The 100 Best Jay-Z Songs

From crossover anthems like “Big Pimpin’” to ruthless diss tracks like “The Takeover,” Jay-Z has more great songs than he has problems.We sifted through every album, guest verse, B-side, and bootleg to narrow down the 100 best Jay-Z songs.

100 best jay z songs dirt off your shoulders
Image via Getty/Jon Super/
100 best jay z songs dirt off your shoulders

He calls himself the new Sinatra, rap’s Grateful Dead, and the Mike Jordan of recordin’. Jay-Z knows that in hip-hop, he’s in a category of his own–he has to go outside his own profession to find any comparison to his success, longevity, and technical proficiency. He outlived his closest peer, The Notorious B.I.G., and then proceeded to outwit and outlast every other rapper who went platinum in the 1990s.

Shawn Corey Carter’s greatness wasn’t always a foregone conclusion, though. His first recorded appearance, a split second cameo on mentor Jaz’s 1989 novelty “Hawaiian Sophie,” wasn’t exactly an auspicious debut on the level of Nas’ “Live at the Barbecue” verse. Jay didn’t release his first album until he was 26, an age by which many rappers are already washed up. “Reasonable Doubt was a classic, should’ve went triple,” but it didn’t–instead, it was his third album, 1998’s Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life, that moved millions of units and put Jiggaman on a perch that he has scarcely budged from in the two decades since.

From the career-defining The Blueprint to the premature farewell of The Black Album, and from the epic Kanye West collab project Watch The Throne to his first Album of the Year nod from the Grammys for 2017’s boldly personal 4:44, Jay-Z has become hip-hop’s premier album artist. On every new LP or densely allusive guest verse, you get a peek behind the curtain at a life that took him from the Marcy Projects and a risky stint as a street hustler to a life of arena tours, huge business ventures, and a marriage with Beyoncé. He’s got more bangers than just about anybody, but we took the time to narrow down the 100 best Jay-Z songs.  

100. Jay-Z f/ Alicia Keys "Empire State Of Mind" (2009)

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Producer: Al Shux, Janet Sewell-Ulepic, Angela Hunte

Album: The Blueprint 3

Label: Roc Nation/Atlantic


Jay-Z has countless rhymes dedicated to his hometown of New York City, but he'd never recorded a true anthem (Nah, that Cam'ron one don't count).


All that changed in 2009, when he recruited Alicia Keys for the piano-driven “Empire State Of Mind,” a dedication to all things New York. The track might have been a bit showtunesy for true blue Jay-Z fans, but that didn't seem to matter to the masses as “Empire State Of Mind” was Jay-Z's first song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The record spent an impressive five weeks at number one and had soccer moms in Iowa giving it up for the Big Apple. The best part? Jay snuck in a few bars about coke prices (“If Jeezy's paying Lebron, I'm paying Dwyane Wade”). Young Hova: Infinitely hood!

99. Jay-Z "Open Letter" (2013)

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ProducerSwizz Beatz, Timbaland

Album: n/a

Label: Roc Nation/Universal


Two months before Jay-Z announced Magna Carta Holy Grail, “Open Letter” came as a brief warning shot that signaled he’d been back in the studio with two producers who’d fueled many of his hits since the ‘90s. In two verses that were more fiery and freewheeling than the album it preceded, Hov spends most of “Open Letter” responding to a week of media frenzy over his anniversary trip with Beyonce to Cuba. “Fine, let me commit a real crime,” he sniffs at overreacting pundits and politicians. “I might buy a kilo for Chief Keef.” And then, for some reason, Trey Songz sings an operatic falsetto outro.

98. Beyoncé f/ Jay-Z "Crazy In Love" (2003)

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Producer: Rich Harrison, Beyoncé Knowles

Album: Dangerously In Love

Label: Columbia


In 2003, Shawn Carter and Beyoncé Knowles were still relatively mum about their relationship, despite dubbing themselves the “'03 Bonnie & Cyde” months earlier on their first collaboration. However, after “Crazy In Love” hit, all speculation would be wiped away forever. It was B's first solo endeavour after her departure from Destiny's Child, and “Crazy In Love” hit with a bang.


The debut single spent an astonishing eight weeks at number one in the U.S. and topped countless charts around the world. The big horns and go-go-influenced vibe, was a far cry from anything on radio at the time, and the track was a commercial and critical smash. Without question, Jay's crazy and deranged, highly-technical verse contributed to the success of “Crazy,” and it's said Jay created his verse in about ten minutes.

