In My Lifetime Vol. 1 is Jay-Z's 3rd best album after Reasonable Doubt and Blueprint respectively. This album is very underrated for the simple fact that it came out after the classic RD and before Jay's "blow up" album Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life. A lot of the tracks here are pretty good and as always Jigga has his lyrics on point. Now for the track by track breakdown. The number after the description is based on a 1 to 5 scale with one being the worst.

1. A Million and One Questions - A very good track. Premo laced Jay with a sick beat for this track. This track had Jay-Z's best intro on any LP until the Dynasty album came out. (5)
2. The City is Mine - This track is hot. I love the mellow beat and it makes me feel calm everytime I hear it. I think on this one Jay was making a statement telling everyone how he was about to take over the rap game (which he has now accomplished). (4.5)
3. I Know What Girls Like - The worst track on the album in my opinion. Even Lil' Kim's appearance can't help this track's annoying beat and the weak topic. This is one of the tracks that prevent this album from being a classic. (2.5)
4. Imaginary Player - An excellent track. It has a real street feel to it. Jay raps about wearing white air force ones and platinum jewelry way back in 1997 when most of the nation was still wearing Reeboks and gold chains. Jay definitely proves himself to be a trendsetter in the rap game, not to mention that the flow is sick on this one. (5)
5. Streets is Watching - This track is one of Jay's more hardcore tracks. He talks about how the streets see and talk about whatever you do. So watch your actions. (5)
6. Friend or Foe '98 - A humorous track, it will make you laugh everytime you hear it. (3.5)
7. Lucky Me - A revealing track and actually the best on the album next to "You Must Love Me". Jay raps about the drawbacks to being a celebrity and how people try to bring you down when you're doing good. One of Jay-Z's all-time best tracks. (5)
8. Sunshine - Jay's first try at making a commercial track. He had Babyface on the hook but this formula for success didn't work. Jay's flow was good but the song was the other track that prevents this album from being classic. (3)
9. Who You Wit II - This track doesn't stand out. It's a good club joint though with a nice beat. (4)
10. Face Off - A pretty good track. This one is slightly above average. (3.5)
11. Real N***** - Jay-Z talks about what a real street n**** does on the streets. He also raps about a confrontation with a friend back in the day. This track is one of the better ones of this album. (4.5)
12. Rap Game/Crack Game - This track is another hot one. It has a street style beat and a pretty good hook. Jay raps about the similiarties between Rap music and selling crack. (4)
13. Where I'm From - One of the most hardcore tracks Jay-Z has ever made. The track will seem like it's coming from an underground mc but with Jay's sick flow. This one is hot from start to finish and it's the track where Jay says he, Biggie, and Nas are the best mcs in the rap game. (5)
14. You Must Love Me - The best is saved for last on this album. This is where Jay raps about how he regrets shooting his older brother in the shoulder. He also talks about how he regrets selling crack. This is one of, if not Jay's most revealing track ever. Definitely one of the best tracks of 1997. (5)

Over all this is a very hot LP and I would call it very near classic. Jay should have left off the worst 3 tracks on this LP and then he would have had 2 consecutive classics. If you are a fan of east coast rap or hip-hop in general then I definitely recommend that you buy this album.

Jay-Z second album "In My Lifetime, Vol 1" (1997) is a solid release. I liked the way Hov used Scarface samples in his intros, he started this joint off on a good note with "A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More", which benefits from some deadly premo production. Jay-Z then delivers a standout cut with "The City Is Mine", the Blackstreet hook, and the track beat is ill. The next two tracks fall under skip material for me, and then Hov drops some on point rhymes on "Streets is Watching"- don't know why this was censored. Jay-Z shows some heart on the laidback "Lucky Me", rhyming well backed by a smooth female chorus. The album then hits a low point for me, not feeling the next three tracks at all, find them to be weak in lyrics and production. Jay-Z picks things up again for two more standouts: "Real N****z" feat. Too $hort and the albums closer "You Must Love Me". Its an artist gift and curse to deliver a classic, because later albums often get compared I won't lie though after "Reasonable Doubt" this was a disappointment for me, while there a number of standouts, there is also a lot of skip material. What I really missed was the consistency in production found on his first album, I wasn't interested in buying into Jay-Z claim of the throne being his, was bumping Big and Pac (and missing them big time) classics and wondering where Hip-Hop was going. 3.5.

