Jay-Z-Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998)



 

Artist: Jay-Z

Title: Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life

Label:  Roc-A-Fella Records

Format: CD

Cat: 314 558 902-2

Year of Release: 1998

Country and Year of Edition: US 1998

Listed Condition: VG+/VG+ drill cut in barcode

Sell Date: 7/15/22

Sell Price: $3.99

Discogs Last Sold: 7/18/22 VG+/G $2.00

Low: $1.00

Median: $3.97

Average: $3.90

High: $8.42

Current low price:$0.41 F/no cover, $2.00 VG/VG

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 57

Have/Want: 1137/138

Where Sold:  Cincinnati, OH

Time it took to sell: 11 years

Where and When Bought: used internet mail order 98 or 99

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B

Sad To See It Go: No

I bought this album on the strength of "Can I Get A...WHAT WHAT," but imagine my disappointment when the song was merely "Can I Get A FUCK YOU"  The 'You' part of that was so weak, I forgot about it.   It really is the difference of being one of the greatest hit songs of the 90's in any genre and being a forgettable also-ran. Normally, you want to get the uncensored version, but in this case the IMPLICATION of getting a fuck is stronger than the fuck itself.  In fact, you might not even be getting a fuck in your what what or even thinking about getting one.  Personally, I liked the what-what totally unidentified.  Not sex and not a middle finger even if they are both crowd pleasers.

The other big hit I hated and it still annoys me, the title track "Hard Knock LIfe."  I disliked Annie even as a kid. Those dirty little white waifs.  Put 'em in a Broadway setting and my hair just stands  on end.  Fuck those dirty little shits and Daddy Warbucks too.  And fuck Jay-Z for making me think about them and hear them in any context.  In fact, I would have been 100% able to avoid those creepy Annie kid voices since I was able to avoid them 100% BEFORE 1998.

So there's another 12 tracks to talk about.  "Nigga What, Nigga Who" also more originally renamed for the clean version as "Jigga What, Jigga Who."  Again the who meaning and implication is changed.  Jigga is "MY nigga" as the song goes.  The "Nigga" unnamed is just some anonymous motherfucker.  "Ride Or Die" is one that stood out at the time.  It's so repetitive my brain likes it.  Ride or die or ride or die... 

"Reservoir Dogs" is the one I like now that I'm paying attention to write about the album.  "It's Alright" has a good dowhatchalike sort of thing going on. 

A rare instance where being uncensored sabotages the best songs.


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