97. R. Kelly & Jay-Z "The Best of Both Worlds" (2002)

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Producer: Megahertz

Album: The Best Of Both Worlds

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


The Best of Both Worlds was a dud. On paper it was a tremendous idea—both business-wise and creatively. Both Jay and Kells were red hot coming off the heels of their Blueprint and TP-2.com albums, not to mention their huge collaborative singles, “Fiesta (Remix)” and “Guilty Until Proven Innocent.” They were both ruling their respective genres, so this seemed like the next logical step, right? Wrong. Once executed, the album fell flat.


But while the record was mess, there were a few bright spots, and the title track was one of them. Admit it, whenever you think of the album, Kells crooning “BEEEST OOOOF BOOOOTH WOOORLDS” is the first thing that pops in your head. Jay also likened this pairing with Robert to that of “Pappy Mason and Larry Davis” and “Martin and Malcolm.” Revolutionary but gangster? Not exactly, but this song worked.

96. Jay-Z “Bitches & Sisters” (2002)

Jay Z

95. Jay-Z "Kingdom Come" (2006)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: Kingdom Come

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Despite the fact that critics, fans, plants, and animals alike all hated Jay's post–Black Album comeback, there was no denying there were a few heaters on Jay's Kingdom Come.


Sure you got excited when you saw Dr. Dre's name in the credits, but it was actually Just Blaze who delivered the album's best bangers. The obvious standout being the title track, which flipped Rick James' popular “Super Freak” sample in a way never seen or heard. Yeah, Jay was CEO'ing all over the track, but it was the hungriest he'd sound throughout the whole album. He boldly claimed that he was both NYC and hip-hop's savior, and while the album wasn't great, there was no denying the fact that we were thrilled to have him back.

94. Jay-Z "It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)" (1999)

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Producer: Timbaland

Album: Vol. 3...The Life & Times of S. Carter

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


While Timbaland and Jay worked together on Jay's Vol. 2 album, it wasn't until Vol. 3 when their chemistry was fully realized. Over rhythmic hand claps, Jay displayed his effortless cool and confident swagger without even breaking a sweat. He made this rap shit look easy.


He even found time to a jab at a then-unknown Curtis Jackson after 50 stuck him up on “How To Rob” with the line: “I”m about a dollar/What the fuck is 50 Cents?” Didn't Fif know Jay kept two in the truck like Noah? After that line, who would've thought these two would be shelling Reeboks together just four years later?

93. Panjabi MC f/ Jay-Z "Beware of the Boys (Remix)" (2003)

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Producer: Panjabi MC

Album: n/a

Label: Urban


While visiting London, Jay caught wind of a song that was consistently killing the clubs as well as burning down the underground—Panjabi MC's “Mundian to Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys).”

Jay soon saw the power and potential of this global hit and he wanted in. With its insistent sitars and familiar Knight Rider bass line, Jay's remix immediately caught fire, and as soon as the beat dropped, this bhangra banger successfully crossed over in the U.S. Top 40 market. International Hov, indeed.

92. Scarface f/ Jay-Z and Neno Storm “Get Out” (2000)

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Producer: Mr. Lee

Album: The Last of a Dying Breed

Label: Rap-A-Lot/Virgin


Jay-Z and Scarface have linked up several times over the years. But their first collaboration was the only time they’ve gone back and forth, bar for bar, finishing each other’s sentences like Jada and Styles. And “Get Out” is a quick, clever true crime vignette in the tradition of “Friend or Foe,” with Face flying into New York for a big score with Jay and muttering “It’s 8 million stories in this motherfucker” when they get cornered by undercover cops.

91. Jay-Z "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" (2003)

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Producer: Timbaland

Album: The Black Album

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


As he prepared to drop The Black Album, Jay was all set to back out of the game, but not before brushing the dirt off his shoulders. You can't get much more confident than claiming to to be the best rapper alive over a quarter-million dollar Timbaland beat. But the track was worth every penny because the first thing you notice about the song is Timbo's signature sound.


On the hook, Jay advised paying your haters no mind, but the God MC was talking much shit on the verses as he listed his various accomplishments. The song was a hit in its day, but was given second life when then-presidential candidate Barack Obama brushed the dirt off his shoulders which simultaneously made Obama look hip and immortalized Jay's banger.

