Documenti di Didattica
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Its difficult
to pick 14 songs that define who I am. Some of my best songs were
never released as singles. Ive challenged myself to make classic
albums that will define my legacyand not just individual songs.
Still, the timing of this project finally felt right to me.
This project means more to me than record sales. I collect art, things
that inspire me, and I want Hits to be that for you. The artwork,
the photos Im willing to share represent my appreciation for your
support through the years. As I go to the next level and open more
doors, I truly believe theres no limit to where we can take hip-hop
culture. Vol. 2 comin soon. On to the next one.
Best, - S.C.
Hustlers Ambition
Shawn Corey Carter went from selling crack on Brooklyn street corners to
taking over America and the world. He penetrated pop culture while becoming
a true hip-hop ambassador. JAY-Zs achievement is our achievement. When
he wins, we win. His rsum is remarkable. And unrelenting. It includes
passing Elvis Presleys record with 11 No. 1 albums, grabbing ten Grammys,
and, to date, selling close to 50 million albums. This disc is simply the
Greatest Rapper of All-Time endeavoring to put his entire career in
perspective. JAY-Z has perused all of his officially recorded music and his
aim is to express his legacy through 14 songs. This collection contains some
of his biggest singles, plus a few of his personal choices. Its an attempt to
best represent his historic catalogue.
Though he takes it on with passion and precision, this, especially for JAY-Z, is
an impossible task. I sat with him in his office at Rocawear, watching him
reorganize this playlist over and over again. His personal touch is all over
this project. His hope is to satisfy both his diehard-from-day-one fans, and
his new generation of followersall of whom frequent his sold-out shows
around the world. In this situation, JAY-Z is a father forced to choose his
favorite children. And then put them in order.
No two JAY-Z fans could ever agree on what his best songs are. But on
JAYs tracklist - his playlist - a few things jump out. This is a retrospective
that ranges from his 1998 Annie-sampling breakthrough smash to his first
No. 1 Pop Single, 2009s soaring tribute to New York. Its also telling that
each lead single from the Blueprint trilogy is accounted for here, as well as
four songs from JAYs retirement disc, 2003s The Black Album. Hits Vol.
1 is a testament to his careerbut it barely scratches the surface. Wheres
something from Reasonable Doubt? Can I Get A? And how about some
hardcore? Where Im From? There could be an entire Vol. 2 packed with
soul-turning tunes like Streets Is Watching and U Dont Know. JAY
just might do that. I wouldnt dare him.
The excitement of JAY-Z trying to define his own career at this point is
intoxicating. With the deaths of Christopher Notorious B.I.G. Wallace
and Tupac 2Pac Shakur, JAY emerged, and solidified himself in the late
90s as hip-hops most important artist, and hes yet to relinquish his
position. No one has as many lyrical quotables. No one has made as many
classic albums. No one has pulled off so many corporate power-moves, or
embraced the position as leader and face of our culture with such poise and
charisma. No one.
JAY-Z is hip-hops Michael Jordan. Hes our Muhammad Ali. JAY, with his
bricks-to-billboards biography, is the personification of achievement. Hes
a living legend - a true MC and pop star who has killed the long-held premise
that hip-hop artists cant have long careers. He has defied the old rules by
continuing to make relevant music. One of the most powerful men on the
planet, he continues to inspire hate and love in equal measure.
Run This Town PRODUCED BY KANYE WEST AND NO I.D. / THE BLUEPRINT 3, 2009
The Def Jam contract had run its course, ending in a great waywhich never happensand this felt like the right
mood and the right message to send for Blueprint 3. The song is about the formation of Roc Nationplanting our
flag in the ground. Me aligned with two great artists that Ive worked with: Rihanna and Kanye West. The growth of
us. It was originally a Rihanna demo but I took it in another direction. I wanted the whole song to feel like a march, a
battle cry. Muhammad Ali had the shortest poem ever: Me: We! My statement was, We Are. Maybe you didnt
hear me? We are. Yeah I said it, We are.
03 Bonnie and Clyde PRODUCED BY KANYE WEST / THE BLUEPRINT 2: THE GIFT & THE CURSE, 2002
I remember this record on multiple levels. First, Tupac Shakur because the song uses his 1996 Me and My Girl-
friend, and the beef he had with Big. I dont remember ever meeting Pac. We never had an encounter. He dissed
me too, but for me, it wasnt a personal thing. When he passed, those things are gone. Plus the song was so perfect
with the timing. This was when everyone was first talking about B and I. As a songwriter, you cant help but express
your life through your music. I was definitely playing with the controversy of it all.
Dirt Off Your Shoulder PRODUCED BY TIMBALAND / THE BLACK ALBUM, 2003
It was some weird saying I came up with. No idea where it came from. I think when Tim played the track early on,
it had like a brushing sound in it. I started messing with lyrics about brushing off haters. It just evolved one night
in Miami. Same with the best rapper alive statement. It had gotten to the point where Biggie and Pac were such
gods in hip-hop, you werent supposed to want to be better than them. It was time to address that. It was a respectful
way of saying: Im the best.
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) PRODUCED BY THE 45 KING / VOL. 2 HARD KNOCK LIFE, 1998
Any artist should be able to touch any type of music, as long as its done in a way that feels natural. If youre not
doing it solely for the intention of selling records. There are plenty of records that came to me with big hooks, and
I was like, I cant do that. Id know the record could be big, but it didnt fit me. The Annie sample fit me. It was
from another world, but it had an underlying theme that connected. Being an underdog, always getting kicked in
the face, shunned by societyit all relates to me and a huge group of people I was speaking to. I was also saying: Im
never gonna make a record like Sunshine again. Im not comin to yall. Im making great albums every year, and
you cant deny me. Youre gonna come to me.
