Old heads....just how powerful was "Hard Knock Life" when it dropped?

[Big Mel]

Eh. Not the sound I was in love with at the time. It grew on me.

 

[BlackZilla]

And Miseducation can't get ENOUGH praise, ever.

There will never be another. What that woman did (or attempted) for minority women & culture...music & perception is just

No love for LadyBug from DigablePlanets? She's really underrated too...

 

[YBE]

The fact that this title begins with "old head" and refers to something that came out when I was in HS makes me feel like I need to break out the Geritol.

If yall was teenagers (15-19) when this dropped, yall like 30-35 now. It is what it is

I'll be there soon

 

[A.V.]

No love for LadyBug from DigablePlanets? She's really underrated too...

I'd wife her fine, intelligent ass

 

[Notorious 1 E.Y.E.]

Was Jay really "that nikka" back then, or is it just revionist history now that he's on top...I was only about 9 or 10 when this dropped, so all I remember is the dopeboys blasting this at the park


Jay Z Hard knock life - YouTube

That annie sample

when this first dropped was 12
shyt had a lil nikka like
this and money aint a thing blew jay up

 

[phatphuck]

he already had a buzz on money aint a thang, but there was no turning back after this track

nore had the illest hook that year tho

 

[Azire]

he already had a buzz on money aint a thang, but there was no turning back after this track

nore had the illest hook that year tho

What, what, what, what, what, what?

What, what, what, what, what, what, what?



So profound. I was inspired by this eloquence.

 

[Big Mel]

i do take issue with "old head". if you all layed eyes on me you'd ne asking me for health tips. but i don't stop on a dime as fast anymore. hips don't lie.

 

[Obtain Knowledge]

Hard Knock Life established Jay-Z as a pop artist. That Annie sample did wonders for him because before that Jay-Z wasn't making much noise at all. Vol. 2 was the biggest statement Jay-Z had made with his music because Reasonable Doubt was not the classic that many now claim it to be and Vol. 1 came and went like the wind.

Reasonable Doubt got lost in the shuffle because there just far too many better releases in 1996 such as:

All Eyez On Me
Hell On Earth
Ironman
The Score
E. 1999 Eternal
Muddy Waters
7 Day Theory/Makaveli The Don
ATLiens


I even remember LL's "Lougin" remix getting a lot more airplay than any of Jigga's records in 96'. LL had MTV on lock with his "Lougin" remix video.

 

[ryda518]

I'm 26 and clearly remember when that track dropped


Im' an old head now?

breh we are almost a year away from the 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY of illmatic

we are old

 

[prophecypro]

That was a peak year for Hip-Hop across the board with the Billboard Top 10 always having at least 8 Hip-Hop releases. It blew him up and the crazy part is, you could make an argument he wasnt even the artist of the year in 1998 (some may say X or Lauryn, some may even say Master P). But he was leading the Def Jam revival with DMX (dont sleep on Onyx and Def Squad that summer too).

The single with that sample and rumour that Hard Knock Life was gonna get 5 mics also really pushed the buzz, but he was building that whole spiring and summer beforehand with Streets is Watching and those collabo/soundtrack singles

 

[prophecypro]

The "Everybody eats, b" era.

Damn.

And Miseducation can't get ENOUGH praise, ever.

There will never be another. What that woman did (or attempted) for minority women & culture...music & perception is just

Yo the Everybody Eats era is probably the best name one could give for that time.
NORE, Pun, Tribe called Quest were selling millions and charting high during that time.

 

[Cloud McFly]

Hard Knock Life established Jay-Z as a pop artist. That Annie sample did wonders for him because before that Jay-Z wasn't making much noise at all. Vol. 2 was the biggest statement Jay-Z had made with his music because Reasonable Doubt was not the classic that many now claim it to be and Vol. 1 came and went like the wind.

Reasonable Doubt got lost in the shuffle because there just far too many better releases in 1996 such as:

All Eyez On Me
Hell On Earth
Ironman
The Score
E. 1999 Eternal
Muddy Waters
7 Day Theory/Makaveli The Don
ATLiens


I even remember LL's "Lougin" remix getting a lot more airplay than any of Jigga's records in 96'. LL had MTV on lock with his "Lougin" remix video.

I have to disagree with your statements about dude not making much noise before that release, Vol. 1 flopping, and most of all about about RD not being classic (which I won't argue, as it's all opinion).

Reasonable Doubt = Gold a little under 3 months after it was released
Dead Presidents (single) = Gold after 4 months
Ain't No nikka (single) = Top 50 on Billboard
Streets Is Watching (video) Gold after 3 months, then Platinum after another month
Vol. 1 = Gold after 2 months

^All this was before Vol. 2 was ever released, so to act like dude was just some local cat is just flat out false. I can't speak for others, but in Detroit around that time, a lot of cats were messing with his music heavy (especially Streets Is Watching/Vol. 1)

Also, 3 of the albums you listed didn't sell any better than RD, but you don't claim they were lost in the shuffle, as you did with RD

 

[Obtain Knowledge]

I have to disagree with your statements about dude not making much noise before that release, Vol. 1 flopping, and most of all about about RD not being classic (which I won't argue, as it's all opinion).

Reasonable Doubt = Gold a little under 3 months after it was released
Dead Presidents (single) = Gold after 4 months
Ain't No nikka (single) = Top 50 on Billboard
Streets Is Watching (video) Gold after 3 months, then Platinum after another month
Vol. 1 = Gold after 2 months

^All this was before Vol. 2 was ever released, so to act like dude was just some local cat is just flat out false. I can't speak for others, but in Detroit around that time, a lot of cats were messing with his music heavy (especially Streets Is Watching/Vol. 1)

Also, 3 of the albums you listed didn't sell any better than RD, but you don't claim they were lost in the shuffle, as you did with RD

Sales do matter but what 3 albums didn't sell better than RD? And WHEN did those 3 albums I listed not sell better than RD? Because of course sales have gone up for RD since 1996 since Jay-Z has now become a famous emcee and cultural icon. And besides it WAS all about INITAL IMPACT AND SALES AT THAT GIVEN TIME which Jay-Z DID NOT have when he FIRST dropped RD. Let's not act like Jay-Z dropping RD in 1996 was like when Pac dropped All Eyez On Me, let alone The Fugees' The Score now.

ALL of the albums I listed had much more impact than Reasonable Doubt did IN 1996. Since The Blueprint, Jay-Z and a lot his fans post The Blueprint have made it their duty to campaign hard for Reasonable Doubt.

 

[Obtain Knowledge]

That was a peak year for Hip-Hop across the board with the Billboard Top 10 always having at least 8 Hip-Hop releases. It blew him up and the crazy part is, you could make an argument he wasnt even the artist of the year in 1998 (some may say X or Lauryn, some may even say Master P). But he was leading the Def Jam revival with DMX (dont sleep on Onyx and Def Squad that summer too).

The single with that sample and rumour that Hard Knock Life was gonna get 5 mics also really pushed the buzz, but he was building that whole spiring and summer beforehand with Streets is Watching and those collabo/soundtrack singles

Co sign.