A Review of Jay-Z's Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter

Following his wildly successful third album, Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life, which catapulted Jay-Z to the forefront of rap music, came Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter, just over a year later. The rapper eschews little of what made his previous album such a commercial success: a plethora of guests, big name producers, big beats, and catchy hooks. There are more attempts at big singles here than singles that actually connect, and the album is a bit more misogynistic than previous efforts. However, the album is also marked by more complex and deeper lyrics and subject matter than Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life. Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter resembles In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 in that it seems uncomfortably caught between commercial and underground tracks. However, much more of this album is helmed by similar producers than In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Timbaland beats do not sound like Swizz Beatz or Rockwilder beats, but none of them sound too dissimilar (whereas, regarding the rapper's second album, DJ Premier is a completely different producer than Diddy's Hitmen). Jay-Z continues to display his flow, and the producers provide a dizzying array of different rhythms to for him to do so.

Kicking off with the witty Hova's Song (Intro), and the excellent DJ Premier-helmed So Ghetto, wherein Jay-Z sounds as focused as if he is rapping in front of Rakim, B.I.G., and Big Daddy Kane, the radio-ready singles start coming. The excellent Do It Again, featuring a gruff Beanie Siegel, is a great club record, but the following Dope Man, while an excellent concept record, suffers from production that overreaches. Things That U Do features Mariah Carey singing a hook that has nothing to do with the tone or content of the razor-sharp lyrics. Later songs, like Pop 4 Roc, and S. Carter simply fall flat from uninspired production and verses. The liner notes bill Watch Me as featuring the legendary Dr. Dre and the oddly named Snoopy Track as featuring former Hot Boys front man Juvenile. Both artists only deliver a hook, and the former song even lacks the anticipated, vaunted Dr. Dre beat.

Besides Do It Again, the other single that does connect is Big Pimpin, featuring an innovative Timbaland beats and legendary Texas rappers UGK. The misogyny may be a turn-off, but the catchiness of the beat, a show-stealing verse from UGK's Bun B, and the anthemic chorus make this easily one of the best songs on the album.

Beyond the singles, there are a number of contemplative tracks, such as the intro and outro tracks, and NYMP. There's Been a Murder is an underrated gem - a haunting song detailing Jay-Z's struggles to reconcile his competing impulses as both hustler and rapper. It's Hot (Some Like It Hot), featuring yet another innovative beat by Timbaland, over which Jay-Z spits a round of staccato jabs at a then-underground 50 Cent. Jigga My... is a big, snarling Swizz Beatz-produced boast (which aptly first appeared on the mostly belligerent Ruff Ryders, Vol. 1 compilation). And Come and Get Me is the album's brilliant, sprawling anchorpiece, much the way Can I Live was on his debut, featuring a fairly conventional hip-hop beat which transforms into a futuristic one midstream, as Jay-Z moves effortlessly from punch line heavy battle rap to an alternately paranoid and menacing taunt of a song:

"It's only fair that I warn you, rap's my new hustle
I'm treatin' it like the corner, [mess] with me if you wanna
My game changed, but my mindframe remains the same:
I gotta protect what's mine."

Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter largely lacks the overtures to class and respectability that marked his previous work. This Jay-Z is proudly "so ghetto" and aggressively dismisses anyone who doubts, who assails, and who questions. Perhaps this new assertiveness is an appeal to his early fans, or perhaps it is because he has scores to settle, with 50 Cent, and others. Or perhaps it is because the popular music at the time was exemplified by the hardcore gangster rap of DMX and the Ruff Ryders crew.

Whatever it is, there is a renewed energy in about half of the Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter's raps. The album also feels more sonically cohesive: it is a better listen from start to finish then Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life, but features fewer catchy singles. It is a heady album, as it should be, as he is celebrating his greatest success thus far, but because some of the records lack focus, it is not as satisfying as it should be.

Sources

Gold & Platinum, Search Results, RIAA - Gold & Platinum - April 18, 2009

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