90. Jay-Z "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)" (2009)

D.O.A

89. Jay-Z “Picasso Baby” (2013)

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Producer: Timbaland, J-Roc

Album: Magna Carta Holy Grail

Label: Roc Nation/UMG


The thumping instrumental soul of Adrian Younge’s 2011 album Something About April was a notable influence on Timbaland and frequent collaborator J-Roc’s work on Magna Carta Holy Grail, which featured Younge samples on two tracks. The halting, lurching groove of “Sirens” was sped up slightly for “Picasso Baby,” resulting in the record’s most uncharacteristically grimy track as an effective contrast to Jay’s highfalutin references to his expensive art collection.

88. Jay-Z f/ Memphis Bleek "It's Alright" (1998)

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Producer: Damon Dash, Mahogany Music

Album: Streets Is Watching (Soundtrack)/Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


“It's Alright” was one of about half a dozen songs Jay had in rotation in the summer of 1998. The track was a dual single for both Memphis Bleek and Jay-Z, and landed on both the Streets Is Watching soundtrack and Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life.


The addictive Talking Heads sample was an interesting take on the sample craze of that era, most of which jacked '80s pop hits—not New Wave, post-punk bands. The beat was a bit busy, but Bleek and his boss more than beasted on it. The catchy hook no doubt played into the success of the record, as it was instantly recognizable and chant-worthy in a club.


“It's Alright” also included some rather poignant bars from Jay, particularly his words on his fallen friend, the Notorious B.I.G. on the final verse: “My boy died/And all I did was inherit his stress/Too make every jam tougher/You ain't my man, fuck ya.”

87. Jay-Z "La La La (Excuse Me Miss Again)" (2003)

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Producer: The Neptunes

Album: The Blueprint 2.1

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


“Excuse Me Miss” found Jay diving headfirst into grown and sexy territory—complete with Pharrell doing his best lounge singer impression on the hook. It was a record made for hard bottoms and three piece suits.


The good news? Despite the deceptive similarity of name, the remix had absolutely nothing to do with its predecessor.


Where “Excuse Me Miss” was lighthearted, lovey-dovey, and bubbly, “La, La, La” was menacing and aggressive. Over dark Neptunes production, Hov fired off threats at foes (“Run up at me at the light/You can lose your life”), basic bitches, and his rap contemporaries. Yeah, the remix was smoking. Need a light?

86. Kanye West f/ Jay-Z "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)" (2005)

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Producer: Kanye West, Jon Brion, Devo Springsteen

Album: Late Registration

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


It's 2005: Jay is still “retired,” Damon Dash has been unceremoniously ousted from the Roc, there's a whole stable of Roc-A-Fella artists whose future is uncertain, and Kanye West is the label's breakout star. There were a lot of unanswered questions floating around at the time but the main one was, who was rolling with Dame and who was rolling with Jay?


Everyone was patiently waiting on a statement from Jigga, and he broke his silence and returned to the mic to spit one of his best verses ever on the remix to Kanye's single “Diamonds.” The defiant verse made it clear that Jay was the Roc (“How could you falter?/When you're the Rock of Gibraltar”) and the roster was standing by him.


In the long run, Jay's verse didn't have its intended effect. After this record dropped, the Roc didn't rise from the ashes (Freeway? Foxy? Teairra Mari? LOL!). Instead the song served as another classic Jay and 'Ye collaboration—further cementing their relationship as one of hip-hop's premier duos.

85. Jay-Z f/ Memphis Bleek & Amil "Hey Papi" (2000)

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Producer: Timbaland

Album: Nutty Professor II: The Clumps (Soundtrack)

Label: Def Jam


If it ain't broke, don't fix it. After Jay and Timbo hit pay dirt with “Big Pimpin,” they went back to the well and created “Hey Papi,” the first single from Def Jam's Nutty Professor II Soundtrack. Jay reprised his role as the unforgiving lady killer, and laid his pimp hand down over Timothy's futuristic blurps. “Papi” popped just months after “Big Pimpin,” so it almost seemed like an extension of the original (with Jay even rehashing the flow he displayed on “Big Pimpin”), with Memphis Bleek and Amil filling the shoes of UGK. The single came complete with a big budget video from Hype Williams, which looked almost as fun as its predecessor. Despite the similarity, it was a certified banger.

