dug deep into his production discography until coming across Little Brother's "Lovin' It". Consisted of Phonte & Rapper Big Pooh, 9th was their main producer for their first few years of their career. Their first 2 albums The Listening & The Minstrel Show are still some of my favourite albums to listen to anytime. 

After the critical acclaim of The Listening in 2003, LB decided to make their solo albums. Phonte hooked up with Dutch producer Nicolay to form The Foreign Exchange and recorded their debut Connected in 2004. Rapper Big Pooh released Sleepers in 2005, with production from 9th, Khrysis, Big Dho and Nicolay. But in the same year, 9th released the first volume of his Dream Merchant series.

Released: 2005

Dream Merchant, Vol. 1 is a compilation of 9th-produced tracks, which were recorded God knows when, probably from the late 90s to 2005. The effort features 16 tracks from underground artists such as Keisha Shontelle, Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh, Median, Joe Scudda, Logic (not the white rapper), and even a knocking instrumental from 9th himself.

Is there really anything else to say? Let's get into it!

1. A Letter to Sick L (1980-2001) [performed by K-Hill & Keisha Shontelle]

The title says it all, as K-Hill dedicates the first song on the album to a friend who sadly passed away 4 years before the album release. He reminisces about the times he had with him, and how he used to be like. It's a heartfelt song, and it's great to hear him reminisce and continue to remember his friend for everything he had done. Keisha Shontelle was alright on this, her singing was eh, to be honest, but still added onto the track well. A solid starter to the project.

2. Just Don't Speak [performed by L.E.G.A.C.Y., Joe Scudda & Rapper Big Pooh]
Leg, Joe & Poobie hook up for a banger that samples a classic song from WAR. Here, all 3 artists talk about fake rappers and friends that they just want to be quiet and listen. They all deliver, especially Pooh. He really came through. Scudda was solid too, but Leg was shit, to be honest. This was the first song I listened to from the album, and it never gets old, always on repeat. One of the best songs on the album!

3. Median Alleviates the Drama [performed by Median]
Originally from Median's The Path to Relief EP, Median reflects on the streets and struggles, and wanting to get out and make a living for himself. It's probably my favourite off the album, and the content is very interesting. Plus, I love 9th's flip on the sample, it's just freakin' amazing, always makes you wonder how he did it like that.

4. Speed [performed by Little Brother]
We should all know this song by now. Taken from The Listening, this song still gets some plays from me to this day. It bangs hard, man! I don't know why I said on my Listening review that this song was alright and didn't stand out, cos anytime this comes on, I be bumping my head non-stop. That's one of the best songs on that album. Damn, my reviews sucked when I first started, ha!

5. The U-Express [performed by Defcon]
This is probably from the early days as Defcon is actually Sean Boog, before he changed his rap name. But yeah, this is a slow thought-provoking song as Def reflects on the street life and gives life lessons in 2 minutes. It's a decent song, Def's delivery is a bit mediocre and doesn't capture my attention too much. And this is one of 9th's more average beats, in my opinion. Anyway, let's move on.

6. My People [performed by Yung Love Joy & Logic]
Yung Love Joy & Logic (of Tyfu) hook up for an anthem for those in the hood. It's another thought-provoking and introspective song, that takes the listener through the streets and they both touch on their experiences, including police, guns, struggles and more. Both rappers deliver solid verses, and 9th's beat is a smooth one. A great cut from the album.

7. Fallen [performed by Chaundon]
Probably the only solo I've ever heard from Chaundon. His features have always impressed me, including Phonte's "Boondock Saints" and Little Brother's "The Honourable", but never got into the rest of his catalog. Anyway, this song is a sombre and personal song, which touches on his struggles, including family issues, school, money as Chaun believes his life is falling and he's getting in a deeper hole. Unlike the features I've heard from him, where he was aggressive and confident, Chaun sounds a lot calmer and chill, and this beat is probably one of the more laidback ones on the album.

8. Mr. Dream Merchant [performed by Rapper Big Pooh]
A standout from the album, which I absolutely loved on my first listen. 9th samples Four Tops' cover of Glen Campbell's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" as Pooh plays the role of Mr. Dream Merchant, a character who sells dreams to people, who end up being disappointed when they get it. These concepts are explained in his two verses very well, and 9th's flip of the Four Tops sample is bloody amazing. Pooh kills his verses with his delivery, touching on the concepts and dreams impressively. Considering most of the songs so far have been about struggling and street life, it's probably the most creative song on the album, and I love it!

9. Almost Genuine [performed by Defcon & Phonte]
A laidback song, which starts off with a vocal bite from Prodigy's Infamous prelude, as both Defcon/Sean Boog & the legendary Phonte hook up for a killer joint. Def was aight, nothing that memorable, but 'Te murked the beat. He was flowing like a beast. Nobody in the Justus League were shit compared to Phonte. But when both rappers went back and forth, they did their thing, man. Def actually sounded a lot better than before. Overall, it's a mid song that was saved by Te's presence, to be honest.

10. Strained [performed by Keisha Shontelle & Cuss]
Keisha Shontelle gets her own song this time, instead of providing hook duties. And actually, this isn't all that bad. She gets her time to rap too, as she stresses out about her life and the things she sees. And she does well, I love her voice. She's a lot better when she sings. But Cuss comes through with a verse, and honestly, he's a lot more impressive than Keisha. While this is a solid song, it goes on for long. 5 minute songs can be the best, but the hook could've been shortened if you ask me.

11. Third Person [performed by L.E.G.A.C.Y.]
Leg gets his solo, and DAMN! I never expected this to bang out that hard. For goodness sake, 9th! That's really the only good thing about this song, I couldn't catch on with Leg like that. Never really liked him like that, his voice wasn't the best and his verses were mediocre most of the time. He did aight on "Flash and Flare" but even he had a bloody shit line, literally ("I'm diarrhea, nigga, you ain't ready for this shit" FFS L.E.G.A.C.Y!)

12. The Addiction [performed by Defcon]
Another Def/Sean Boog song, and the beat is way too similar to "The U-Express", mainly the bassline. I can't lie, 9th's production wasn't the best on some of his work with Sean. This was a lil boring, and Def was rubbish on this one. Sorry, not sorry.

