My final Jay-Z selection comes from the 1998 album Hard Knock Life, his third.
I know a little bit about the title track from the descriptions of it I read in compiling this list. Specifically, it samples the chorus of the song of the same name from the Broadway show Annie. That’s a hell of a bold move for a rap song, so I’m definitely intrigued.
The lyrics are about Jay-Z’s favorite topic: how great Jay-Z is. That gets a bit tiresome after a while. I much prefer rappers who write about something other than their own prowess. One reason I love Eminem’s work is that he spends much of it kicking himself and exorcising his demons. That’s far more interesting than repeated verses about being on top.
Listening to this song, I have to say I love the Annie sample. The juxtaposition between the children’s voices and Jay-Z’s makes for an inspiring bit of production. And it makes this song play much better than it reads.
So that wraps up my week of Jay-Z. I can’t say I’ve grown to understand why he’s considered one of the best — honestly, he strikes me as an average rapper. But I have heard a very interesting blend of songs, from the grunge guitar of ’99 Problems’ to today’s Broadway sample, with excellent production work by Kanye West and Eminem in between.
Based on this evidence, I assume that his albums make for a fun listen but not an essential one.
It’s the hard knock life for us
It’s the hard knock life for us!
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It’s the hard knock life!
[Verse 1]
From standing on the corners boppin’
To driving some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen
For dropping some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard
From the dope spot, with the smoke Glock fleeing the murder scene
You know me well…
From nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell
But since when y’all niggas know me to fail? Fuck naw
Where all my niggas with the rubber grips, bust shots
And if you with me mama rub on your tits, and what-not
I’m from the school of the hard knocks, you must not
Let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot
Let’s stick up the world and split it 50/50, uh-huh
Let’s take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh
And sip the Cris’ and get pissy-pissy
Flow infinitely like the memory of my nigga Biggie, baby!
You know it’s hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter, nigga, Volume 2, y’all niggas get ready
[Hook]
[Verse 2]
I flow for those ‘dro’ed out; all my niggas
Locked down in the ten by four, controlling the house
We live in hard knocks, we don’t take over, we borrow blocks
Burn ’em down and you can have it back daddy, I’d rather that
I flow for chicks wishin’, they ain’t have to strip to pay tuition
I see your vision mama
I put my money on the longshots, all my ballers that’s born to clock
Know I’mma be on top whether I perform or not
I went from lukewarm to hot; sleeping on futons and cots
To King Size, dream machines, to green 5’s
I’ve seen pies, let the thing between my eyes analyze life’s ills
Then I put it down type Braille
I’m tight grill with the phony, rappers y’all might feel we homies
I’m like still, y’all don’t know me, shit!
I’m tight grill when my situation ain’t improving
I’m tryna murder everything moving, feel me?!
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
I don’t know how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toes
Got a lot of beef, so logically, I prey on my foes
Hustling’s still inside of me, and as far as progress
You’d be hard-pressed, to find another rapper hot as me
I gave you prophecy on my first joint, and y’all lamed out
Didn’t really appreciate it, ’til the second one came out
So I stretched the game out, etched your name out
Put Jigga on top, and drop albums non-stop for ya, nigga!
[Hook]
Meet Me In Montauk 
I agree with you. Jay Z is good, but not great. His lyrics and rap cadence is simply not at the level of Eminem.