"You know it's hell when I come through, the life and times of
Shawn Carter n***a, volume two. Y'all n***as get ready...Hard
Knock Life. That's right. Get ready for dazzling lyrical
acrobatics, stunning verbal versatility and fierce, driving
beats featured on the highly anticipate third solo release from
hip hop phenomenon Jay-Z, Vol. 2. . . Hard Knock Life. "With
this album, I was in a real zone creatively," says an
enthusiastic Jay-Z about Hard Knock Life, "I was so happy
making this album, I was like, 'Feed me beats!"
The outcome of this
creativity is a superb
collection of tracks
featuring Jay-Z's
signature lyrical prowess
and his ability to weave
vivid tales of urban life
with clarity, depth, and
precision. Combined with
multi-layered production
from some of the
industry's most cutting
edge talent, Hard Knock
Life will surely be
regarded as a classic.
Making classic records is
nothing new for
Brooklyn's Finest. In
1990, he burst on the
music scene with an
unshared quicksilver
deliverance, lacing tracks
for Big Jaz ("The Originator's") and Original Flavor ("Can I
Get Open"). But after witnessing his friend Jaz's troubles with
his record label and scrambling for a deal himself, Jay
decided to take matter's into his own hands. Along with
entrepreneur Damon Dash and a third partner Kareem
"Biggs" Burke, he formed Roc-A-Fella Records in 1996 and
the result: the luminous debut, Reasonable Doubt. Doubt
spawned the gold single "Ain't No N**a, featuring Foxy
Brown, which immediately transported Jigga to the fore front
of the rap game. "Can't Knock the Hustle" and "Feelin It"
quickly established Jay-Z as one the most innovative and
influential artists in hip-hop. Within a year of Reasonable
Doubt's release, fans were fiending for a new Jay-Z joint.
Jigga supplied the demand with the platinum-selling, In My
Lifetime, Volume I.
The album, which followed the untimely death of Jay-Z's
friend and collaborator, The Notorious B.I.G., was more
personal in content and included the sweeping single's "You
Must Love Me," the bleak "Where I'm From," as well as the
underground smash "Streets Is Watching. The first
commercial single released from the disc, "Sunshine,"
featured Foxy Brown with production credits going to
producer extraordinaire, Babyface Edmonds. The
collaboration proved to be an instant smash at radio and
retail and re-established Jay - Z as a lyrical genius, better
known to many as, "The King of New York. "In My Lifetime
was very emotional to me because there were a lot of things
going on at that time," explains Jay-Z. "That album . . .that
was me. That was Jay-Z right there."Keeping with the
personal theme of In My Lifetime, in 1998, Jay-Z portrayed
himself in the semi-autobiographical short film, Streets Is
Watching, a film he wrote, produced, and directed along with
Roc-A-Fella partner Damon Dash. In addition to the film, he
also released Streets Is Watching: The Soundtrack, which
included the hit single "It's Alright," and introduced fans to
some of Roc-a-Fella's brightest new rising stars, including
Memphis Bleek, Rell, Diamonds in the Rough, and the
Ranjahz. Now, Jigga returns with Volume 2. . .Hard Knock
Life. Recorded in only a month, it features Jay-Z at the top of
his game. Because of the time constraints, Jay-Z veered
from his usual production team of Ski and DJ Premier and
brought on new talent, including Timbaland, and Swiss from
the Ruff Ryders camp. The new sounds and styles that these
producers brought was a welcome challenge for Jay-Z. "I can
change up my flow depending on the beat," he says. "If it's
hot, I'll rhyme over it. If you notice, I rhyme differently on each
track."
The album also features a host of guest artists, including
DMX on the hard-hitting Money, Cash, Hoes, Too Short on
"A Week Ago" and Foxy Brown on "Paper Chase. Memphis
Bleek, who rapped alongside Jigga on Reasonable Doubt's
"Coming of Age," also turns up on one of Jay-Z's personal
favorite's, the intense "Coming of Age, Da Sequel. The track
paints a dramatic picture of a meeting between two hustlers,
one established, one on his way up. "One of the reasons I
love this track is because it's so mental," he says. "The whole
first verse is an interaction that takes place in 30 seconds."
Timbaland furnishes the album with two remarkable tracks;
the danceable "N**a What," and the bouncy "Paper Chase.
DJ Mark the 45 King resurfaces with the title track, which
incorporates the chorus from "It's a Hard Knock life," from the
Broadway musical, Annie. "Kid Capri played the track on tour
and I had to have it," Jay-Z says smiling. "It's a real ghetto
anthem.
Rich with vivid imagery, mercurial flow, and lyrical finesse,
Volume 2. . . Hard Knock Life is a stunning example of
Jay-Z's diverse artistic range and creative growth. The album
may be called Volume 2, but Jay-Z's just begun. YA
HEARD?! HOLLA BACK!
