Hard Knock Life kinda sucks looking back.

[The Dust King]

vol 2. has classic jay-z joints like "if I die", "coming of age 2", "its like that" and "a week ago" and "resevoir dogs"

so since I haven't seen any of these songs listed, everyone who spoke on the album is deaf

 

[up in here]

Dead serious.

Wow, my mind is blown right now. His worst?

I mean even if you don't like it personally you gotta be able to see how it could appeal

 

[feelosofer]

Outside of a couple of tracks it's Jay's weakest album, imo. I agree with OP.

I was an outsider for not liking it in 98, I just thought it was an insipid weak album, the production was good but Jays lines had no punch, it was literally an 'of the moment' album, and 98 had too much other piff for me to think too highly of it.

 

[Regular_P]

Wow, my mind is blown right now. His worst?

I mean even if you don't like it personally you gotta be able to see how it could appeal

I understood the appeal for casuals, but that wasn't even close to Jay at his best. "Anything" was a much better song in my opinion and that had the same vibe.

 

[skillz2]

In terms of his overall catalogue its probably about middle of the pack nothing more. I'd put it behind RD, BP1, TBA, AG & Vol 1. The best songs on Vol 1 are lot better than standout tracks on Vol 2 IMO; however, neither album is a complete body of work.

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

Its a good summer disc and time capsule. I mean at least Jay was wrong about things that were going to happen. Most rappers lie about shyt that they claim happened but never did

 

[Pinyapplesuckas]

i thought Vol. 2 was wack when it was new. Just wasnt into it as much as RD or Vol 1.

i like it more now, but that shyt sounds like a Bad Boy/Ruff Ryders collabo album


he did joints with Mary J Blige, my nigggaz