Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)

Last updated
"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"
JayZHardKnockLifeCDSingleCover.jpg
Single by Jay-Z
from the album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
ReleasedOctober 27, 1998
Recorded1998
Genre East Coast hip hop
Length3:58(album version)
3:36 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) The 45 King
Jay-Z singles chronology
"Can I Get A..."
(1998)
"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"
(1998)
"Money, Cash, Hoes"
(1998)
Alternative cover
HardKnockLifeGhettoAnthemAltCover.jpg

"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" is a single from American rapper Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life , released on October 27, 1998. It features a vocal and pitch-modified instrumental sample [1] of the song "It's the Hard Knock Life" from the 1977 musical Annie . The song was produced by The 45 King and at the time of its release was the most commercially successful Jay-Z single. The RIAA certified it as a gold single in March 1999, and it reached platinum status on July 15, 2015. In addition, it was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 41st Grammy Awards in 1999. The song peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" peaked within the top ten of the charts in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as well as the top 20 of the charts in Austria and Belgium. This marks the first time Jay-Z was associated with the Annie brand, as Jay-Z would later produce the 2014 film adaptation of Annie.

Contents

Reception

Critical reception

Chuck Taylor of Billboard praised the inclusion of the "Hard-Knock Life" sample from "Annie", noting: "It's this kind of clever twist and original thinking that has the potential to expand the horizons of the genre." However, he criticized the radio version of the song, writing that song was "edited and blanked to the point of distraction." He went on to say: "Programmers will have to weigh the value of the novelty against wondering why the artist didn't just start over with a clean slate if he intended to hit the airwaves." [2]

Commercial reception

While it peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Hard Knock Life" was also Jay-Z's first single to achieve significant success outside the United States, peaking within the top ten of the charts in several countries, including Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. "Hard Knock Life" achieved its biggest success in the latter country, debuting and peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart in December 1998, stalling behind Britain's biggest-selling song of 1998, "Believe" by Cher, during its seventh consecutive week at the summit of the chart.

Music video

The music video for the song consists of Jay-Z performing outdoors in his native Brooklyn, New York. Dame Dash, DJ Clue, and Beanie Sigel all appear in the video. [3]

Impact and legacy

Slant Magazine listed "Hard Knock Life" at number 84 in their ranking of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s" in 2011, writing, "Jay-Z’s co-opting of a discordant, already famous showtune is a rare novel endeavor in a genre generally defined by following the leader; it’s pulled off so seamlessly that it’s easy to forget what a ballsy move it was. The transformation of the original’s piano base into a thumping organ creep sets the stage, but it’s undeniably Jay-Z, transparently showing off his executive command by fussing with the levels at the start, which makes the song. The source material and the resulting product may seem diametrically opposed, but they end up being fundamentally about the same thing: forming a common thread of struggles with poverty spun into gold." [4]

VH1 placed it at number 11 on their list of "100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop".

Formats and track listings

UK CD

  1. "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (Radio Edit)"
  2. "Can't Knock The Hustle (Fools Paradise Remix)"
  3. "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (Album Version)"

Vinyl

A-side

  1. "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (swearing version)"
  2. "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (LP Version)"

B-side

  1. "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (Instrumental)"

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [35] Platinum600,000
United States (RIAA) [36] 2× Platinum2,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Usage in media

The song was parodied by Mike Myers as his character Dr. Evil in the 2002 movie Austin Powers in Goldmember . [37]

Comedy rap trio Sudden Death parodied the song on their album Die Laughing (2005), titled "Star Trek Life". [38]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay-Z albums discography</span>

American rapper Jay-Z has released thirteen solo studio albums, four collaboration albums, one live album, one compilation album, one soundtrack album, two extended plays, one hundred and fifteen singles, nine promotional singles and eighty-two music videos. As of December 2014, Jay-Z has sold 29,179,000 studio albums in United States.

<i>Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life</i> 1998 studio album by Jay-Z

Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life is the third studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on September 29, 1998, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. It went on to become his most commercially successful album, selling over 6 million copies in the United States. In the liner notes of the album, Jay-Z gives his thoughts on various tracks. The lyrics to the fast-paced "Nigga What, Nigga Who " are also included.

<i>MTV Unplugged</i> (Jay-Z album) 2001 live album by Jay-Z with The Roots

Jay-Z: Unplugged is rapper Jay-Z's 2001 live album that contains some of his past songs with live instruments performed by the hip-hop band the Roots. The album, which sold more than 600,000 copies, was recorded during the taping of an MTV Unplugged 2.0 episode on November 18, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drop It Like It's Hot</span> 2004 single by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell

"Drop It Like It's Hot" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg featuring fellow American singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams. It was released on September 27, 2004, as the lead single from Snoop Dogg's seventh studio album, R&G : The Masterpiece (2004). The song was produced by the Neptunes. It is regarded as an iconic song, with Snoop performing the chorus and the second and third verses while Pharrell performs the first verse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)</span> 1998 single by Pras featuring Ol Dirty Bastard and Mýa

"Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" is a song by American rapper Pras, featuring rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard and R&B singer Mýa. Produced by Pras and Wyclef Jean, with co-production from Jerry 'Wonda" Duplessis and Che Pope, it interpolates Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's 1983 single "Islands in the Stream", as written by the Bee Gees, and samples "Get Up, Get into It, Get Involved" by James Brown. Also featured on the soundtrack for the 1998 film Bulworth, the song was released as Pras' debut solo single and the second from his debut solo album Ghetto Supastar on June 6, 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">'03 Bonnie & Clyde</span> 2002 song by American rapper Jay-Z

"'03 Bonnie & Clyde" is a song recorded by American rapper Jay-Z, released on October 10, 2002 as the lead single from his seventh studio album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002). Composed by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Darryl Harper, Ricky Rouse and Tyrone Wrice, and featuring Jay-Z's then-girlfriend, now wife, American singer Beyoncé, "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" sampled its beat from Tupac Shakur's 1996 song "Me and My Girlfriend", paraphrasing its chorus, as well as Prince's 1987 song "If I Was Your Girlfriend". Inspired by the 1967 crime film Bonnie and Clyde, the song features programmed drums, bass instruments, and a flamenco guitar as instrumentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Control Myself</span> 2006 single by LL Cool J

"Control Myself" is a song by American rapper LL Cool J from his 12th album, Todd Smith (2006). The song was written by Jermaine Dupri, James Phillips, Ryan Toby, John Miller, Afrika Bambaataa, Arthur Baker and John Robie. The song was produced by Dupri, with co-production by LRoc, and features guest vocals from American entertainer Jennifer Lopez. "Control Myself" contains a sample of Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's 1983 song "Looking for the Perfect Beat", while the vocals interpolate Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel's 1983 song "White Lines " and Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force's 1982 song "Planet Rock".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can I Get A...</span> 1998 single by Jay-Z

"Can I Get A..." is a song recorded by American rapper Jay-Z, featuring Ja Rule and Amil. It was released on Def Jam's Rush Hour Soundtrack in promotion of the film Rush Hour, but also appears on Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life as its first single. The song is produced by Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob. The song is notable for popularizing a young Amil and Ja Rule, as well as becoming one of Jay-Z's most commercially successful singles at the time, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Change Clothes</span> 2003 single by Jay-Z

"Change Clothes" is the first official single from rapper Jay-Z's studio album The Black Album. It featured additional vocals by Pharrell Williams (uncredited) and was produced by The Neptunes. The song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil' Kim discography</span>

American rapper Lil' Kim has released five studio albums, one remix album, four mixtapes, forty-two singles, and thirteen promotional singles. In 1994, Kim was a member of the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. Their first album, Conspiracy, was released in August 1995, and has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It spawned the gold and platinum-certified top-twenty singles, "Player's Anthem", "Get Money", and "I Need You Tonight".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)</span> 2000 single by Jay-Z

"I Just Wanna Love U " is a song by American rapper Jay-Z, released as the first single from his 2000 album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. It was produced by the Neptunes and features a chorus performed by Neptunes member Pharrell and Pennsylvania rapper Omillio Sparks, both of whom remain uncredited. The video for the song, directed by David Meyers, features cameos from rappers Lil' Kim, Lil' Cease, Damon Dash, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Jermaine Dupri and actor John Witherspoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ha (song)</span> 1998 single by Juvenile

"Ha" is a 1998 single by rapper Juvenile, from his third album 400 Degreez. It was produced by Mannie Fresh. This song, along with Juvenile's "Back That Azz Up" and B.G.'s "Bling Bling" was responsible for taking Cash Money Records from a small local label in New Orleans to the pop mainstream. The song is notable for its unique style of rapping, with every line except the chorus ending with "ha". The chorus to the song includes a line taken from the earlier Juvenile single "Solja Rags".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(Always Be My) Sunshine</span> 1997 single by Jay-Z featuring Foxy Brown and Babyface

"(Always Be My) Sunshine" is a hip hop song by American rapper Jay-Z with guest vocals from fellow femcee Foxy Brown and R&B singer-songwriter Babyface who performs the song's chorus. It serves as the first single from his second album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997). The track features production by Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool. Vanderpool samples MC Lyte's "Cha Cha Cha", Alexander O'Neal's "Sunshine", Kraftwerk's "The Man-Machine" and The Fearless Four's "Rockin' It" for the track's beat. In addition, George Fonenette plays keyboards on this song. The song's lyrics helped indicate Jay-Z's change from his Mafioso rap style to a more commercial "shiny suit" style. Steve Juon of RapReviews.com supports the song claiming that it is a less gangsta version of The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Me & My Bitch", a well-received track. Jay-Z cites this song as "what killed the album."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anything (Jay-Z song)</span> Song by Jay-Z

