Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life

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Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life cover
Studio album by Jay-Z
Released September 29, 1998 (US)
Recorded 1997-1998
Genre East Coast hip hop
Length N/A
Label Roc-A-Fella Records
Def Jam Recordings
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
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.[citation needed] 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[citation needed] on three of the albums' singles.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

  1. Hand It Down (Intro) (featuring Memphis Bleek & Pain in da Ass) (produced by DJ Premier)
  2. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (produced by The 45 King)
  3. If I Should Die (featuring Da Ranjahz) (produced by Swizz Beatz)
  4. Ride or Die (produced by Stevie J)
  5. Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99) (featuring Amil & Big Jaz) (produced by Timbaland)
  6. Money, Cash, Hoes (featuring DMX) (produced by Swizz Beatz)
  7. A Week Ago (featuring Too $hort) (produced by J-Runnah)
  8. Coming of Age (Da Sequel) (featuring Memphis Bleek) (produced by Swizz Beatz)
  9. Can I Get A... (featuring Amil & Ja Rule) (produced by Irv Gotti & Lil’ Rob)
  10. Paper Chase (featuring Foxy Brown) (produced by Timbaland)
  11. Reservoir Dogs (featuring The LOX, Sauce Money & Beanie Sigel) (produced by Erick Sermon; co-produced by Darold Trotter)
  12. It’s Like That (featuring Kid Capri & Liz Leite) (produced by Kid Capri)
  13. It’s Alright (featuring Memphis Bleek) (produced by Damon Dash & Mahogany)
  14. Money Ain’t a Thang (featuring Jermaine Dupri) (produced by Jermaine Dupri)

[edit] Production

[edit] Samples

Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)

A Week Ago

Reservoir Dogs

It's Like That

It's Alright

Money Ain't A Thang

[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)"
"Money, Cash, Hoes"
"Nigga What, Nigga Who"

[edit] Charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 1
U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 1
Top Canadian Albums 13
 v • d • e Jay-Z
Discography
Albums
Albums: Reasonable Doubt • In My Lifetime • Hard Knock Life • Life and Times of S. Carter • Roc La Familia • The Blueprint • Unplugged • The Best of Both Worlds • The Gift & the Curse • The Blueprint 2.1 • The Black Album • Unfinished Business • Collision Course • Kingdom Come
Singles
Solo singles: "In My Lifetime" • "Ain't No Nigga" • "Can't Knock The Hustle" • "Feelin' It" • "Who You Wit" • "(Always Be My) Sunshine" • "The City Is Mine" • "It's Alright" • "Can I Get A..." • "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" • "Money, Cash, Hoes" • "Nigga What, Nigga Who" • "Jigga My Nigga" • "Girl's Best Friend" • "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)" • "Anything" • "Big Pimpin'" • "Things That U Do" • "Hey Papi" • "I Just Wanna Luv U (Give It 2 Me)" • "Change The Game" • "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" • "20 Bag Shorty" • "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" • "Girls, Girls, Girls" • "Jigga That Nigga" • "Song Cry" • "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" • "Hovi Baby" • "G & R" • "Excuse Me Miss" • "Stop" • "Change Clothes" • "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" • "99 Problems" • "Big Chips" • "Numb / Encore" • "Show Me What You Got" • "Kingdom Come" • "Lost One" • "Hollywood
Other songs: "4 Da Fam" • "Heartbreaker" • "Takeover" • "Dead Presidents II" • "Supa Ugly" • "Frontin'" • "Crazy in Love" • "Deja Vu" • "Upgrade U" • "Umbrella"
Related articles
Roc-A-Fella • Def Jam • The 40/40 Club • NJ Nets • Fade to Black • Streets Is Watching • Nas vs. Jay-Z feud • Nas • The Notorious B.I.G. • Damon Dash • Jaz-O • Memphis Bleek • Beyoncé
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