Questlove defends Vol 1, Jay-Z responds

[Tommy Gibbs]

I would actually say it is lyrics AND beats AND song concept/structure (people like Canibus really lacked in this last category)

I thought Vol. 1 had pretty good production.

Million and One/Rhyme No More, Streets is Watching, Friend or Foe 98, Where I'm From, Rap Game/Crack Game were all raw as hell. Who You Wit II was a banger. The beats for You Must Love Me, Lucky Me, Imaginary Player, Face Off, Real Niccaz were very solid and fits the songs well.

People hate on Sunshine, I Know What Girls Like and City is Mine. Personally, I loved everything about Sunshine (beats/lyrics/chorus). I used to find I Know What Girls Like annoying, and I still don't love the chorus, but the beat is solid and Jay flows on it well. City is Mine is an okay song. Not great, kind of weak chorus, but I appreciated the concept and sentiment.

we all have been saying this all thread, but 35% of the album is not good. Nobody is "hating" on those shytty songs. they just aren't good.

 

[mitter]

we all have been saying this all thread, but 35% of the album is not good. Nobody is "hating" on those shytty songs. they just aren't good.

35% of the album?

I count 3 out of 14 songs that are frequently brought up as lackluster.

The vast majority of the album is banging. And the high points of the album are, IMO, better than the high points of most of Jay's albums. They more than make up for the misses.

 

[Chip Skylark]

we all have been saying this all thread, but 35% of the album is not good. Nobody is "hating" on those shytty songs. they just aren't good.

This is all there is. And for people to say otherwise are really in denial and really trying to make the album seem better than it actually is and have been since it had been released

 

[Nomad1]

vol 1 =

 

[FunkDoc1112]

This is all there is. And for people to say otherwise are really in denial and really trying to make the album seem better than it actually is and have been since it had been released

And sonically the album is all over the place and sequenced poorly. It's a mediocre overall package.

 

[Kaydigi]

Sunshine was dope, the video was wack as fukk. How can anyone hear that sample flip and say it’s wack?

 

[Kaydigi]

set on fire

damn

 

[Shadow King]

I prefer Vol 1 over Vol 3

That's not really that crazy, it's Vol 2 that people have a problem with challenging

Vol 3 was Jigga at his lyrical best

Possibly, but the songs overall were falling a little flat

 

[Shadow King]

What’s crazy to me is Jay-Z has even acknowledged Vol. 1 shortcomings but it’s people who are arguing against it. Even though it has come from the person who created the album. I don’t understand it.

Well what an artist likes from themselves and what resonates with the audience isn't necessarily the same, so objectively or in general that's a valid dichotomy.

 

[Bolzmark]

Underrated album…I think one big problem is the first single (City is Mine)didn’t really take off like the first single from RD. This album arguably has 3 of the top 15 songs of his career - Where I’m From, Streets is Watchin, and Imaginary Player. You Must Love Me is a great song. Who Ya Wit was big. Intro/ A Million and One Questions was flames. Sunshine was just ok at best. I Know What Girls Like should have been left on the studio floor. Overall a really good album.

 

[Tommy Gibbs]

35% of the album?

I count 3 out of 14 songs that are frequently brought up as lackluster.

The vast majority of the album is banging. And the high points of the album are, IMO, better than the high points of most of Jay's albums. They more than make up for the misses.

14 tracks, 5 songs that are fast forward material. 5/14 = 35.7% . So yes, I was wrong, it's actually 36% of the album that is fast forward material. But that doesn't mean it's not a good album, it's just not great. Yall up here claiaming them pop azz bubble gum songs are classics is laughable 25 years later. I was there when it dropped. I have my original copies of RD, vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, etc. I remember when XXL came out with the first episode that had Jay Z on the cover. Then the next year when Hard Knock life was to be released, Blaze magazine put Jay Z on the cover of the 2nd issue(Method Man was on the first).

 

[Chip Skylark]

Well what an artist likes from themselves and what resonates with the audience isn't necessarily the same, so objectively or in general that's a valid dichotomy.

once again the same sentiments fans have about the album are the same thing Jay has said. So for some people to claim it’s anti hop hop or for them to literally argue against it makes no sense to me

 

[Wacky D]

That biting ass nikka was tryna hop on and sellout scheme and it flopped

it actually was a success in terms of breaking him into the mainstream, and he got his 1st platinum plaque.

it was a flop with the streets and hip-hop heads who wanted another reasonable doubt tho.

 

[Greenhornet]

nothing wrong with a few bad songs thats what the skip button is for

 

[Zero]

Vol 1 is a mixed bag. Had the best and worst of Jay on it.

Vol 2 is ass outside of about 4 songs. Him blowing up off of it is the primary reason people cling to it.

Vol 3 is extremely underrated and better than a lot of what gets put ahead of it.