13. Like Dat [performed by Phonte & Cesar Comanche]
A killer song that dates back to 1998 on a demo tape actually, when Phonte was 19. This was all before Little Brother came to fruition. Here, a young and aggressive Te hooks up with Cesar Comanche for what sounds like a freestyle over a rough beat that samples the famous Esther Phillips' "It's All Right With Me". A lot of producers flipped that sample very well, but none can compare to Havoc's flip on Mobb Deep's "Give Up the Goods (Just Step)". Anyway, 'Te rips that beat and sounds amazing on it. His flow was sick on it, and he was snapping, Goddamnit! Cesar did his thing too, he actually wasn't that bad on it. But when you're on a song with Phonte, you ain't shit compared to him. Only rapper that has kept up with him is Big Pooh, to be honest. Nevertheless, this is another one of my favourite tunes on the album.

14. Soul Dojo [performed by Kevikaze]
Starting with a bite from The Karate Kid, Kevikaze comes through with a sombre song about growing up strong and hustling in the streets. He learns to protect himself and his body like a temple. It's one of the better thought-provoking cuts on the album.

15. The Righteous Way to Go (Instrumental)
A soulful banging instrumental from 9th, sampling a classic Curtis Mayfield tune ("The Makings of You"). There's not much to say about it, I just absolutely enjoy this instrumental so much!

16. Too Late [performed by Phonte]
The album ends with a solo Phonte cut. After appearances on the album with other rappers (Big Pooh, Cesar Comanche & Defcon), 'Te takes his time to brag about everything, how he spits fire and raps better than these wack MCs. It's a great and impressive song as Te just snaps like a beast. Another standout, and such a fire ending to an album.


Final Thoughts
I remember when I wanted to go through this album 2 years ago when I first got my PS4 on my birthday. I was 14 at the time, and I only bumped the two songs. I never had time to listen to everything else. As time went by though, I started to bump a selection of tracks from the album including "Like Dat" and "Mr. Dream Merchant". But now that I had the time to check everything out, this album was mid. Average. Meh! Maybe because I was typing this at night and I was tired, but this wasn't what I expected.

Dream Merchant, Vol. 1 was mainly saved by the production of 9th and even some of his beats were boring. This was a compilation of jams that were rare/unreleased or at the time, recent; so I can allow 9th with some of his mid joints. Apart from the selectives I was listening to before I checked the album in full, most of the songs hardly have any replay value. Defcon's "The U-Express" and "The Addiction" sounded dated for 2005, so I can see it as early jams from the late 90s. It was obvious 9th's beats had room for improvement here, and his work with Def wasn't exactly fire. "Almost Genuine" was saved by the presence of Phonte, and Def was decent, I guess. The only good thing about "Third Person" was the beat, and that's the main reason why it got some replay value. L.E.G.A.C.Y. sounded average on it, although his flow was nice.

The album had some solid/decent songs that aren't necessarily standouts, but aren't bad either. The intro, "A Letter to Sick L" is a smooth cut where K-Hill reminisces about his old friend and the times they had together. "Fallen" is a deep cut from Chaundon, touching on the struggles he faces and how he feels his life has gone downhill. "Strained" is a dark and sombre tune where Keisha Shontelle & Cuss rap/sing about their pain and stress as they live life. "My People" is a song that takes listeners through the hood of Yung Love Joy & Logic as they explain how they live.

The best songs are really the ones where either 9th flips the sample so amazingly or the rappers just happen to snap so hard on the beats. "Just Don't Speak" is a banger, which doesn't disappoint. Although L.E.G.A.C.Y. had a mid verse, Joe Scudda & Big Pooh did their thing, especially Pooh. "Like Dat" is a killer tune and both Phonte & Cesar Comanche snap over that beat. "Too Late" is a funky bop and the hook sample is so damn catchy. Phonte kills it on this track too, and 9th's soulful instrumental is one of my favourite moments on the album. "Soul Dojo" is actually pretty good, and this was one of the most impressive thought-provoking cuts, as Kaze raps about growing up strong and protecting himself. Plus, 9th's beat was A1. "Median Alleviates the Drama" is such a killer. Not only did 9th flipped that sample wonderfully, but Median really delivered with his verse. Him & 9th on a track never disappoint, to be honest. "Mr. Dream Merchant" is the most creative song on the album, as Rapper Big Pooh plays the titular role, selling dreams that people would later end up being disappointed in. Just like "M.A.D.", this is another one of those moments where 9th flipped the used sample in such an incredible way.

Overall, the album is pretty mid. Nothing more, nothing less. Most of my favourite songs are the ones that I've been banging out long before I really went through the whole album, but everything else don't really stand out to me like that. If you wanna know what songs are best to listen, just look below...

Recommended Tracks
Median Alleviates the Drama
Mr. Dream Merchant
Just Don't Speak
Like Dat
Too Late
The Righteous Way to Go
Soul Dojo

Now, let's move on!

Released: October 9, 2007

As each member released their individual solo projects, Little Brother continued to have critical success from their debut album The Listening. After the release of Dream Merchant, Vol. 1, the group inked a major deal with Atlantic. September 2005 saw the release of The Minstrel Show, a concept album set in a minstrel-show airing on a fictional network called UBN, which touches on many topics such as the industry, personal issues, their careers and much more. Fast forward a few months later (March 2006), and we saw a mixtape of all-new material: Separate But Equal, hosted by DJ Drama as part of the Gangsta Grillz series. However, in 2007, three became two as it was announced 9th Wonder would be leaving Little Brother to pursue his solo producing career. It was clear he was the breakout member of the group, contributing to albums from big names such as Jay-Z, Lloyd Banks, De La Soul, Destiny's Child, Mary J. Blige and more. 9th didn't have any issues with Phonte & Big Pooh as he still continued to collaborate with them on a few more songs.

