single-phile: The latest singles, dissected and discussed
A savvy businessman, an industry player with an ear for up-and-coming talent, and, of course, one of the most quick-witted, silver-tongued emcees in the game, Jay-Z is many things -- and most of them are synonymous with hip-hop credibility (no matter how many times he "retires"). But Beyonce's (alleged) hubby is also one of the music industry's best and brightest pop stars, a label that has not so often been synonymous with hip-hop credibility. Which brings us to another of Hova's claims to fame: perhaps more than any other contemporary emcee (with the exception of Kanye, who helped orchestrate many of Jay's hits), he has managed to strike an impressive balance between chart-topping pop viability and hip-hop respectability, to prove over and over again that the twain shall meet (and that they weren't really all that disparate to begin with). This is a man who knows his way around a hook -- and isn't afraid to use it to reel you into his flow. On this week's single-phile, we take a listen to some of Jay-Z's biggest pop songs, including several high-profile guest shots and his latest, "Run This Town," off his upcoming The Blueprint 3.
"Can't Knock the Hustle" (f. Mary J. Blige) from Reasonable Doubt (1996)
From the critically acclaimed debut album on which the then-young pup declared his takeover of New York's hip-hop kingdom (and really, the entire freaking hip-hop nation), "Can't Knock the Hustle" also established Jay-Z's claim to pop stardom. It didn't get far on the charts, but the easy, mid-tempo groove and poetic sass like "I got extensive hos with expensive clothes/ And I sip fine wine and spit vintage flows" draw you in even more than the Mary J. hook.
"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" from Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life (1998)
His first big hit (it peaked at No. 15 on the pop charts), "Hard Knock Life" in many ways epitomizes/anticipates Jay-Z as pop star: on one hand, it's a classic hip-hop coming-of-age story that finds Jay drawing comparisons between life on the streets (aka "the school of hard knocks") and his ability to come hard as an emcee (and doing it way more eloquently than many of his like-minded followers). On the other hand, dude, it samples Annie! Who else but Shawn Carter could pull that off?
"Heartbreaker" from Mariah Carey's Rainbow (1999)
This little nugget of candy-coated pop confection did double duty in a way that, once again, speaks to Jay-Z's double-edged super-power: it was his first guest shot on a bona fide pop star's single -- and arguably his poppiest (and let's face it, most adorable) rhyme to date. At the same time, his presence also legitimized Mariah's hip-hop diva aspirations in a way Diddy never could have.
"Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" from The Blue Print (2001)
In which we get thoroughly acquainted not only with Jay's self-appointed deified nickname, but also with one Mr. Kanye West and his penchant for deliciously theatrical beats. You can thank him for the fantastic Jackson 5 sample that is responsible for half of this track's pop-tastic infectiousness. As for the other half, you can of course thank Hova himself, whose buoyant rhymes make tough-talking braggadocio sound like, well, a Jackson 5 song.
"03 Bonnie and Clyde" (f. Beyonce) from The Blueprint 2 (2002) and "Crazy in Love" from Beyonce's Dangerously in Love (2003)
They still may not admit to their relationship, but with this one-two punch, hip-hop's super-couple introduced itself to the world. And come on, do we really need more confirmation than first Jay's and then B's rather passionate, totally aw-inducing declaration of their (non-)love?
"Dirt off Your Shoulder" from The Black Album (2003)
Compared to the rest of the selections here, this track is not particularly poppy. There's no pop diva to sing the hook, the beat is relentless and the lyrics are densely poetic, packed with references that whiz by faster than you can process them. And yet something pushed it to No. 5. We're gonna guess that "something" is equal parts Jay's attitude and, well, our by-then conditioned response to producer Timbaland's trademark trot. That, and the closest Jigga has ever come to instigating a dance craze (see: the shoulder-brush seen round the world, Obama's potential reference to the video on the 2008 campaign trail).
"Umbrella" from Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (2007)
When "Umbrella" came out, it had been quite a few years since Jay-Z had lent his talents to any pop singer but Beyonce. And really, his cameo is small and (dare we say it) almost overshadowed by Rihanna's distinctive bleat (and our impending fascination with it). But Jay's appearance helped put RiRi on the path to superstardom -- and reattached him to the cutting edge of pop after his retirement and 2006's rather complacent, lackluster Kingdom Come.
"Run This Town," featuring Rihanna and Kanye West (2009)
This tune in many ways epitomizes Jay-Z as pop star: it features two of the biggest names in the game, both of which he helped introduce to the game (and boy is it nice to see Rihanna coming back in the company of these two big-brother types). It has almost cinematically dramatic beats courtesy of Kanye. And the lyrics address the undeniable influence these three artists have over the music industry. In other words, it's a song about being a pop star that also happens to be a self-fulfilling prophecy: "Run This Town" is Jay's biggest-ever hit (not including his cameo appearances), sitting pretty at #3 so far.
