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Jay-Z Tickets Continued
Jay-Z chose an unconventional method of pursuing his commercial recording
career. When no major label gave him a record deal, Jay-Z created Roc-A-Fella
Records as his own independent label. After striking a deal with Priority to distribute his
material, Jay-Z released his 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt with beats
from acclaimed producers such as DJ Premier and Clark Kent and a notable appearance by
The Notorious B.I.G.. Although the album received critical acclaim, record sales were modest
as they topped off at 420,000 units the first year. After reaching a new distribution deal with Def
Jam Records in 1997, Jay-Z released his follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. The
album fared better than his first, however, he was yet to break it big in the music scene.
Jay-Z's 1998 album, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life, spawned the biggest hit of his
career at the time, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". He also relied more on flow and brilliant
wordplay, and he continued his penchant for mining beats from the popular producers of the
day such as Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. Charting hits from this album included the singles
"Can I Get A..." featuring Ja Rule and
"Jigga What, Jigga Who". Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life would eventually become
Jay-Z's most commercially successful album. It was certified 5x platinum in the United
States and has to date sold over 8 million worldwide. In 1999 Jay-Z released Vol.
3... Life and Times of S. Carter. Despite continued criticism for his increasingly
pop-oriented sound, the album proved to be successful and went platinum three times and
sold over 5.6 million records worldwide.
Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint is considered by many to be one of hip
hop's "classic" albums, receiving the coveted "5 mic" review from The Source magazine.
The Blueprint was applauded for its production and the balance of "mainstream" and
"hardcore" rap, receiving recognition from both audiences. Eminem was the
only guest artist on the album, producing and rapping on the single "Renegade". The
Blueprint also includes the popular "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "Takeover," a song which takes
on rivals Prodigy of Mobb Deep and Nas. A large portion of the material on this album was
produced by Kanye West, which was one of his first major breaks in the industry.
In 2003, Jay-Z toured with 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and Sean Paul while finishing
work on what was announced as his final album, The Black Album. Notable songs on
the album included "What More Can I Say", "Dirt Off Your Shoulder", "Change Clothes", and
"99 Problems".
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