In October, 9th released The Dream Merchant 2, the sequel to the 2005 compilation. The album features 18 tracks, and unlike the first volume, which was a compilation of underground local artists from North Carolina, this volume gathers appearances from a range of artists, both underground (Skyzoo, Big Remo, Little Brother & Justus League) and well known (Mos Def, Sean Price, Buckshot, Camp Lo & Royce da 5'9"). The album was actually an introduction to female North Carolina rapper Rapsody, who was heard rapping on interludes in some of the songs on the album. These interludes used samples that 9th had previously used for songs like the Little Brother cuts "Shorty on the Lookout" and "Let It Go". Rapsody would later sign to 9th Wonder's Jamla imprint, and also receive a guest appearance on Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly.

SPOILER: This is way better than Vol. 1, and you'll know why as we go through this.

1. Mr. Dream Merchant (Intro)
Nothing to hear, just your typical rap album intro. It's basically a little bite from Jerry Butler's "Mr. Dream Merchant". And no, 9th didn't add a beat to it. Moving on...

2. Shots [performed by Big Dho & Sean Price]
We already get in to the album with a bang. I've never heard Big Dho rap before, he's always been known to be behind the scenes, managing the Justus League and all that. This time, he gets on the mic with the legendary Sean P on a soulful banging instrumental from 9th. Dho was actually not that bad on this track, he held his own pretty well. But Sean really came through with his bars, he killed it as usual. Plus, I love the hook. I hardly give hooks some acknowledgement, cos they're not always the best. But it's always good for me to rap to this one. We then hear Rapsody on her first album interlude at the end of the song, and she does her thing on it. The sample flip is aight, it's probably the most boring flip of all the interludes. But yeah, overall, I love this song. Already a favourite from the album.

3. Merchant of Dreams [performed by L.E.G.A.C.Y., Skyzoo, Torae & Chaundon]
A posse cut that I fell in love with on my first listen. The EMBASSY and the Barrel Brothers. It's freakin' fire! All 4 come through with such impressive verses on the banging ass beat, and surprisingly, Leg actually held his own on this one. Normally, he'd sound average or just plain shite, but he can spit a few nice verses here. I personally enjoyed Torae & Skyzoo's verses on this one, although Leg & Chaun delivered as well. I loved the beat too, it's so chill and laidback with that soul sample, and the drums makes it even better!

4. Brooklyn in My Mind (Crooklyn Dodgers III) [performed by Mos Def, Jean Grae & Memphis Bleek]
9th continues the Crooklyn Dodgers series after 12 years, selecting a trio of rappers to create what is basically an appreciation to their hometown of Brooklyn. As you all know, the other two Crooklyn Dodgers installments are classics, with Premo & Q-Tip providing dope instrumentals for their trios, which included legendary rappers such as Buckshot, Jeru the Damaja & Masta Ace. This installment features Mos, Jean and Bleek. On its own, this song is pretty good. I love the sample, the drums bang hard as hell, plus the scratches add on to the track so well. Each rapper delivers a solid verse, with different moods each. Mos' verse was nice and Jean's had a very interesting and powerful mood as she reflects on how she became a strong and confident woman in Brooklyn. Bleek's verse is a lot more different, touching on the dark side of Brooklyn, and how the streets can be dangerous. All three sound great on there, and I love the different vibes they create with their verses.

5. Sunday [performed by Keisha Shontelle & Chaundon]
A great, positive song dedicated to the special day that is Sunday, and I abso-freakin-lutely love it!!! That's the best thing I can say about this song. Oh yeah, and Rapsody killed her interlude at end too.

6. Baking Soda [performed by Big Treal]
This one a straight banger, that actually is the most interesting and creative song of them all. Here, Big Treal spits three verses which tell a morality tale about drug dealing. The character had came into the drug game for the fast money, trying to make a living for themselves. However, as he gets with the dealing, his freedom is lost, and the final verse explains it fantastically, with amazing metaphors and flow to help get the point across effectively. It's wonderful, and 9th's sample flip on the instrumental makes it even better. One of the best songs on the album.

7. Reminisce (Take Time) [performed by Big Remo & Novej]
One of the more personal tracks on the album, as Big Remo & Novej dedicate their verses to old friends who they haven't spoke to in a long time. They hope to reunite and take time to reminisce about the old times. It's a great introspective song, with such a sombre and mellow feeling as both rappers try to tell their friends how they're doing now. It's another standout, which adds onto the diverse content and vibes the album has.

8. No Time to Chill [performed by Little Brother]
OH YEAH!!! A freakin' LB song, a great moment on the album. Even with 9th not being a member anymore, they still managed to secure a feature with such a banger. And they fail to disappoint. Phonte & Big Pooh go back and forth 8 bars each over such a menacing instrumental, with such impressive flow and lyrics. It's a Little Brother song, and you know they always come through.

9. It Ain't Over [performed by Jozeemo & Tyler Woods]
Always thought this was an average song. It didn't necessarily suck overall, but it never stood out to me. Hook was trash, and Jozeemo didn't impress me too much. That's just me tho.

10. The Last Time [performed by Royce da 5'9", Vandalyzm & Naledge]
Royce, Naledge & Van link up as the Midwest Wrecking Crew for a straight freakin' banger. I remember when I first listened to this album during one of my GCSE Drama rehearsals. I listening to the first half in the morning, second half in the afternoon. And when this song came up as I was walking to a bus stop, I didn't know how to feel about it. The hook was bloody off-putting, it was kinda shit. And the instrumental was... meh to me at the time. But all of a sudden, this song started popping back in my head, and before you know it, I was banging this out two weeks ago on a Sunday. This song is nuts, like absolute! Other than this shitty hook, everybody kills it, especially Royce. I enjoyed Van & Naledge on it too, and they had their sick bars to offer. Another one of my favourites.

11. Saved [performed by Saigon & Joe Scudda]
I remember I actually loved this song the first time I listened, but this is just decent. It's a song that I'm surprised that I hardly go back to, but really, it doesn't stand out too much. I love the heavenly ass sample on it tho, and Joe Scudda didn't do that bad on here.