"Anything" is a song by rapper Jay-Z that is found on Beanie Sigel's 2000 album The Truth. It is produced by Sam Sneed and P. Skam, who sample Lionel Bart's "I'd Do Anything" for the track's beat and chorus. The sample from Oliver! heavily popularized "Anything", as did the Annie sample on "Hard Knock Life ", "Anything" was also a bonus track on Jay-Z's album Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter as is "Anything " on the Japanese version of the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot Spot (song)</span> 1998 single by Foxy Brown

"Hot Spot" is a song by American rapper Foxy Brown, released on November 10, 1998 as the lead single from her second album, Chyna Doll. The song was co-produced by Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob, with lyrics co-written by Brown and American rapper Jay-Z.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'll Be (Foxy Brown song)</span> 1997 single by Foxy Brown

"I'll Be" is a song recorded by American rapper Foxy Brown for her debut studio album, Ill Na Na (1996), featuring Brooklyn-based rapper Jay-Z. It was released as the second single from the album on March 4, 1997, by Violator and Def Jam Recordings. The song was written by Shawn Carter, Jean-Claude Olivier, Samuel Barnes, Angela Winbush, René Moore, Bobby Watson and Bruce Swedien with production by Trackmasters, and samples René & Angela's 1985 song "I'll Be Good". It was recorded at Chung King Studios in New York City, while the mixing of the track was finished at The Hit Factory. "I'll Be" is a hip hop and R&B song with explicit lyrics that revolve around sex and money.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niggas in Paris</span> 2011 single by Jay-Z and Kanye West

"Niggas in Paris" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West from their collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song is built around a synth bell loop from the Dirty South Bangaz music library, and contains vocal samples from "Baptizing Scene" by Reverend W.A. Donaldson, an interpolation of "Victory" by Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and dialogue excerpts from the 2007 film Blades of Glory. On the week of the album's release, "Niggas in Paris" debuted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at number five. Outside of the United States, "Niggas in Paris" peaked within the top ten of the charts in the United Kingdom. As of 2018, it has sold 6.7 million archetype digital units in the United States. The song won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talk That Talk (Rihanna song)</span> 2012 single by Rihanna

"Talk That Talk" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her 2011 studio album of the same name. It features a rap verse by American rapper Jay-Z, who had previously collaborated with Rihanna on her song "Umbrella" in 2007 and "Run This Town" in 2009. The song was written by Jay-Z, Ester Dean, together with the Norwegian production duo Stargate. Def Jam Recordings serviced the track to urban contemporary radio in the United States on January 17, 2012, as the third single from Talk That Talk. It was released in France as a CD single on March 26. "Talk That Talk" is a hip hop song with R&B beats, rough drums and unrefined synths, and has a similar style to Rihanna's 2010 single "Rude Boy". It contains a brief sample of "I Got a Story to Tell" by the Notorious B.I.G. Therefore, the Buckwild, Sean Combs, Chucky Thompson, and the Notorious B.I.G. are credited as songwriters despite the Notorious B.I.G's death in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pop Style</span> 2016 single by Drake featuring The Throne

"Pop Style" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, featuring American rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, collectively known as The Throne. The song was released alongside "One Dance", as singles promoting Drake's fourth studio album Views, initially for exclusive digital download on iTunes on April 5, 2016. The album version features only Drake with a new verse. The single version was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 59th Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay-Z singles discography</span>

The singles discography of American rapper Jay-Z consists of 68 singles as a lead artist, and 51 singles as a featured artist, as well as 14 promotional singles.

References

  1. Deconstructing Hip Hop (9 July 2012). "Remaking Jay-Z's 'Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)'…". YouTube: Deconstructing Hip Hop.
  2. Taylor, Chuck (October 24, 1998). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard . p. 22. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  3. Jay-Z (11 January 2023). "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (1998)". YouTube: Francesco Marcone.
  4. "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s". Slant Magazine . January 9, 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  5. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  6. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  7. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  8. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  9. Billboard: Hits of the World, February 27, 1999
  10. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  11. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  12. "Íslenski Listinn Nr. 305: Vikuna 8.1. – 15.1. 1999". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 8, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  13. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Jay-Z". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 52, 1998" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  15. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  16. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  17. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". VG-lista. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  19. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  20. "Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  22. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  23. "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  24. "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  25. "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
  26. "Årslista Singlar – År 1998" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  27. "Best Sellers of 1998 - Singles Top 100" (PDF). Music Week . January 16, 1999. p. 7. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  28. "The Urban Top 40 Of 1998" (PDF). Music Week . January 9, 1999. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  29. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  30. "Jaarlijsten 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  31. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  32. "Swiss year-end chart". swisscharts.com. 1999. Archived from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  33. "Billboard Top 100 - 1999". Archived from the original on 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
  34. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  35. "British single certifications – Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  36. "American single certifications – Jay Z – Hard Knock Life". Recording Industry Association of America.
  37. "Comedies". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
  38. "Grooveshark - Free Music Streaming, Online Music". grooveshark.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-29.