Vol. 2-Hard Knock Life (Explicit Version) CD

MUSIC

RAP / HIP-HOP

Song Listing

Disc 1

Song Title

1. Intro-Hand It Down - (featuring Memphis Bleek) ~ Jay-Z

2. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) ~ Jay-Z

3. If I Should Die - (featuring Da Ranjahz) ~ Jay-Z

4. Ride Or Die ~ Jay-Z

5. Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99) - (featuring Big Jaz) ~ Jay-Z

6. Money, Cash, Hoes - (featuring DMX) ~ Jay-Z

7. Week Ago, A - (featuring Too Short) ~ Jay-Z

8. Coming Of Age (Da Sequel) - (featuring Memphis Bleek) ~ Jay-Z

9. Can I Get A... - (featuring Amil/Ja Rule) ~ Jay-Z

10. Paper Chase - (featuring Foxy Brown) ~ Jay-Z

11. Reservoir Dogs - (featuring The Lox/Beanie Sigel/Sauce Money) ~ Jay-Z

12. It's Like That - (featuring Kid Capri) ~ Jay-Z

13. It's Alright - (bonus track, featuring Memphis Bleek) ~ Jay-Z

14. Money Ain't A Thang - (bonus track, featuring Jermaine Dupri) ~ Jay-Z

Album Notes and Credits

Notes & Personnel Info
	Personnel includes: Jay-Z (rap vocals); Wais, Half Dead, Big Jaz, Amil, Liz (vocals); Steven Jordan, Lil' Rob (various instruments); Jake Carter, Mike (guitar); Kid Capri (programming); Memphis Bleek, Da Ranjahz, DMX, Too Short, Ja Rule, Amil, Foxy Brown, Jermaine Dupri, The Lox, Beenie Siegel, Sauce Money.
	Producers include: Premier, Mark 45, Swizz Beats, Steven Jordan, Timbaland.
	Engineers include: Eddie Sancho, Paul Falcon, Joe Quinde.
	VOL. 2 HARD KNOCK LIFE won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
	"Hard Knock Life" was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. "Money Ain't A Thang" was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group.
	Personnel: Ja Rule (vocals, rap vocals); Jake Carter (guitar).
	Audio Mixers: Eddie Sancho ; Jimmy Douglass; Joe Quinde; Kevin Crouse; Tony Black.
	Recording information: D&D Studios, New York, NY; Hit Factory, New York, NY; Manhattan Center Studios, New York, NY; Quad Studios, Nashville, TN; Sony Studios, New York, NY.
	Jay-Z is a rapper's rapper. He is the lyricist all other MCs want to be, and he has the beats over which every other MC wants to rhyme. His third album, VOL. 2 HARD KNOCK LIFE, further verifies Jay-Z's #1 status. Throughout his musical career, Jay-Z has shown that he has the skills to pay more than just the bills. Experimenting like few other rap artists have, Jay-Z uses the Broadway musical Annie's "Hard Knock Life" for his title track and first single. With its hardcore production, "Money, Cash, Hoes" allows Jay-Z to demonstrate his lyrical skill alongside DMX. "Paper Chase" features Foxy Brown and diversifies VOL. 2 with its Southern Timbaland-produced feel.
Musical Guests
	DMX
	Foxy Brown
	Memphis Bleek
	Da Ranjahz
	Big Jaz
	Too Short
	Ja Rule
	Amil
	The Lox
	Beanie Sigel
	Sauce Money
	Kid Capri
	Jermaine Dupri

Artist Overview

Considered one of the best lyricists to emerge in the wake of the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac's deaths, Jay-Z has since carried the flag of hip-hop narrative skill. His Roc-A-Fella family had already created a solid reputation based on Jay-Z's 1997 debut. As his fame has grown, so has his tendency to bring more R&B production elements into his work, creating a club-friendly, danceable version of east coast gangsta hip-hop that hasn't diminished his reputation as a preeminent force in rap. Perhaps even more importantly, Jay-Z has become a powerful musica impresario. In his role as president/CEO of Def Jam in the early 2000s, he fostered the careers of popular R&B singers Rihanna and Ne-Yo, and enjoyed a high profile as a co-owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team. His long relationship and eventual marriage to superstar Beyonce has further endeared him to fans.

