To be honest, I’ve avoided doing this type of project. It’s difficult to pick 14 songs that define who I am. Some of my best songs were never released as singles. I’ve challenged myself to make classic albums that will define my legacy—and not just individual songs. Still, the timing of this project finally felt right to me. Most of my recording career was with Def Jam. That chapter is closed, and a new one has opened: with Roc Nation. This album represents that transition. This is a collector’s piece. It represents some of my strongest work. Each song represents a different time, t ime, a different feeling, or a different emotion. Plenty of people have already purchased this music 100 times. Still - I worked hard to sequence the songs, to create a true listening experience. e xperience. Once you have all the great songs in one place, you can’t go wrong. Ha. 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 I’m 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 there’s no limit to where we can take hip-hop culture. Vol. 2 comin’ soon. On to the next one. Best, - S.C.
Hustler’s Ambition 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-Z’s achievement is our achievement. When he wins,Elvis we win. His’s résumé is remarkable. And includes passing Presley’s Presley record with record 11 No. 1 albums, albu ms,unrelenting. grabbing ten grabbing tenItGrammys, 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. per spective. 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. It’s 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 followers—all 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 JAY’s 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, 2009’s soaring tribute to New York. It’s also telling that each lead single from the Blueprint trilogy is accounted for here, as well as four songs from JAY’s “retirement” disc, 2003’s The Black Album. Hits Vol. 1 is a testament to his career—but it barely scratches the surface. Where’s something from Reasonable Doubt? “Can I Get A…”? And how about some hardcore? “Where I’m From”? From”? There could be an entire entire Vol. 2 packed with soul-turning tunes like “Streets Is Watching” and “U Don’t Know.” JAY just might do that. I wouldn’t 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-hop’s most important artist, and he’s 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-hop’s Michael Jordan. our Muhammad Ali. JAY, withHe’s his bricks-to-billboards biography, is theHe’s personification of achievement. a living legend - a true MC and pop star who has killed the long-held premise that hip-hop artists can’t 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 continues to inspire hate hate and love in equal measure. measure. Hits Vol. 1 is a CliffsNotesR version of the JAY-Z story. It’s a time capsule cap sule of the best at his best - so far. It’s hard to put your history in context, when still onhimself. top. PartAsofgood the magnitude of JAY-Z the fact thatand he keepsyou’re challenging as these songs are - ishand-picked sequenced by Mr. Carter, the next volume will be bigger and better. The greatest story is still being told. - Elliott Wilson, Founder and CEO, RapRadar.com
Public Service Announcement (Interlude) PRODUCED BY JUST BLAZE /THE BLACK ALBUM, 2003
The Black Album was on its way to mastering, and Just Blaze said he “had one.” I’m forever curious, and as soon as Just played it for me, the emotion of the track was too much. A record will change everything for me. We had to stop production! The opening line—“Allow me to reintroduce myself”—was inspired by Digital Underground’s Humpty Hump of all people. And the second verse is about a writer who criticized me for wearing jewelry over a Che Guevara T-shirt. It’s called “PSA” because it was supposed to be like a commercial, a brief skit. But it’s turned into an important part of my catalogue. For a song with no hook to have such an impact is unbelievable. The public made it something special.
The Def Jam Town contractPRODUCED had run its course, BY KANYE endingWEST in a great AND way—which NO I.D. /never THEhappens—and BLUEPRINTthis 3, 200 felt9like the right Run This
mood and the right message to send for Blueprint 3. The song is about the formation of Roc Nation—planting our flag in the ground. Me aligned with two great artists that I’ve 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 didn’t 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 Girlfriend,” and the beef he had with Big. I don’t remember ever meeting ‘Pac. We never had an encounter. He dissed me too, but for me, it wasn’t 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 can’t help but express your life through your music. I was definitely playing with the controversy of it all. PRODUCED BY KANYE WEST/TH WEST/THE BLACK ALBUM, 2003 Encore I did this song early on during the project, and notEGuru [engineer Gimel “Young Guru” Keaton] or anyone in my
circle other than Kanye and I liked it. When the CD was done, I was gonna send the song to [NYC radio personality] Funkmaster Flex, I told [then Def Jam CEO] Lyor Cohen and [then Def Jam President] Kevin Liles, and they came to the studio. I played them the album, and they said “Encore” was the one song they didn’t really connect to. So I didn’t send it to Flex. But imagine “Encore” as The Black Album’s first single? I don’t know how much it would have added sales-wise but the presentation would have been great. Way better. Pardon me—I’m a perfectionist.
I Just Wanna Love U (Give It It 2 Me)
PRODUCED BY THE NEPTUNES / THE DYNASTY: ROC LA FAMILIA, 2000 We played it 3 0 times in the studio the night we made it. Two days later, I switched singles from “Parking Lot Pimpin” and was shooting the video for “I Just Wanna.” I made the song with this particular Kimora Lee party in mind. The Carl Thomas song, “I Wish” was hot at the time, and Mary J. Blige was on the floor dancing like crazy . I captured that night in the song. “When the Remy’s in the system” was the perfect way to start the song. Why do I have to think of another line? There’s already a perfect one and it comes from my guy. I also credit Pharrell who brought a whole soulful, Curtis Mayfield vibe to the song.
Izzo (H.O.V.A.) PRODUCED BY KANYE WEST / THE BLUEPRINT, 2001
I had an album full of great music, but when I first did this song, I didn’t like it because it was so monotonous. I was trying to figure out the first look to introduce the world to the project. Then Tone from Trackmasters came up with the idea to have a girl sing under the hook—which brought some melody to it. It was a genius idea, but she did sue me, saying she came up with the words. So ridiculous. The chorus reflects what was going on with me at that time. I’m not a big talker outside of my immediate circle. I use music to express my feelings. To say what I want to say. I’ve never been to a therapist in my life.
D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune) Auto-Tune) PRODUCED BY NO I.D. / THE BLUEPRINT 3, 2009
That record felt like the perfect statement to start Blueprint 3 off with. We were i n this time where everyone was on this one trend. Rap is really about the poet and the voice and everyone was sounding the same. We were like losing our voice in hip-hop. The song came from a session in Hawaii when I was workin’ with Timbaland and Kanye West, who sparked the idea. I made the record record and then he said, “I went too far”. Ha! That’s why we added added that part in the song because it was real. You can’t censor art even for your brother.