12. The Milky Lowa [performed by Camp Lo]
OHHH SHIT, WOO WOO.... WOOOO!!! Camp Lo be coming through with heat. I loved their work, Uptown Saturday Night, Black Hollywood and even their recent shit. This song is just on another level. Geechi Suede & Sonny Cheeba really delivered on this and their chemistry was amazing. 9th's beat was banging as usual, and that sample was menacing. It's a song I enjoy listening to, and going back to. It never gets old. Oh yeah, and this features Rapsody's best interlude on the album at the end, she killed it.

13. Backlash [performed by Sean Boog & Buckshot]
I never thought I would like this song as much as I do now. Playing it the first time, I just thought it was good, nothing more, nothing less. Now, it's on repeat a lot more than expected, playing on shuffle no matter what. At this time, this was a collaboration between two generations. Sean Boog was new and underground, while Buckshot was a legend who made a name for himself in the 90s in Black Moon and the Boot Camp Clik. Anyway, this song is an introspective cut which sees both rappers reminisce about their times growing up, and having those who doubted him. Sean was nice on it, and I can't lie, he has definitely improved from his previous work as Defcon, but Buck stole the show here, with his verses about dancing at a young age and not wanting to be broke again. It's a nice cut and doesn't disappoint.

14. Thank You [performed by D.O.X & O-Dash]
D.O.X & O-Dash hook up for such a wonderful cut on the album. It bangs so hard, yet it sounds so beautiful. As the title suggests, the two thank those who have been a part of their lives, for better or for worse. This includes their family, haters, critics, friends, those in the hood and many more. The sample is amazing, and 9th flipped it so smoothly. And both rappers really flowed nice on this like it was nothing. Love this song.

15. Let It Bang [performed by Skyzoo & Ness]
On Thursday, I had my Year 11 Prom, celebrating the 5 years I spent at my school. I shuffled my playlist of bangers (appropriately titled "Let It Bang Hard!") on the way there, and this song came up before I got out the Uber car. And for somewhat reason, I appreciate this song way more than I did when I first heard it. I absolutely loved it on my first listen, but that song was in my head throughout the whole Prom night after banging it out. Anyway, Skyzoo links up with Bad Boy rapper Ness for another highlight on this, and they both kill it. Ness did his thing here, but Sky was on one with his bars. Plus, this is one of the moments on the album where the hook really stands out. I bloody loved it! There are actually so much standouts here, it's amazing.

16. What Makes a Man [performed by Rapper Big Pooh & Buddy Klein]
To be honest, with every listen, this song actually gets better to me. On my first listen, I don't remember myself liking this too much, like it didn't stand out compared to the others. But this is actually heat! Rapper Big Pooh & Buddy Klein come through with a soulful banging joint. They both do well, and while I mess with Pooh a lot more, Buddy murked this, and I was surprised. The hook reminds me so much of Little Brother's "Let It Go", mainly cos of the "ah-ah"'s that Pooh did. You already know the rest I'm gonna say: I love the sample, 9th flipped it well, the beat is sick, alla dat!

The following are bonus tracks:
17. Special (Remix) [performed by Strange Fruit Project & Median]
9th remixes the standout from Strange Fruit Project's 2006 album The Healing, now featuring a guest verse from Median. 9th had already blessed the original version with his beautiful beat, and now he's back to provide what I feel is the better instrumental, to be honest. And I freakin' loved the original. With the remix, there are a few alterations other than the different instrumental. Thesis' hook is omitted and replaced with S1's "So Special" vocal bite. Myth's verse is replaced with Median's verse, which is pretty good. I've been starting to mess with Median a lot more ever since his verse on The Listening cut "Shorty on the Lookout" and the Vol. 1 standout "Median Alleviates the Drama", and his verses haven't disappointed me one bit. As beautiful as the original is, I absolutely enjoy this version way more.

18. You Wanna [performed by NBS]
This beat reminds me of Rapper Big Pooh & Murs' "Now" off his album Sleepers, mainly cos of the knock at the beginning. Then again, 9th produced that song too. But NBS jump on this banger and they deliver pretty decently. The hook is aight, but the bars are there. I like it.


Final Thoughts
The Dream Merchant 2 is just... heat from start to finish. I had my problems with Vol. 1, as some of the rappers didn't impress me too much. But this is miles ahead, and it's almost like 9th knew he made mistakes with the album or something. I don't know...

Unlike the first volume, The Dream Merchant 2 isn't necessarily saved by 9th Wonder. In fact, not only does it feature some of 9th's best production, but a better range of rappers to help complement the songs, not just the Justus League. Boot Camp Clik rappers Buckshot and Sean Price murk their verses on their individual songs "Shots" and "Backlash". Camp Lo come through with fire bars on "The Milky Lowa". Mos Def, Jean Grae & Memphis Bleek link up for a Crooklyn Dodgers joint with "Brooklyn in My Mind" and they straight snapped on it. Skyzoo kills his verses on "Merchant of Dreams" and "Let It Bang". He was really one of the main stars on the album lyrically.

There were a few underground artists like NBS, Vandalyzm & O-Dash who had their solid moments too. "The Last Time" sees well-known Detroit rapper Royce da 5'9" completely murk the 9th beat, along with Van & Naledge. The hook is kinda trash, but the bars are definitely there. D.O.X & O-Dash take their time to thank the people that have been in their life on "Thank You", including the haters, family and friends. NBS actually was alright on "You Wanna", and they did their thing on that knocking ass beat. Big Remo & Novej try to reunite with old friends on "Reminisce (Take Time)" as they tell them how they're now doing. It's a smooth ass tune, and one of my favourites, showing a change in content on the album.

Most of the Justus League actually did a better job on this album. The EMBASSY aka L.E.G.A.C.Y & Chaundon came through with some fire on "Merchant of Dreams" with Torae & Skyzoo. "No Time to Chill" was another standout from the album, and Little Brother snapped on it. Big Dho's verse on "Shots" was decent, and he held his own with Sean Price. Sean Boog hooks up with Buckshot for "Backlash", a song that reflects on their early days before coming up, and also those that hated on him. Although Buck washed him, Sean did a pretty good job with his verses and flow. Keisha Shontelle sings about "Sunday", and what she loves about the day. It's a beautiful song and her vocals were A1 on this. Chaundon's verse was nice too. Joe Scudda did well on "Saved", Median had one of my favourite verses on the album with the "Special" remix, and Big Treal provided the album's most creative and interesting track with "Baking Soda", telling a morality tale about drug dealing and how it affects the person's life. The only bad song on the album is Jozeemo's "It Ain't Over". I didn't like the hook, and this was a moment where nothing impressed me, not even Tyler Woods' vocals or Jozeemo's bars.