Compilation Appearances

	Life After Death (Explicit Version)
	Hardcore (Explicit Version)
	Vol. 1-Traffic Jams (Explicit Version)
	R. (Explicit Version)
	Streets Is Watching
	Flesh Of My Flesh-Blood Of My Blood (Explicit Version)
	Venni Vetti Vecci (Explicit Version)
	Backstage Mixtape (Explicit Version)
	Last Of A Dying Breed (Explicit Version)
	8 Mile (Explicit Version)
	Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (Explicit Version)
	Dangerously In Love (Bonus Tracks)
	Scarface-Music Inspired By (Explicit Version)
	R. In R&b Collection Vol. 1
	Source Presents: hip Hop Hits Vol. 7
	College Dropout (Explicit Version)
	College Dropout (Clean)
	Baptism
	Island Def Jam Recording Presents 1 (Explicit Version)
	Late Registration (Explicit Version)
	Late Registration (Clean Version)
	In My Mind (Explicit Version)
	The Breakthrough
	Duets: The Final Chapter (Explicit Version)
	Food & Liquor(Explicit Version)
	B'day
	From Nothin To Somethin(Explicit Version)
	Because Of You
	TI Vs Tip
	Alive On Arrival
	B'day
	Girl Interrupted (Explicit Version)
	Trilla
	Solution
	Ultimate Grammy Collection: Contemporary R&B
	Total Club Hits
	Here I Stand
	Good Girl Gone Bad:Reloaded
	Paper Trail (Explicit Version)
	Paper Trail
	Way I See It
	Tha Carter Iii(Explicit Version)
	Theater Of The Mind(Explicit Version)
	The Best Of NOW That's What I Call Music - 10th Anniversary Edition
	Good Girl Gone Bad:remixes
	Good Girl Gone Bad:remixes
	Nortorious (Ost)
	Loso's Way(Explicit Version)
	Sex Therapy
	Sex Therapy
	Sex Therapy:session
	Teflon Don
	Teflon Don(Explicit Version)
	Xxxo:remixes
	Raymond Vs Raymond
	Tm 103(Explicit Version)
	Tm 103
	Tbd
	My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Explicit Version)
	Paper Trail [PA]
	Ultimate Collection
	Greatest Story Never Told(Explicit Version)
	Tm 103 Hustlerz Ambition(Explicit Version)
	Talk That Talk [Deluxe] (Explicit Version)
	Talk That Talk [edited]
	Talk That Talk (Explicit Version)
	Talk That Talk [Deluxe] [edited]
	Talk That Talk [Deluxe] [edited]
	Hip Hop Is Dead (Explicit Version)
	God Forgives I Don't
	Essential Mariah Carey
	Streets Advocate
	Good Music Cruel Summer(Explicit Version)
	Now 46
	Iv Play
	Iv Play
	Iv Play(Explicit Version)
	Iv Play(Explicit Version)
	Port Of Miami (Explicit Version)
	Black And White America
	Greatest Story Never Told
	God Forgives, I Don't [Explicit]
	God Forgives, I Don't [Deluxe] [Explicit]
	God Forgives, I Don't [edited]
	Cole World:sideline Story
	Tha Carter Iii(Explicit Version)
	Tha Carter Iii(Explicit Version)
	Road To Revolution:live At Milton Key(Explicit Version)
	Cole World:sideline Story

Associated Artists and Works

	Bleek, Memphis
	Bloodfire
	Cent, 50
	Dre, Dr.
	Jeezy, Young
	Streets Is Watching [PA] ~ Original Soundtrack
	Tapemasters, Inc.

Technical Info

	Release Date : 09/29/1998
	Original Release Date : 1998
	Catalog ID : 558 902
	Label : Def Jam (USA)
	Number of Discs : 1
	Studio/Live : Studio
	Mono/Stereo : Stereo
	SPAR Code : n/a
	UPC : 00731455890228

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (5/13/99, p.77)
- Included in Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90's."

Q (12/00, p.144)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "...Boasts Timbaland, DMX, Jermaine Dupri, Foxy Brown and an infectious title track sampling the musical Annie. It couldn't fail: the epitome of mainstream hip hop, and intentionally so."

The Source (11/98, p.190)
- 4.5 Mics (out of 5)
- "...On his third try for the trophy, the mayor of Marcy Projects took time during the offseason to perfect his method..."

Vol. 2-Hard Knock Life (Explicit Version) (1998)

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