Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life

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Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
Studio album by Jay-Z
Released	September 29, 1998 (US)
Recorded	N/A
Genre	East Coast hip hop
Length	N/A
Label	Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
Producer(s)	Swizz Beatz DJ Premier The 45 King Timbaland Stevie J Irv Gotti Erick Sermon Kid Capri Damon Dash Jermaine Dupri J-Runnah Lil' Rob Darold Trotter Mahogany
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Jay-Z chronology
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997)	Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998)	Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)

Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life is the 1998 music album release by East Coast hip hop artist Jay-Z. It was the success of title track, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" that made Jay-Z a dominant hip-hop superstar to emerge in the post Biggie/Tupac era. It went on to sell 5 million records in the US and just over eight million worldwide, and is the highest selling Jay-Z album to date.

Despite its status as Jay-Z's most commercially successful album, it received lukewarm reviews from critics and hip-hop purists who thought that in his aims to be a crossover success, he had compromised the quality and complexity of his music. In the second verse of "Moment of Clarity" from his final (at the time) solo album The Black Album, Jay-Z addresses such critics, rapping the lines "I dumbed down for my audience, doubled my dollars/They criticize me for it but they all yell 'holla'/If skills sold, truth be told, I'd probably be/Lyrically Talib Kweli" and "And I can't help the poor if I'm one of them/So I got rich and gave back, to me, that's the win-win."

Several tracks on this album feature a rougher sound that then glossier Bad Boy production on In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, most notably the three tracks produced by Ruff Ryders beatmaker Swizz Beatz. With the exception of Stevie J on "Ride or Die," Bad Boy producers play no role in Vol. 2, though Jay-Z enlisted The 45 King, Timbaland, and Irv Gotti for a more pop-oriented sound on three of the albums' singles.

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Production 3 Samples 4 Album Singles 5 Album Chart Positions 6 Singles Chart Positions

[edit] Track listing

1. Hand It Down (Intro) (ft. Memphis Bleek & Pain in da Ass)
2. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
3. If I Should Die (ft. Da Ranjahz)
4. Ride or Die
5. Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)(ft. Amil & Big Jaz)
6. Money, Cash, Hoes (ft. DMX)
7. A Week Ago (ft. Too $hort)
8. Coming of Age (Da Sequel) (ft. Memphis Bleek)
9. Can I Get a... (ft. Amil & Ja Rule)
10. Paper Chase (ft. Foxy Brown)
11. Reservoir Dogs (ft. The LOX, Sauce Money & Beanie Sigel)
12. It’s Like That (ft. Kid Capri & Liz Leite)
13. It’s Alright (ft. Memphis Bleek)
14. Money Ain’t a Thang (ft. Jully Black)

[edit] Production

• Track 1 produced by DJ Premier
• Track 2 produced by The 45 King
• Tracks 3, 6 & 8 produced by Swizz Beatz
• Track 4 produced by Stevie J
• Tracks 5 & 10 produced by Timbaland
• Track 7 produced by J-Runnah
• Track 9 produced by Irv Gotti & Lil’ Rob
• Track 11 produced by Erick Sermon; co-produced by Darold Trotter
• Track 12 produced by Kid Capri
• Track 13 produced by Damon Dash & Mahogany
• Track 14 produced by Jermaine Dupri

[edit] Samples

Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)

• "Hard Knock Life" by Peter Gennaro

A Week Ago

• "Ballad For The Fallen Soldier" by Isley Brothers

Reservoir Dogs

• "Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes

It's Like That

• "Beggar's Song" by Wet Willie

It's Alright

• "The Hall Of Mirrors" by Kraftwerk
• "Once In A Lifetime" by Talking Heads

Money Ain't A Thang

• "Weak At The Knees" by Steve Arrington

[edit] Album Singles

Single cover	Single information
	"Can I Get a..." Released: September 1, 1998 B-side: "Bitch Betta Have My Money", "And You Don't Stop"
	"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" Released: October 20, 1998 B-side:
	"Money, Cash, Hoes" Released: February 23, 1999 B-side:
	"Nigga What, Nigga Who" Released: November 30, 1999 B-side:

[edit] Album Chart Positions

Year	Album	Chart positions
		Billboard 200	Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums	Top Canadian Albums
1998	Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life	#1	#1	#13

[edit] Singles Chart Positions

Year	Song	Chart positions
		Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles	Rhythmic Top 40	Top 40 Tracks	Canadian Singles Chart
1998	"Can I Get A..."	#19	#6	#22	#2	#17	-
	"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"	-	#10	-	#10	-	-
1999	"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"	#15	-	#2	-	-	#7
	"Money, Cash, Hoes/Jigga What"	-	#36	#19	-	-	-
	"Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)"	#84	#23	-	-	-	-