Honorable Mentions
"Can I Get A ..." (f. Amil and Ja Rule) from Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life (1998)
Jigga's biggest hit before "Hard Knock Life," this track is both a classic and a total late '90s relic (Amil anyone?).
"Big Pimpin'" (f. UGK) from Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
One of Jay's most commercial (and most memorable) songs, this Timbaland-produced track only made it to No. 18 on the pop charts.
From the critically acclaimed debut album on which the then-young pup declared his takeover of New York's hip-hop kingdom (and really, the entire freaking hip-hop nation), "Can't Knock the Hustle" also established Jay-Z's claim to pop stardom. It didn't get far on the charts, but the easy, mid-tempo groove and poetic sass like "I got extensive hos with expensive clothes/ And I sip fine wine and spit vintage flows" draw you in even more than the Mary J. hook.
"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" from Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life (1998)His first big hit (it peaked at No. 15 on the pop charts), "Hard Knock Life" in many ways epitomizes/anticipates Jay-Z as pop star: on one hand, it's a classic hip-hop coming-of-age story that finds Jay drawing comparisons between life on the streets (aka "the school of hard knocks") and his ability to come hard as an emcee (and doing it way more eloquently than many of his like-minded followers). On the other hand, dude, it samples Annie! Who else but Shawn Carter could pull that off?
"Heartbreaker" from Mariah Carey's Rainbow (1999)
This little nugget of candy-coated pop confection did double duty in a way that, once again, speaks to Jay-Z's double-edged super-power: it was his first guest shot on a bona fide pop star's single -- and arguably his poppiest (and let's face it, most adorable) rhyme to date. At the same time, his presence also legitimized Mariah's hip-hop diva aspirations in a way Diddy never could have.
"Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" from The Blue Print (2001)
In which we get thoroughly acquainted not only with Jay's self-appointed deified nickname, but also with one Mr. Kanye West and his penchant for deliciously theatrical beats. You can thank him for the fantastic Jackson 5 sample that is responsible for half of this track's pop-tastic infectiousness. As for the other half, you can of course thank Hova himself, whose buoyant rhymes make tough-talking braggadocio sound like, well, a Jackson 5 song.
"03 Bonnie and Clyde" (f. Beyonce) from The Blueprint 2 (2002) and "Crazy in Love" from Beyonce's Dangerously in Love (2003)They still may not admit to their relationship, but with this one-two punch, hip-hop's super-couple introduced itself to the world. And come on, do we really need more confirmation than first Jay's and then B's rather passionate, totally aw-inducing declaration of their (non-)love?
"Dirt off Your Shoulder" from The Black Album (2003)
Compared to the rest of the selections here, this track is not particularly poppy. There's no pop diva to sing the hook, the beat is relentless and the lyrics are densely poetic, packed with references that whiz by faster than you can process them. And yet something pushed it to No. 5. We're gonna guess that "something" is equal parts Jay's attitude and, well, our by-then conditioned response to producer Timbaland's trademark trot. That, and the closest Jigga has ever come to instigating a dance craze (see: the shoulder-brush seen round the world, Obama's potential reference to the video on the 2008 campaign trail).
"Umbrella" from Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (2007)
When "Umbrella" came out, it had been quite a few years since Jay-Z had lent his talents to any pop singer but Beyonce. And really, his cameo is small and (dare we say it) almost overshadowed by Rihanna's distinctive bleat (and our impending fascination with it). But Jay's appearance helped put RiRi on the path to superstardom -- and reattached him to the cutting edge of pop after his retirement and 2006's rather complacent, lackluster Kingdom Come.
"Run This Town," featuring Rihanna and Kanye West (2009)This tune in many ways epitomizes Jay-Z as pop star: it features two of the biggest names in the game, both of which he helped introduce to the game (and boy is it nice to see Rihanna coming back in the company of these two big-brother types). It has almost cinematically dramatic beats courtesy of Kanye. And the lyrics address the undeniable influence these three artists have over the music industry. In other words, it's a song about being a pop star that also happens to be a self-fulfilling prophecy: "Run This Town" is Jay's biggest-ever hit (not including his cameo appearances), sitting pretty at #3 so far.
Honorable Mentions
"Can I Get A ..." (f. Amil and Ja Rule) from Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life (1998)
Jigga's biggest hit before "Hard Knock Life," this track is both a classic and a total late '90s relic (Amil anyone?).
"Big Pimpin'" (f. UGK) from Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
One of Jay's most commercial (and most memorable) songs, this Timbaland-produced track only made it to No. 18 on the pop charts.
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.
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