A lot of the kids rating this album were in diapers when it first came out. Don't get it twisted, the album is hot! And that's coming from someone who was there...right there, listening to it, as soon as it came out! This is the last album that Jay put out that was truly Hip-Hop. And it came out during a time when true Hip-Hop music was on the decline. It got horrible air play. The only time I'd hear it on the radio was late Saturday nights when WHPK played "Streets is Watchin'" during their Hip-Hop show. Otherwise, the mainstream radio stations, at least in Chicago, didn't give it a second thought. I bumped the sh%$ out of this album. Many good tracks. The production tight, but not commercial. But Jay-Z's words are what captured me. His lyrics are deep...creative...unbelievable! Check out "Imaginary Players". But this time, try to follow what he's saying (if you can). That's probably the song that gets the least respect on the album.

I love Jay-Z. His first two albums solidified that for me many, many years ago. I've bought all of his albums since. But this really is his last real Hip-Hop album...before going commercial. I'm not mad at him. He manages to sneak in some Hip-Hop in all of his work, but this is different. Really speaks to the period...and the fans that were close to Hip-Hop and understood what it was all about. Lately, he's speaking to a broader audience. That's how he makes money- appealing to the masses- and that's fine. It's just a shame that the earlier works (those that I believe are better works) don't get the same attention, record sales, and air play.

I was there.
Keith

I actually like this album better than Reasonable Doubt. I know, most of you out there like it the least. Before everybody attempts to lynch me, check out why I dig it so much:

In My Lifetime came out at a very confusing time for Jay. He had just lost his rhyme partner Biggie. He was catching a lot of flack from the legion of 2pac fans he had alienated by allowing Big to use his "get it, two pacs" line on the song "Brooklyn's Finest". Jay would later admit in interviews that this time was one of the worst in his life and he was in a depressive state.

Emotions, both high and low, are the breeding grounds for great music, (hip-hop or otherwise). "In My Lifetime" is no exception to this rule. While Jay had been able to convey quite a range of emotions on Reasonable Doubt, (which I neglected to notice), here his delivery has taken on a decidedly more superior tone. In short, Jay began to develop that arrogance we have come to know and love. At first put off by it, I began to develop a newly found love for his "I'm not impressed" routine during forced repeated listenings, (while working at a record store). Just who did this guy think he was? He was smug, bitter, and sounded almost bored with competition.

And lyrically, his imagery and content were also improving. "Where I'm From" and "You Must Love Me", in my opinion, surpass almost all of his other works in terms of subject matter and emotion. How many emcees ever would share the extremely personal history of asking your lover to be your courier, shooting your brother, and selling dope to your moms over the course of an entire album, much less in one song. Jay gave of himself for this album. He wouldn't do it again on this level until his classic "Blueprint" was released.

His wit shines brighter than before as well. When he shoots down a rival dope dealer in "Friend or Foe II", tosses him two ice cubes and tells him to "take that ice up for the nicest emcee" and to "tell BIG he's unbelievable" you gotta smile. Or when he tells the radio host that he'll tell them all they want to know on "A Million and One ?'s" and then asks "first, how bad they wanna know?" you get to fill in the punchline yourself.

Admittedly, there are missteps. "I Know What Girls Like" and "Sunshine" falls into the Puffy school of song writting. Honestly, the subsequent video for "Sunshine" may have been what truly derailed the overall public opinion of this album. Jay appeared in this strangely colorful video full of special effects that immediately brought comparisons of his physical appearance to "Joe Camel", the camel mascott of Camel cigarette ads. Overall, however, the production was not that dissimilar from Reasonable Doubt with the exception of these two songs.

Maybe I haven't convinced you. If not, do like I did with Reasonable Doubt 4 years after its release - give In My Lifetime a chance. Listen to it again with a clear mind. It may just surprise you.

This review goes out to those Jay-Z fanatics who didn't recently jump the Jigga bandwagon off of his recent hits(and there are many of them), like the mad overplayed "Can I Get A.." and "Hard Knock Life." Personally I think that Volume 1 is his best in content, next to Reasonable Doubts, of course. The songs on this album are much more personal and revealing, and the payoff is great in my opinion. From his eulogy of the Notorious B.I.G. in "The City Is Mine," to the tales of ghetto paranoia in his masterful "Street Is Watching," Jigga is top notch throughout this album. Sauce Money fans will love "Face Off," as it is a great showcase of his skill, and good chemistry with Jay-Z. Jay-Z himself said that a lot was going on when he did this album(such as Biggie's death) which affected the album overall. I highly recommend this album--you can't go wrong with joints like "Imaginary Player," "I Know What Girls Like"(with Puff Daddy and Lil' Kim--catchy hook), and his Sprung soundtrack contribution, "Who You Wit II." The main reason why I'm reviewing this is because it has my all time favorite Jay-Z song on here--"Where I'm From."