What are your opinions of Jay-Z Vol.2 Hard Knock Life album?
- Thread starter Alvin
- Start date
Commercial album
This was the album that helped him make that leap into the mainstream.
Definitely a dated project, but I think it did what he intended for it to do.
I like that album for what it is, nothing more.
This was the album that helped him make that leap into the mainstream.
Definitely a dated project, but I think it did what he intended for it to do.
I like that album for what it is, nothing more.
Best Jay-Z album. fukk it. I said it. People talk about RD but I heard Vol 1 and Vol 2 in real time. Vol 2 was the 
"Jigga leveled up!" Then I went back to RD and was like 
Some weak tracks for sure. but if you look at the tracks that are fire, they're incredible.
Are we forgetting that this was on Vol 2?
shyt had me back then. and to this day, I'll say that's a top 20 all-time Jay-Z song. That beat is fukkin ridiculous and Jay-Z absolutely kills it.
"More Money, More Cash, More Hoes" is also genius. That beat is way the fukk ahead of its time. Another top 20 Jay-Z track.
"Hand It Down" is Memphis Bleek's best track, period.
Can I Get A and Hard Knock Life are also Jay-Z in his prime. nikka What and It's Like That are dope - not my go-tos but great nonetheless.
RD is stronger lyrically but too mellow - especially Jay-Z's voice and the production. Great songs of course, but Jay-Z found himself on Vol 2. Blueprint is dope and has some of Jay-Z's best songs, but it's RD with a lil more energy.
1. Vol 2.
2. Vol 3 (So Ghetto, Do It Again, Big Pimpin, Come and Get Me, Girls Best Friend, Jigga My nikka -- ALL classics)
3. Blueprint
4. RD
5. Black Album
"Jigga leveled up!" Then I went back to RD and was like Some weak tracks for sure. but if you look at the tracks that are fire, they're incredible.
Are we forgetting that this was on Vol 2?
shyt had me
back then. and to this day, I'll say that's a top 20 all-time Jay-Z song. That beat is fukkin ridiculous and Jay-Z absolutely kills it."More Money, More Cash, More Hoes" is also genius. That beat is way the fukk ahead of its time. Another top 20 Jay-Z track.
"Hand It Down" is Memphis Bleek's best track, period.
Can I Get A and Hard Knock Life are also Jay-Z in his prime. nikka What and It's Like That are dope - not my go-tos but great nonetheless.
RD is stronger lyrically but too mellow - especially Jay-Z's voice and the production. Great songs of course, but Jay-Z found himself on Vol 2. Blueprint is dope and has some of Jay-Z's best songs, but it's RD with a lil more energy.
1. Vol 2.
2. Vol 3 (So Ghetto, Do It Again, Big Pimpin, Come and Get Me, Girls Best Friend, Jigga My nikka -- ALL classics)
3. Blueprint
4. RD
5. Black Album
the good ol days 
Overachiever. I love chicks who twist cheeba in reefer paper./
I hate the ones that blow up your beeper.
Jay effortlessly spit a rap clinic on this shyt.
This is a rewrite. Jay was on par with X in '98. Master P was huge, but musically Jay had him. HKL had numerous hit records before it came out, when it came out, and after. Eminem wasn't really a factor until '99 and the hype grew exponentially after Dre dropped 2001 at the end of '99.
Don't get me wrong, Jay came thru on most cuts, but the production was BASURA on these shyts...you like the NWNW instrumental? That boring piece of shyt It's Like That? Wannabe-futuristic It's Alright? repetitive bland-ass-sample Reservoir Dogs? Pisspoor Ride Or Die? Insomnia-cure Paper Chase?
probably shoulda bolded HKL too
Go broaden your horizon brehs
Production on this album shyts all over Vol2 HKL
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Eastside Get The Money
Veteran
Hard Knock Life and Can I get a (from rush hour) put me on to Jay z as a kid. I can't give you the instant impact because I didn't own the disc but then but after I started listening to RD a few years later Vol 2 lost a lost of replay value imo