Overall, I enjoyed The Dream Merchant 2. It was basically heat from start to finish, and there was hardly any bad songs. It's probably 9th's best album, in terms of production; The Wonder Years is a close second. If you're into banging beats, great content and lyricism, cop this. This is a solid piece of work, a better compilation than Vol. 1, and sounds so amazing. If there's any reason why I love 9th Wonder, this is why!

Recommended Tracks
Baking Soda
Special (Remix)
No Time to Chill
Backlash
Let It Bang
Thank You
The Last Time
The Milky Lowa
Reminisce (Take Time)
Sunday

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor [Advance]

Leaked: April 2006

So it's been long since I've been through Lupe Fiasco's music on this blog. Obviously because of exams, but the review schedule of going through different artists. One of my first reviews on this site was Lu's debut album Food & Liquor, and I also gave my opinion on the four 5th anniversary bonus tracks. Little did I know that two of those tracks were part of a leaked/Advance version of the album in April 2006. So I previously talked about the Advance version on that review, and compared it to the retail version I was reviewing. However, I never got to give my actual track-by-track thoughts on the leak, so here we are. I could've gone through Lasers and Food & Liquor II today, but this is what happens when you go on a nostalgia trip through leaks and mixtape tracks that you used to bang out when you were 8.

Anyway, let me run it back before we start. If you guys don't know, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor was supposed to be released around the Summer period of 2006, around June. The album was named after what Lupe believed to be a philosophy of human nature, and also was meant to heavily reflect the album's thought-provoking content. Lupe was making a name for himself, working with big names such as Kanye West, Ghostface Killah and Joe Budden; and putting out the Fahrenheit 1/15 mixtapes from 2005-06. His debut single "Kick, Push" dropped in April, and everything was going well. But, just after a few days, or probably a week (was I even that interested in his music when he first came out?), the album leaked in its entirety. 15 tracks, and singing features from Gemini & Matthew Santos. Lupe was furious, and because of this, the album was supposed to be shelved. Instead, he decided to create a second version to put out, cos what was the point of releasing the project when everybody already has it at this point? Song titles were changed, new verses were written, entirely new songs were made, almost half of the original songs were omitted. And it wasn't until September that the album officially dropped.

But we're not talking about the retail, it's the Advance version. The original bootlegged version with 15 tracks. Enough talking, let's go!

1. Intro/Theme Music to a Drive-By
Lupe opens up this version of the album displaying his trademarks and style over a Prolyfic beat, as he raps about a range of subjects including drugs, temptations/sinning, slavery, and religion. His verses are fire on here, with impressive wordplay and lines such as "Evil minded like Crane they became/They deranged like the rover that I rode/That was the Range that I drove when I was a little bit older mayne". Plus, his flow was on point, I freakin' loved it. Prolyfic flipped the Spinners sample like a boss, probably the best sample flip of the song. Bryson Tiller & Wale have songs with the same title, but they don't compare to this at all! This just too smooth. Now, I would've rather had this as an opening than the retail intro, which was boring as hell, in my opinion. I said this before, but you know an album is fire when the intro is one of the best songs on there.

2. You My
Known as "Sunshine" on the retail version. This was one of my favourite songs on the album, a more lighthearted cut, and I loved it ever since I was like 8. Even to this day, it's still a jam.

3. Ghetto Story (Steady Mobbin')
Funny how one of Lupe's best songs ended up being omitted from the album after the leak. I was hooked onto this first listen, and it's probably the best song on the album. Here, Lupe talks about the ghetto, reminiscing about the disparity in his upbringing. His 3 verses sees him detail the terrible things he's seen, getting listeners to walk with him through the hood. The beat is just soulful and sombre, and it helps create the emotional mood of the song. And the hook is amazing, props to whoever provided them vocals. Classic Lupe at his finest!

4. Spaze Out
Lupe brings out his politically aggressive side with this hardcore song, which, for somewhat reason, reminds me of an early Lecrae track. Here, he declares the start of a new revolution, rapping about propaganda and how the people are overlooked by the government and media. It's my least favourite song on the album, which says a lot because this is actually fire, and the content is amazing. But it doesn't compare to what's to come later on the album.

5. Just Might Be OK (feat. Gemini)
Same as the retail version, and it's still a great song to me, giving an epic vibe with the instrumentation. Gemini's hook is dope, and I love to sing along to it still. But I hardly play it these days tho, got too much jams on my phone. Oh, how life was sweet with 5-16GB storage (not really, ha!).

6. Trials and Tribulations
The original version of "Pressure" with completely different verses, no Gemini hook or a Jay Z verse. "Pressure" was a hard one, but this one washes that away, as Lupe uses wordplay to rap about the struggles in the city, what he had to do to get to where he is now, and also boasts about his skills ("It started won't stop, who don't want us to blow like bomb squad, well fire on guard/It's Lupe touche/Coup de Grâce, now put them in the trunk like the roofs are our cars"). And he snaps like a boss on the track. If there's any other reason to love Lu, this is one!

7. Make Sure
A more funkier and upbeat cut from this version, which is about the pimp game. Lupe tells a story about a boy named Lu (probably himself in 3rd person) and a girl named Chenelle, both from the ghetto. Chenelle came from a broken home, and was a grounded person learning sex from a porno. Lu, on the other hand, is a playa/mack that preys on the weak and takes advantage of them. The third verse suggests that everyone is part of the pimp culture, and school develops people into making their own decisions. It's a solid track on the album, a lot more upbeat than the rest of the song. And with every listen, it gets better.

