In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 [Parental Advisory]

Rating

Album: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Intro/A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More	More Info...	0:03
2)	The City Is Mine (Feat. Blackstreet)	More Info...	0:04
3)	I Know What Girls Like (Feat. Lil' Kim & Puff Daddy)	More Info...	0:05
4)	Imaginary Player	More Info...	0:04
5)	Streets Is Watching	More Info...	0:04
6)	Friend Or Foe '98	More Info...	0:02
7)	Lucky Me	More Info...	0:05
8)	(Always Be My) Sunshine (Feat. Foxy Brown & Babyface)	More Info...	0:04
9)	Who You Wit II	More Info...	0:04
10)	Face Off (Feat. Sauce Money)	More Info...	0:03
11)	Real Niggaz (Feat. Too $hort)	More Info...	0:05
12)	Rap Game/Crack Game	More Info...	0:02
13)	Where I'm From	More Info...	0:04
14)	You Must Love Me	More Info...	0:05

Album: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Intro/A Million and One Questions/Rhyme No More	More Info...	0:03
2)	The City Is Mine (Feat. Blackstreet)	More Info...	0:04
3)	I Know What Girls Like (Feat. Lil' Kim & Puff Daddy)	More Info...	0:05
4)	Imaginary Player	More Info...	0:04
5)	Streets Is Watching	More Info...	0:04
6)	Friend Or Foe '98	More Info...	0:02
7)	Lucky Me	More Info...	0:05
8)	(Always Be My) Sunshine (Feat. Foxy Brown & Babyface)	More Info...	0:04
9)	Who You Wit II	More Info...	0:04
10)	Face Off (Feat. Sauce Money)	More Info...	0:03
11)	Real Niggaz (Feat. Too $hort)	More Info...	0:05
12)	Rap Game/Crack Game	More Info...	0:02
13)	Where I'm From	More Info...	0:04
14)	You Must Love Me	More Info...	0:05

Performer Notes

Personnel: Jay-Z, Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim, Too Short (rap vocals); Babyface, Karen Anderson, Kelly Price (vocals); Teddy Riley, Stevie J (various instruments); Chad Hugo (saxophone); George Fontenette (keyboards); DJ Premiere (scratches); Earth (background vocals); BlackStreet, Sauce Money.
Producers include: Premiere, Teddy Riley, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool.
Engineers include: Eddie Sancho, Teddy Riley, S. Ghenea.
Principally recorded in New York, New York.
Personnel: Karen Anderson, Kelly Price (vocals); Chad Hugo (saxophone); George Fontenette (keyboards); DJ Premier (scratches); Earth (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Commissioner Gordon; Doug Wilson; Eddie Sancho ; George Meyers; Joe Quinde; Lane Craven; Michael Patterson ; Richard Travali; Serban Ghenea; Teddy Riley; Tony Maserati .
Recording information: D & D Studio, New York, NY; Daddy's House, New York, NY; Future Recording Studios, Virginia Beach, VA; Soundtrack Studio, New York, NY.
Photographer: Jonathan Mannion.
Jay-Z's critically acclaimed debut album REASONABLE DOUBT earned him much respect as an MC. At the time, it was one of the few albums to contain not only true displays of lyrical skills but slammin' beats all the way through. After experiencing blow-up success with his first release, Jay-Z follows with IN MY LIFETIME, VOL. 1, the first in what would be a three volume set.
IN MY LIFETIME, VOL. 1 introduces the hip-hop audience to a more diverse Jay-Z. Still lyrically gifted, Jay-Z has experimented more this time, sampling popular records such as "You Belong To The City" on "The City Is Mine," and collaborating with superstars such as Babyface on "(Always Be My) Sunshine." In addition, there is still a dose of that hard-core underground Jay-Z music on tracks like "Streets Is Watching" and "Friend Or Foe '98."

Professional Reviews

Entertainment Weekly (11/28/97, p.85) - "...His phrasing shifts often, and he mixes jokes with visceral descriptions, stealing the spotlight from guests like BLACKstreet, Puff Daddy, Babyface, and Foxy Brown. We've heard these gangster tales before, but Jay-Z shows you don't need to do anything new, as long as you do it better." - Rating: B+

Q (12/00, p.144) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Calls on Blackstreet and Puff Daddy....It couldn't fail: the epitome of mainstream hip hop, and intentionally so."

The Source (12/97, p.180) - 4 Mics (out of 5) - "...Jay-Z emerges victorious....IN MY LIFETIME VOL. 1 just might be a new beginning for one of rap's most promising careers."