How Jay-Z’s ‘Vol. 3’ Explained Rap Music in 1999—and Predicted Its Future

[Harry B]

Vol 2 is 5x platinum; Dark is 4x by itself and Flesh is 3x. They sold about 8 million between them.

The article said New York AND hip-hop so Eminem is going to be included; Nelly as well.

Dmn I though Dark was 3 and Flesh 2.

In any even, the point is still the same Jay was moving more units up until that point, had the most hits and X was opening for him. What happened after that in 2000 is another thing.

Edit:
As far as opinions goes, people started calling Hov the GOAT, same with Nas, X was more of a hot rapper. At least that was my take on it. Such opinions factor in as well. Which is why someone might've said Pac was dominating when Fugees and BTNH might've moved more. Or why one might say that DMX was dominating when Dr. Dre sold more, had a better album and bigger hits.

 

[MJ Truth]

I still remember buying the in December 1999 and being let down that "4 Da Fam" wasn't on it, or a bonus, I was 14 at the time. It was pretty epic moment when that intro hit, and Jay was talking about "I know you just ripped the packaging of ya cds", it's funny, all the little unrelated and mixed memories of those days. That album brings back basketball league in the cold (relative) of SD in December, SNL at my boys house, watching the Rap City countdown, going to see Talented Mr Ripley and Any Given Sunday by myself during winter break, and trying to buy a silver chain from the jewelry store at the mall.

I remember being in eighth grade I think riding with one of my older homies to a football or a basketball game and he was blasting that intro with the security guards demanding he turn it down as we entered the parking lot lol.

 

[mobbinfms]

Vol 2 is 5x platinum; Dark is 4x by itself and Flesh is 3x. They sold about 8 million between them.

The article said New York AND hip-hop so Eminem is going to be included; Nelly as well.

You gotta look at the certification dates to understand what was going on in 99 though.

By February 99,

Vol 2 was 4x
IDHIH was 3x
Flesh was 2x

That was the last time any of the three albums was certified for basically a year.

So at that point X couldn’t match what Jay did with Vol 2 even though he had two chances to do it.

 

[Regular_P]

You gotta look at the certification dates to understand what was going on in 99 though.

By February 99,

Vol 2 was 4x
IDHIH was 3x
Flesh was 2x

That was the last time any of the three albums was certified for basically a year.

So at that point X couldn’t match what Jay did with Vol 2 even though he had two chances to do it.

Can we agree on the notable singles?

I'd have Can I Get A, Hard Knock Life and Originator 99 as the main ones from Vol 2 and the February 99 timeline. For DMX I'd have Get At Me Dog, Stop Being Greedy, Ruff Ryders Anthem, Ruff Ryders Anthem remix, How's It Goin' Down and Slippin'.

Money, Cash, Hoes has both of them even though it's on Jay's album.

I think X had more sustained success during that time. Jay was really propped up by that Annie sample.

 

[mobbinfms]

Can we agree on the notable singles?

I'd have Can I Get A, Hard Knock Life and Originator 99 as the main ones from Vol 2 and the February 99 timeline. For DMX I'd have Get At Me Dog, Stop Being Greedy, Ruff Ryders Anthem, Ruff Ryders Anthem remix, How's It Goin' Down and Slippin'.

Money, Cash, Hoes has both of them even though it's on Jay's album.

I think X had more sustained success during that time. Jay was really propped up by that Annie sample.

You’re leaving out It’s Alright and Money Ain’t a Thing.

Jay easily takes singles.

 

[mikishere]

album is up and down for me... it has some of his most underrated songs by far (dopeman, theres been a murder, NYMP). I even liked things that you do that everybody hates.

but it has arguably the worst 5 song stretch for a jay album ever to me (its hot, snoopy track, s carter, pop 4 roc, watch me)

legit hated/still hate the first 3 of those songs while sometimes i could tolerate pop 4 roc and watch me. those 5 songs are why its a lower tier jayz album to me

 

[Regular_P]

You’re leaving out It’s Alright and Money Ain’t a Thing.

Jay easily takes singles.

I could add Money, Power, Respect, 24 Hours To Live and 4,3,2,1 if we're gonna use other people's songs.

 

[Jacaveli The Don]

Lot of male bytches nuthugging this bullshyt album with no shame at all

 

[Suspicions]

I remember feeling kinda let down that it didn't have that "lightning in a bottle" feel to it Hard Knock Life had. It felt more in line with Volume 1.

but maaaan I couldn't stop listening to this shyt. I still call it the "50 Cent Response" album.

I was the only person bumping Girls Best Friend like I was the only nikka bumping Sunshine

There's Been A Murder, Come And Get Me, NYMP still pme pf the the most slept on 3 song runs til this day (my dumb ass asked on this very board what NYMP even meant )

I didn't like Big Pimpin, and that shyt was all encompassing. All the white kids was constantly playing it everywhere.

it was still that era though. Where everybody was bumping everything. All over. All the time. Everybody was still selling like 15 million. Everybody's albums legit felt like they were trying to outdo everybody else's albums. Music was still COMPETITIVE.

I don't think we'll ever see that again.

What's nymp stand for? I'm at work tryna think of it but cant remember

 

[Marzupial]

I wanted to post the intro in here but it's not on YouTube...that shyt is so epic...

I don't care if it's winter..I want to to put all your windows down...

Do U Believe ?

Yeah there used to be a video with the 3 volumes intro songs together I can't find it no more all of them verses were crazy

 

[Mr. Negative]

What's nymp stand for? I'm at work tryna think of it but cant remember

New York, Marcy Projects

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

Horrible album to this day

Bad article by the way...lol@the idea of mainstream vs underground coming after big & Pac died when Jerry and them nikkax was making it known how they felt about Big years prior to his death

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

This is absolute horse shyt. DMX was hands down the biggest artist in 1998-99 and then Eminem was the top dog once MMLP dropped. Jay was never the biggest artist in rap for a single year and I hate how his stans always try to paint it like he was.

Eminem doesn’t count nor was he counted sincerely

 

[Mikael Blowpiff]

Why isn’t watch me on Vol3 on Apple Music??

because its the uk version

 

[smokeurobinson]

Lot of male bytches nuthugging this bullshyt album with no shame at all

But you stay with 2pacs dikk in your ass. You just mad because Still I Rise dropped a week prior and Jay Z shut that noise down when this album dropped a week later.FACTS. Still I Rise didnt even go #1 signaling that era was officially over....Jay Z drops Vol 3 and goes #1 signaling that there was a new king in town and u aggy about that reality.Dr Dre no longer giving beats to your hero but gave it to Jay Z instead. Same year had Jay Z writing Dres comeback single "Still Dr DRE" while ya boy was yesterdays news and gone. California Love was done.....It was now Dre and Jigga shining together.