8. Real Recognize Real
I don't know who flipped the Willie Hutch sample better: Prolyfic on this one or The Klasix on Joe Budden's "Get No Younger"? But this is my favourite song from the album, which was supposed to help set up the Michael Young History saga (The Cool). The first verse is about drug dealers and the life they live as police hunt for them. The second verse is about The Streets, personified as a woman who is seen as a demon/prostitute. Everyone that is lured to her meets their death and their name is tatted on her. She would later get Michael Young History killed in the saga. The Game (not the rapper) is a representation of the evils of the drug game, the life and struggles of a hustler, deals gone sour, and quite possibly the devil. But righteousness comes along and Lupe says that it is when somebody stops the drug dealers or when a teacher teaches the right thing to students. It's a very deep track, with interesting personification to paint a picture of the things that go on in Chicago. A song that represents the Food & Liquor theme very well on this album. Such a shame that this song remains underrated.

9. Hustlaz Song
A sombre and heartfelt song, where Lupe's narrative puts you in the mind of a hustler, speaking on the pains and problems he has encountered because of the lifestyle. I hardly play this song for somewhat reason, yet I still appreciate and dig this song for its emotional and deep content.

10. Never Lies (feat. Jonah Matranga)
Known as "The Instrumental" on the retail version, this is still a decent song. I actually got used to Jonah's contribution to the tracks, adds to the alternative vibe Mike Shinoda made with the beat. And Lupe's content about electronic media and addiction is still impressive.

11. No Place to Go
On the retail version, known as "Hurt Me Soul" aka my favourite Lupe song ever.

12. Game Time
OH YEAH! 4 minutes of wordplay, punchlines and impressive bars. I can just leave you with this:
"I'm just trying to do the opposite of left
As long as there is the opposite of death
You test, and I might just bring the opposite of life
Till there's no one the opposite of right"

13. Kick, Push
And coassssttt... and away he rolled, just... oh yeah, this song a classic still. What else is there to say, ha?!

14. Slow Down
Also known as "Carrera Lu" on the 5th anniversary edition of the album, This is one of those upbeat and groovy songs from Lupe, as he brings out a braggadocio and rapid persona over a Prolyfic beat that reminds me a 70s movie chase scene. Pro also is on the hook, giving a catchy vibe as Lupe flows over the beat smoothly. This song never gets old!

15. Close Your Mind (feat. Matthew Santos)
Known as "American Terrorist" on the retail version, and my thoughts keep changing. One minute I loved it, the next I thought it was average. Now, I think this is probably one of my favourite songs from Lupe, top 10 on the list, along with gems like "I'm Beamin'", "Little Death" and "Gold Watch". Another political song that ended this version well, with thought-provoking content about how corrupt America is. Matthew's contribution was actually not bad, I used to not enjoy it, but his hook and even his singing at the end adds onto the politically aggressive content very effectively. Lupe's third verse goes through some American history, as he manages to touch on how America screwed a lot of people up, particularly of colour. It's a very interesting track, and one that still gets plays every now and then.

Final Thoughts
This is an album that should've never been leaked at all. The Advance version of Food & Liquor really washes the retail away. Don't get me wrong, I love the retail. Some of the songs on there remain some of his best work such as "He Say, She Say", "I Gotcha", "The Cool" and "Daydreamin'". But compare that version to this: it's nothing AT ALL.

I feel this version of the album is a better representation of the concept that Lupe was going with: the good and the bad, the food and the liquor, duality and all that. And he maintained his lyrical ferocity from his Fahrenheit 1/15 mixtapes. "Theme Music to a Drive-By" is way better as an intro than a poem from Lupe's sister and shit, as he touches on religion, drug addiction, slavery and more. He even adds a couple Ninja Turtles references. "Ghetto Story" is an emotional cut on the album, as Lupe take the listener through his hood and all the things he has seen. "Hustlaz Song" goes through the mind of a hustler and what he has to go through because of his lifestyle. "Real Recognize Real" is a soulful song, where Lupe sets up the saga of Michael Young History, personifying the streets as a woman and the drug game & hustling lifestyle as a devil.

There are a few socially and politically aggressive songs on the album as Lupe continues going through the good/bad concept. "Spaze Out" is my least favourite song on the album, but isn't that bad on its own as Lupe declares the start of a new revolution, rapping about propaganda and media. "Never Lies" or "The Instrumental" touches on electronic media and how effective it is on viewers. "Make Sure" is about the pimp culture, as Lupe tells a story about a boy who's a playa and a grounded girl that came from a broken home. "Hurt Me Soul" sees Lu express his problems he had with rap and misogyny, along with the 24 evils terrorising the world. The album ends with "American Terrorist", a song about America being corrupt and screwing people of colour over; which is a better ending than freakin' 12 minutes of shoutouts!

Some of the songs revolve around the lyrics and wordplay rather than the concept itself, and we get a couple upbeat and lighthearted tracks. "Slow Down" isn't necessarily about anything, as Lupe comes with a rapid flow over a groovy 70s-like beat from Prolyfic. "Sunshine" is a light song that screams SUMMER! It's one of my favourite songs from Lu, with extended metaphors and tricky lyrics. "Game Time" is like a lyrical exercise, with double entendres and impressive wordplay such as "Even if it takes a grand to get it I ride/Just to see that my Sedan has been vandalized" and "Shift me to that graveyard and knock my hustle/They hope I Domino and free up my delivery". And even with the content of pimping in "Make Sure", it still remains a great song to vibe to, especially with the funky instrumental from Pro. "Trials and Tribulations" shits all over "Pressure", and it's hard AF! Lupe kills it with his wordplay and punchlines, as he boasts about his skills and the fact that he's blowing up.

Overall, the Advance is superior than the retail, giving a better representation of the album's main concept. It's more cohesive, and flows a lot better compared to what we ended up getting. Not that the retail wasn't good, but some of the songs can't compare to the original leak. Lupe managed to come with impressive wordplay, entendres and witty punchlines, while giving us a lot of deep and thought-provoking content, and even upbeat, lighthearted cuts. Give this one a listen, you won't regret it. The retail is a classic, but this is on another level, and imagine how we would've looked at Lu today if the Advance ended up being the retail version. A great portrayal of Lupe's experiences, perspective, creativity, and environment in such a cohesive package.

