Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life

About

On 1997’s <i>In My Lifetime, Vol. 1</i>, JAŸ-Z aimed to prove that he could go mainstream; with 1998’s <i>Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life</i>, he made good on his promise, resulting in a smash-hit breakthrough that would storm the charts and introduce millions of listeners to the life and times of Shawn Carter. Thematically, <i>Vol. 2</i> finds Jay staying in some familiar lanes. He outlines his rough past on the irresistible (and inescapable) "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” boasts of his triumphant present on “If I Should Die,” and bemoans being a hustler more absorbed by his business than the lifestyle affords him on the swaggering “Money, Cash, Hoes” (wait—money <i>and</i> cash?). But while Jay’s topical obsessions are by now familiar, he makes plenty of stylistic progress on <i>Vol. 2</i>. Everyone already knew he was a great storyteller, but on his third album, JAŸ-Z expands his lyrical arsenal, taking on everything from tongue-twisting futurism (“N***a What, N***a Who,” “Can I Get A…”) to classic hip-hop soul (“A Week Ago,” “Hard Knock Life”). It’s a mix that blends the shiny and the gritty, the cutthroat and the charismatic. As a result, <i>Vol. 2</i> would become Jay’s first No. 1 album, and his first to reach multi-platinum status. <i>Vol. 2</i> finds Jay putting his money on the long shots. Just remember that two years earlier, he was one too.

via Apple Music

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