In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 [PA]

Performer: Jay-Z
Artist: Foxy Brown; Blackstreet; Babyface; Lil' Kim; Sauce Money; Too Short; Puff Daddy
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Jay-Z, Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim, Too Short (rap vocals); Babyface, Karen Anderson, Kelly Price (vocals); Teddy Riley, Stevie J (various instruments); Chad Hugo (saxophone); George Fontenette (keyboards); DJ Premiere (scratches); Earth (background vocals); BlackStreet, Sauce Money. Producers include: Premiere, Teddy Riley, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool. Engineers include: Eddie Sancho, Teddy Riley, S. Ghenea. Principally recorded in New York, New York. After the death of friend and compatriot the Notorious B.I.G. in early 1997, Jay-Z made his claim for the title of best rapper on the East Coast (or anywhere) with his sophomore shot, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Though the productions are just a bit flashier and more commercial than on his debut, Jay-Z remained the tough street rapper, and even improved a bit on his flow, already one of the best in the world of hip-hop. Still showing his roots in the Marcy projects (he's surrounded by a group of kids in a picture on the back cover), Jay-Z struts the line between project poet and up-and-coming player, and manages to have it both ways. He slings some of the most cutting rhymes heard in hip-hop, brushing off a legion of rappers riding his coattails on "Imaginary Player." For "Streets Is Watching," high-tension background strings and vocal samples from the gangster film Sleeper emphasize the pitfalls of a rapper everyone's gunning for ("If I shoot you, I'm brainless/But if you shoot me, then you famous"). The song leads right into "Friend or Foe '98," the sequel to a track from Reasonable Doubt that only increases the sense of paranoia. But Jay-Z plays the ghetto celebrity equally well, and continues his slick, Cristal-sipping image with "I Know What Girls Like" (featuring Puff Daddy and Lil' Kim), "(Always Be My) Sunshine" (featuring Babyface and Foxy Brown), and "Lucky Me." Puff Daddy's Bad Boy stable is responsible for almost half the productions, and though they often verge far into pop territory, Jay-Z usually rescues them from a complete crossover. (Ironically, the most commercial production is actually from Teddy Riley on "The City Is Mine," with an unfortunate interpolation of Glenn Frey's "You Belong to the City.") Having one of the toughest producers around (Premier) as well as one of the slickest (Puff Daddy) sometimes creates a disconnect between who Jay-Z really is and who he wants to become, but he balances both personas with the best rapping heard in the rap game since the deaths of 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G. ~ John Bush Jay-Z's critically acclaimed debut album REASONABLE DOUBT earned him much respect as an MC. At the time, it was one of the few albums to contain not only true displays of lyrical skills but slammin' beats all the way through. After experiencing blow-up success with his first release, Jay-Z follows with IN MY LIFETIME, VOL. 1, the first in what would be a three volume set. IN MY LIFETIME, VOL. 1 introduces the hip-hop audience to a more diverse Jay-Z. Still lyrically gifted, Jay-Z has experimented more this time, sampling popular records such as "You Belong To The City" on "The City Is Mine," and collaborating with superstars such as Babyface on "(Always Be My) Sunshine." In addition, there is still a dose of that hard-core underground Jay-Z music on tracks like "Streets Is Watching" and "Friend Or Foe '98."

Entertainment Weekly (11/28/97, p.85) - "...His phrasing shifts often, and he mixes jokes with visceral descriptions, stealing the spotlight from guests like BLACKstreet, Puff Daddy, Babyface, and Foxy Brown. We've heard these gangster tales before, but Jay-Z shows you don't need to do anything new, as long as you do it better." - Rating: B+ Q (12/00, p.144) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Calls on Blackstreet and Puff Daddy....It couldn't fail: the epitome of mainstream hip hop, and intentionally so." The Source (12/97, p.180) - 4 Mics (out of 5) - "...Jay-Z emerges victorious....IN MY LIFETIME VOL. 1 just might be a new beginning for one of rap's most promising careers."

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.

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