I feel the opposite. Aside from paper chase, I feel that it flowed perfectly. Mostly high energy, for Jay-z in 98. It sounds like it was made for cruising in the summer. It’s one of my favorite from that year and one of my favorite Jay projects.
Vol 2. Hard Knock Life. 25 Years Later
- Thread starter Newark88
- Start date
I feel the opposite. Aside from paper chase, I feel that it flowed perfectly. Mostly high energy, for Jay-z in 98. It sounds like it was made for cruising in the summer. It’s one of my favorite from that year and one of my favorite Jay projects.
Notorious 1 E.Y.E.
Superstar
I just felt like he threw a bunch of dope songs together
I wouldn't know about crusing the summer cause i was on foot back then... or skating/riding my bike whitle it played in my discman
Alexander Wiggin
All Star
That album relied heavily on the rush hour soundtrack. This movie and that album goes hand to hand. It was one of the first truly "Rocafella" succes that put the label on the map. Pivotal album for Jay but felt more like a best of or compilation
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Classic.
My 2nd fav Hov album after Blueprint.
Perfect mix of street, commercial appeal and lyrics.
Really set the stage for bullshyt copycats/record labels who didn't have the heart and talent to try and copy it.
Anyone can try to clone the NY sound, it wasn't as good but no one could bullshyt their way into duplicating A Week Ago.
My 2nd fav Hov album after Blueprint.
Perfect mix of street, commercial appeal and lyrics.
Really set the stage for bullshyt copycats/record labels who didn't have the heart and talent to try and copy it.
Anyone can try to clone the NY sound, it wasn't as good but no one could bullshyt their way into duplicating A Week Ago.
Maybe the defining album of my childhood, I was 12 in September 1998, turned 13 late September, and went to see Rush Hour opening weekend
Jay was everywhere, all at once, between Money Ain't A Thang, Hard Knock Life, Can I Get A, nikka What nikka Who, Money Cash Hoes,
had the poster on the wall with the Bentley, and bought this album with change and loose dollars and gift cards, we played this album until it was all scratched, it was like a dark blue/purple CD
since then, never seen an album or an artist besides maybe X, just transfix a moment in time
Jay was everywhere, all at once, between Money Ain't A Thang, Hard Knock Life, Can I Get A, nikka What nikka Who, Money Cash Hoes,
had the poster on the wall with the Bentley, and bought this album with change and loose dollars and gift cards, we played this album until it was all scratched, it was like a dark blue/purple CD
since then, never seen an album or an artist besides maybe X, just transfix a moment in time
Newark88
Superstar
I was 21 when this album dropped. I was knee deep in the streets at this point and this was my soundtrack that whole fall
Newark88
Superstar
Quality wise, time has proven that this ain’t his best album. But it’s definitely a “moment in time” type of album. It brings back a lot of great memories.
His best song.
That was LAD respectfully
LAD (and so was Harlem World) was in my thoughts when it came to mentioning it but because it was double album I never said it was thee one.
it was a very clear and obvious inspiration for Pun's Capital Punishment and wouldve influenced Jay but I feel like Vol.2 is probably the one rappers looked at and went he's gave us the blueprint. no pun intended
With Vol. 2, I would say, rappers atarted to run with the same or similar production lineup particularly NY rappers. Fabolous and Jadakiss definitely. Fab's debut and Kiss's solo debut had that formula where ut was some variation of Timbaland, Swizz, Irv Gotti, and Rockwilder on the same album. Even Mahogany showed up again on Kiss's album. I think Vol. 2 may have been his first placement.