Best Songs on Advance: "Real Recognize Real", "Ghetto Story", "Game Time", "Slow Down", "Trials and Tribulations", "Theme Music to a Drive-By"
Best Songs on Retail: "He Say, She Say", "I Gotcha", "Daydreamin'", "The Cool", "The Emperor's Soundtrack"
Best Songs both on Advance & Retail: "Hurt Me Soul", "Sunshine", "American Terrorist", "Kick, Push"

Joe Budden - Joe Budden

Released: June 10, 2003

I've never been too much a fan of Joe Budden. Not because I don't like his music, but never had the time or effort to get into his works. I heard some of his features with Freeway, Christina Milian, Lloyd Banks, Lupe Fiasco and Fabolous, but never his own music. Plus, I'd be hearing news about him releasing music, but I couldn't be arsed to check it. I don't even remember hearing "Pump It Up" on TV, and that's the hit he's remembered for. Also, I knew he was in the group Slaughterhouse, who I hardly listen to.

Fast forward to 2017, and Joe is on Everyday Struggle, an online weekday talk show on Complex about current hip-hop news and debates. Moderated by Nadeska Alexis, his co-host is DJ Akademiks, a YouTuber known for reporting on the hip-hop fuckery that currently goes on, who has developed a loyal fanbase for the past 2-3 years. I originally knew about and watched the show because of Akademiks, but as time went on, I found myself agreeing with Joe a lot more, and the points he was making about news and debates. Ak still made solid points every now and then, but you could understand Joe's bigger knowledge on rap and how the game goes. But Joe still has his flaws though, with a bitter delivery whenever expressing his opinions. Like, when Lil Yachty came on the show, everybody took Joe's argument with Yachty out of context, calling Joe bitter & jealous that Yachty's doing much better than him. Or when he said Future wasn't a megastar, everybody was mad at him and tried to call him irrelevant, haha!

But ever since Everyday Struggle, I started to become more interested in listening to his music. Not just "Pump It Up" or the Drake diss tracks he did last year (people thought he did that for attention, when it was to influence Drake and his shitty lyricism at the time). And I think it's better to run it back to his debut album, where it all began. Yeah, Joe might be a one-hit wonder, but was he ever interested in making hits and bangers like that? He already gained a core fanbase with his Mood Muzik mixtape series, and that's probably all that matters to him.
Anyway, Joe Budden's self titled debut was released in June 2003, following the promo single "Focus" in 2002 and the hit single "Pump It Up" the previous month. The album features 15 tracks, with features from Lil Mo, Busta Rhymes & 112; and production from Dub B/White Boy, Just Blaze and Lofey. It received positive reception from critics, but debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200. Joe would later be dropped from the label, because of creative differences, that would lead to his planned sophomore album The Growth being shelved. Luckily, he still continued to release music for his core fans, creating the Mood Muzik mixtape series later in 2003.

Anyway, let's get into it!

1. Intro
The epic opening to the album, where Joe sets the mood. After giving a speech about how he's been wanting to do this for time, he spits a verse where he explains his concerns and his possible verse. He gives thanks to his fans, reminisces about his past street life and describes what you'd expect from the album. The beat is a knocker, and it sounded so wonderful, don't you agree?! Joe comes with a couple solid lines such as "It was y'all that said I should've been signed to Def Poetry/It was y'all that said yes, y'all can floetry". A great start!

2. #1
This one a club banger with a short hook and 7 verses. Joe's flow on this was on point, as he raps about his past life and his memories, and how he's now a famous rapper signed to Def Jam. The beat is funky, and I enjoyed hearing him reminisce about the old days. One of my favourites.

3. Pump It Up
The hit that Joe is best known for. That everyone brings up everytime he gives his opinion. NBA games, NFL, 2 Fast 2 Furious and You Got Served! I don't remember hearing this song when I was younger, I mainly remember his collabs with other artists, including Christina Milian. But hearing this tune is nostalgic for somewhat reason. It's a banger, kudos to Just Blaze!!! Funny thing was that Jay Z was supposed to have this for The Black Album. Imagine if that happened! Nobody ever paid attention to Joe's flow tho, he killed his verses, even if he dumbed it down to make a hit. 14 years later and it's still a tune!

4. Pusha Man
How many songs got this name? Feels like I've seen it too often, haha! But this is alright, as Joe raps about trying to provide for himself. Can't lie tho, the beat was a little boring and the hook was... eh, but Joe managed to save the song with his verses.

5. You Ain't Gotta Go Home
Maybe if I heard this song between 2003 and 2005, I probably would've loved this. But nah... this is trash. It's a bloody mess, for fawk's sake! And why is Clue on this? Unnecessary

6. Walk With Me
A heartfelt track, where Joey express his paranoia on a slow-paced beat, reflecting on life now that he's famous, dealing with anxiety, haters, fake friends and family that now want to rekindle. He expresses his thoughts in such an effective matter, even touching on his past issues he dealt with as a teen. I love the hook, and the background singing is beautiful. And the beat reminds me of Eminem's production, which actually isn't a bad thing. This was the perfect one for Joey. One of those songs you can vibe out to in the rain or when you're all stressed out.

7. She Wanna Know (feat. Lil Mo)
One of the radio-friendly R&B collabs, as Lil Mo links up with Joey to make a tune about relationship issues. Joe doesn't understand the accusations his girl makes, with a couple sneaky lines like "And fuck I need to cheat on you for, I'm already winnin". Mo's hook is catchy, and hearing both her and Joe complement the hook together is great. Plus, her singing was impressive. This another solid cut. Probably would've been a great single.

8. Survivor
Something personal and meant to be relatable, but it came across as alright. Singer KG (Kiyamma Griffin) comes through, and he was alright with his singing. He basically made this his own song, Joe was hardly rapping on this, only said "and my heart/soul is like" most of the time. Could've been kept off the album, but it's whatever tho.