Show Me What You Got PRODUCED BY JUST BLAZE / KINGDOM COME, 2006
Kingdom Come was dealing with mature issues and things that we hadnt addressed in hip-hop before so I knew it
was uncharted territory and I wanted the transition to be fun. I loved the phrasing of the title and the chaotic energy
of the drums. Its like were partying and then close the door and lets have a conversation. We got some things to
talk about. Where are we gonna take rap now? Cause it has to evolve into more. You gotta go through some growing
pains to make change. But this song helped soften the blow.
Roc Boys (And The Winner Is...) PRODUCED BY DIDDY, SEAN C & LV / AMERICAN GANGSTER, 2007
I had all this real subject matter on American Gangster and I wanted the story arc to have that celebratory moment.
Youve reached the height of everything. The horns made me feel like I was winning a Grammy. Its about capturing
the rise of your power. The height of your career. To be blindly successful. I wanted to encapsulate all those feelings
at that moment when everything is goin well before it all falls apart.
Big Pimpin PRODUCED BY TIMBALAND / VOL. 3... LIFE AND TIMES OF S. CARTER, 1999
That was my third single. Took the album to 3 million. Hip Hop (Kyambo Joshua) was with me in the studio with
Timbaland and he knew I was a UGK fan and he suggested we put them on the record. We called Bun and then Pimp
C was like The horns, them shits too fruity. He was concerned with alienating his audience. When Pimp first sent
his verse, I didnt get it, but then the genius of his cadence hit me. Back then MTVs Making Of The Video was re-
ally impacting record sales and I had to have that. I got Hype and we had all the legendary video vixens. I doubled
down at the right time and it took off.
Encore
(S. Carter, K. West) (ASCAP) Produced by Kanye West for KonMan Productions. Recorded at Baseline Studios,
NYC by Gimel Young Guru Keaton for Loreal, Inc. and at Record Plant Studios, LA. Mixed at Manhattan Center,
NYC by Jimmy Douglas and at Baseline Studios, NYC by Gimel Young Guru Keaton for Loreal, Inc. Additional
vocals by John Legend, Don Crawley, Leonard Harris & Kanye West. Contains elements performed by John Holt.
Courtesy of Trojan/Sanctuary Records.
Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
(S. Carter, K. West, B. Gordy, A. Mizell, F. Perren, D. Richards) (BMI/ASCAP) Produced by Kanye West for Roc
The World/Kanman Productions. Recorded by Gimel Young Guru Keaton for Loreal, Inc. and Kamel Adbo for
Beast from the Middle East at Baseline Studios, NYC. Mixed by Supa Engineer DURO for No Question Entertain-
ment/Loreal Inc. at Right Track Studios, NYC. Background vocals by Demme Ulloa. Additional Vocals by Ira
McLaughlin recorded by Ian Allen at East Vill Studios. Contains a sample of I Want You Back (B. Gordy, A.
Mizell, F. Perren, D. Richards) Jobete Music Co., Inc. (ASCAP) Performed by The Jackson 5. Used courtesy of Mo-
town Record Company LP under license from Universal Music Enterprises, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)
(S. Carter, E. Wilson, G. DeCarlo, D. Frashuer, P. Leka, J. Nilovic, D. Sucky) (ASCAP/BMI) Produced by NO ID
for Rich Daily Since 71. Recorded by Gimel Young Guru Keaton at Avex Studios, Honolulu, HI. Mixed by Gimel
Young Guru Keaton for GuruCrates LLC at Baseline Studios, NYC. P2009 Atlantic Recording Corporation.
Contains elements of Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye (G. DeCarlo, D. Frashuer, P. Leka) Unichappell Music,
Inc. (BMI). All rights reserved. Contains a sample of In The Space written and performed by Janko Nilovic & Dave
Sucky, used courtesy of APM Music o/b/o Creasound.
99 Problems
(S. Carter, R. Rubin, N. Landsberg, F. Pappalardi, J. Ventura, L. Weinstein, W. Squier, T. Marrow, A. Henderson)
(ASCAP/Copyright Control/BMI) Produced by Rick Rubin. Recorded by Andrew Scheps at Akademie Mathematique
of Philosophical Sound Research, Los Angeles, CA. Programmed by Jason Lader. Mixed by Rick Rubin and Andrew
Scheps at Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research, Los Angeles, CA. Contains a sample of Long
Red, written by N. Landsberg, F. Pappalardi, J. Ventura and L. Weinstein, used courtesy of Careers BMG Music Publish-
ing (BMI)/BMG Songs Inc. (ASCAP). Performed by Mountain, courtesy of Sony Music. Contains a sample of The Big
Beat, written by W. Squier, used courtesy of Spirit Two Music Inc./Songs of the Knight (ASCAP). Performed by Billy
Squier, used courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc. Contains elements of 99 Problems, written by Tracy Marrow, Alphonso
Henderson and published by Universal PolyGram International Publishing, Inc./Rhyme Syndicate Music (ASCAP)/WB
Music Corp. (ASCAP) o/b/o itself, Ammo Dump Music (ASCAP) and Caramba Music (ASCAP).
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