9. Fire (Yes, Yes, Y'all) [feat. Busta Rhymes]
Just Blaze back again providing a club banger, which was known for its appearance on Mean Girls. Never heard this as well, probably because it never banged around my way. Plus, the fact it never had a video. Busta Rhymes comes through as well, and he kills it with his verse, although the hook is shit. But Joe kills his verses, especially his second one after Busta. He raps about the lack of quality in rap, and how important production has become these days. Even in 2017, that verse still relates, although I do like those type of rappers. But this song is nice, gives me nostalgic vibes even when I never heard it before.

10. Ma Ma Ma (feat. 112)
The better radio-friendly R&B jam on here, a summer jam for me. 112 gets on the track with their singing, and most of the song is Joe rapping about what any other rapper would on a R&B collab. Your cliche jam for the radio and ladies, yet sounds so good!

11. Calm Down
Another heartfelt and emotional song from Joey dedicated to his mother, and the troubles he had with her. He starts off by blaming her for his addiction and depression, and reflected on how he made her cry so much. But by the third verse, he starts to appreciate his mother, telling her that he actually amounted to something after years of addiction and troubles with her. I love this song, and it's something chill and emotional. The hook is alright, and the singing was average. But it doesn't stop the song from being bad or anything. It's the second best of the emotional and introspective tracks.

12. Focus
As heard at the end of the "Pump It Up" video and on Def Jam: Vendetta, Joe comes through with a club banger that I loved from the jump. He spits a lot of random shit, but it's supposed to be a club tune. It still sounds good, no matter what, and this is one where Joe flows on this so flawlessly and impressively. None of the songs on the album has got me in my zone as much as this. Not to mention, I recently heard Elzhi spitting on this with Slum Village on a 2002 Tim Westwood show, and he killed it. The best song on here, hands down!

13. Give Me Reason
This was unexpected, just from the title. I expected a hardcore banger, something like the album intro. This is alright, but the worst Just Blaze produced song on here. Not that it sucks, but there was better. Plus, the hook sucked!

14. Stand Up Nicca
This sounds like some 80s cop TV show theme shit, ha! Another one of the more serious tracks on here, as Joe provides a long introspective verse about the streets, providing for the family, being set up and avoiding the police. It's a dark and menacing cut, where Joe tries to prevent those in the streets from getting tricked and set up. A solid song.

15. 10 Mins.
The album is over, and the title basically says it all. 10 minutes of Joey taking a smoke break and rapping about his life. Long tracks can either be good or bad, and this is one where it doesn't disappoint. The content switches up a lot, along with the beat. The first verse is Joe repping his hometown and how he came so far. But he switches up in his second verse, talking about his father being in jail and how it affected him negatively growing up. The beat brings in the guitars and lovely violins too. The third verse reflects on a time he had an affair with a girl who had a man. He regrets doing this, messing up a family for the girl and her man ("But for me it's just sex/For her it's cheatin'"). He ended up liking her and he never wanted that to happen. I love this song. I managed to be interested for the whole 10 minutes, and Joe said a lot on this. Not just 3 minutes of rapping and 7 minutes talking ("Last Call" is still a GOAT outro tho). A great ending to the album!

Final Thoughts
Joe Budden's self-titled album is... alright. It's not my best official introduction to him, and I understand that. You could see there was room for improvement and Joey was just blowing up around this time.

The album starts off decently as the intro and the banging "#1" helps set a mixed mood for the album. The subject matter is around the place, especially for a Def Jam artist who expresses his personal issues emotionally. He obviously needed his radio friendly attempts such as "Pump It Up" and "Fire"; or R&B jams like "Ma Ma Ma" and "She Should Know", which were aight. But it was a complicating matter: one minute, it was banging tunes ("Give Me Reason", "Pump It Up" and "#1"); the next, it was introspective ("10 Mins.", "Walk with Me") and sometimes boring songs ("Survivor").
The production was solid, and shaky at times. White Boy provided a couple dope beats, including the banging "Focus", the slow paced "Walk With Me" and the chill "Calm Down". Just Blaze deserves a Nobel Prize for his production on "Pump It Up", it knocks like a MF. "Fire" and "Give Me Reason" were solid from Just too.

There was a few standouts on the album, which I love, mainly the emotional ones, to be honest. "Walk With Me" is a 6 minute slow-paced track which sees Joe reflect on his life as a famous rapper, being paranoid and anxious, dealing with fake friends, family that want to rekindle and those that hate on him. "Calm Down" is dedicated to his mother, appreciating her but also reflecting on the times he upset her with his addiction and depression. "Ma Ma Ma" is your cliche radio friendly track, with the same old content that almost every rapper has done with a female singer or group, yet sounds so good! "#1" is a banging tune, where Joe remembers the good ol' days, now that he's blowing up. "10 Mins." is a great outro, touching on a lot of moments in his life, such as Joe's father facing time in jail, having an affair with a girl who was still in a relationship and having haters and doubters who didn't expect him to succeed.

But, almost half of the album is lackluster. "Survivor" was boring, and the singer on it basically was the main artist, and wasn't even credited as an appearance. It was almost like Joe wasn't there. "Pusha Man" was meh. The beat was boring and the hook was mediocre, in my opinion. Joe did his thing with his verses. "Give Me Reason" was the worst of the Just Blaze produced joints. I didn't like the hook, and everything else didn't stand out to me. Not saying it sucked, but it was average compared to the rest. "You Ain't Gotta Go Home" was shit, the worst and most forgettable song on the album. It sounded like a mess and it went on for too long. DJ Clue wasn't even necessary on it with his talking. And I didn't review the 2 bonus tracks cos they were garbage too.

So yeah, there you have it. This album was just meh. The production is decent but shaky at times, and there are a lot more lows than expected. The subject matter is a complicated issue, and you can see a lot of the songs weren't necessary. I'm glad he got dropped from the label, cos he actually got better over the years with his Mood Muzik mixtapes and Love Lost projects. Imagine if he was still on Def Jam and continued to make albums like this, yikes! There are still some good songs on here, but I dunno about the rest. It's not cohesive, doesn't flow well. If you wanna know my favourite songs: check down below and listen.

Recommended Tracks
Focus
Pump It Up
Walk With Me
10 Mins.
Calm Down
#1
Ma Ma Ma

Jay Z - Life + Times: The Trilogy

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...

Released: December 28, 1999

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)