84. Jay-Z "Blue Magic" (2007)

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Producer: The Neptunes

Album: American Gangster

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


The combination of Hova and the Imperial Skateboard P has proved successful time and time again. No matter what sort of song—whether it be a ballad or a banger—these two have a tried-and-true chemistry. So it was no surprise P was tapped to handle the first single from Jay's concept album, American Gangster.


The track was named after the potent brand of heroin that Frank Lucas sold in the 1970s. Leave it up to Jay to infiltrate the pop charts with a track named after an illegal drug that caused death and destruction to thousands (but hey, it was a brand name!).


The track was pure audio dope, seamlessly integrating samples from En Vogue's “Hold On,” Ghostbusters, and Frankenstein. Jay even brought the '80s back by borrowing a flow from Rakim and name-checking Oliver North and the Iran-Contra scandal.

83. Jay-Z f/ Memphis Bleek & Beanie Sigel "Change The Game" (2000)

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Producer: Rick Rock

Album: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


“Change The Game” was Jay's exile to the Left Coast. After Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg had a huge year with Chronic 2000M, the sound of hip-hop briefly shifted back to the Westside.


It's not entirely clear how Jay found Bay Area-producer Rick Rock, who was best known for producing album cuts for the likes of Richie Rich and Spice 1; but the two hit it off and Rock cranked out four tracks on Jay's Dynasty album.

82. Jay-Z f/ Memphis Bleek & Sauce Money "What The Game Made Me" (1998)

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Producer: Chris Lidjio

Album: I Got The Hook Up (Soundtrack)

Label: No Limit/Priority


In the Spring of '98, the power trio of Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, and Sauce Money were on a movie soundtrack terror. First the threesome threw Ice Cube “From Macy To Hollywood” for his Players Club soundtrack, and a month later they tossed Master P “What The Game Made Me” for his I Got The Hook Up soundtrack. Both were dope, but “What The Game Made Me” was the better of the two records.


On “Game,” Jay reported live from the 718, and touched on creating his own record label and stated that no matter how much success he attained, no amount of money could change him. Easy to say in '98. Unfortunately, this joint may have flown under the radar for those not riding on the Tank, but it's an essential piece to any Jay-Z collection, nonetheless.

81. Jay-Z f/ Rick Ross “F*ckwithmeyouknowigotit” (2013)

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Producer: Boi-1da, Vinylz, Timbaland, J-Roc

Album: Magna Carta Holy Grail

Label: Roc Nation/Universal


Other rappers getting real estate on a Jay-Z album has gotten rarer and rarer as he’s ascended into a class of his own. But Rick Ross, one of the biggest success stories of Jay’s tenure as president of Def Jam, was the only MC invited to spit on Magna Carta Holy Grail, laying out the catchy cadence of the album’s most club-friendly track on the hook and first verse. But then Jay takes over with a verse dense with allusions to ancient Rome, Italian sports cars, and Italian-American mob movies, making sure that he doesn’t cede the spotlight entirely.

80. Amil f/ Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek "4 Da Fam" (1999)

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Producer: Ty Fyffe

Album: All Money Is Legal

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Columbia


Quick: what album did this song appear on? If you guessed Amil's All Money Is Legal, well, you don't win shit—sorry. Although it did appear on Amil's album, it felt more like a Jay solo track, as he had the best verse and batted clean up. Jay went hard for his Dynasty, and while most were thinking Blake Carrington (from that '80s TV show!), Jay was thinking like more Ming (from China!). Get it?


In his day, Jay could be very generous to his Roc-A-Fella fam, and it was very noble of him to pass off this regal instrumental from Ty Fyffe to the Roc's first lady. Unfortunately, Amil's career never took flight, but we do have this one record from her solo set that we can forever hold on to. Even thought it was really a Jay record.

79. Jay-Z “Adnis” (2017)

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Producer: No I.D., James Blake

Album: n/a

Label: Roc Nation/Universal


When Tidal first began advertising 4:44 with enigmatic teaser trailers starring Mahershala Ali and Danny Glover, the ghostly piano loop of “Adnis” was the first music the public heard from the project. But the song didn’t make the cut for the pared-down 10-track album, and wasn’t available in full until a few weeks later as a bonus track on a deluxe edition. Shawn Carter first rapped about the father he barely knew on The Black Album, shortly after Adnis Reeves died in 2003. But “Adnis” is a more vulnerable, almost a hushed spoken word flow about the “letter to my dad that I never wrote.”

78. Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel "Where Have You Been?" (2000)

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Producer: T.T

Album: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Jay was always vocal about his strained relationship with his father, Agnes Reeves. Jay's pops split from the family when he was 11-years-old, and never returned, leaving Jay to walk the path to manhood alone. Jay had obvious angst for Agnes, and he addressed it on “Where Have You Been”—quite possibly Jay's most heartfelt and vulnerable record to date.


Holding nothing back, Jay laid into father: “Fuck you very much, you showed me the worst kind of pain,” and later rubbed his success in his pop's face, letting him know he'd made it without him: “Mommy driving sixes now/I got riches now/I bought a nice home for both of my sisters now/We doing real good/We don't miss you now/See how life turns around, fucker.”


“Where Have You Been” showcased Jay's versatility as an artist as he tackled a sensitive issue and spoke for millions of fatherless children around the globe. Plus, the song silenced critics who claimed Jigga was shallow and one-dimensional.

77. Kanye West & Jay-Z “New Day” (2011)

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Producer: Kanye West, RZA, Mike Dean, Ken Lewis

Album: Watch The Throne

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation/Def Jam


Neither Jay nor Kanye had become a father yet when they wrote “New Day,” a song in which each rapper takes a verse to imagine how he’ll raise his son someday. As it happens, they both had daughters first – Blue Ivy was already on the way by the time Watch The Throne was released. But now they both also have sons, and Jay knows that it’s Sir Carter he was talking to when he wrote, “Sins of a father make your life ten times harder/I just wanna take you to a barber/Bondin’ on charters, all of the shit that I never did.”

76. Jay-Z f/ Memphis Bleek "Coming Of Age" (1996)

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Producer: Clark Kent

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


Memphis Bleek will likely be one hit away his whole career, but the confidence he showed on “Coming of Age” in 1996 was next level. With Jay playing the O.G. from around way who peeps the potential in Bleek's neighborhood shorty (a role he was born to play), the two trade verses while Jay tries to bring the young hustler into his fold.


Being the elder statesman, Jay sees the hunger in the youngster's eyes, and seeks to cuff with a small bribe, “Cool nigga here's a thou.” But it's the young man who displays brains, making it clear that he's after the long-term riches, not a quick buck: “A G? I'll ride with you for free.” In the end, they make a till-death-do-us-part pact, but if you heard the sequel, you know how that turned out.

75. Cam'ron f/ Jay-Z "Welcome To New York City" (2002)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: Come Home With Me

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam/Diplomat


To let the rumor mill tell it, Jay-Z was never happy with Dame Dash for inviting Cam'ron into the Roc-A-Fella fold. Whether it was beef over the beat for “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” subliminal shots (see Cam's “Let Me Know”), or Dame appointing Cam VP of the label, it didn't appear Jay and Cam would ever be chums who went on family vacations together.


But when Cam got with the Roc, Jay had no choice but to collide with him for an ode to the home of 9/11. It was good for business, and despite the rumors that these two hated each other with a passion, there was no trace of it on this Just Blaze banger.


The record also came at the perfect time—just months after the September 11th attacks—letting fans know that despite any tension these two could come together for the greater good of their city.

74. Jay-Z f/ Jermaine Dupri "Money Ain't A Thang" (1998)

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Producer: Jermaine Dupri

Album: Life In 1472 / Vol 2...Hard Knock Life

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam/So So Def/Columbia


In the summer of 1998, Jay linked with Jermaine Dupri for the radio-ready “Money Ain't A Thang,” which owned the airwaves thanks to Jay's flossy flow and that patented So So Def bell-banging beat. Admit it, when you first heard this tune you tried to switch four lanes in your Mom's minivan, didn't you?


This feel-good ode to excess was the perfect setup for Jay's third (and highest selling) album to date, Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life. Jay's first verse also landed him a spot in the coveted “Hip-Hop Quotable” section of The Source. Meanwhile one of his lines from his second verse, “Said she loved my necklace, started relaxing/Now that's what the fuck I call a chain reaction” remains one of Jigga's most memorable quips. Over a decade later, money still ain't a thang for Jay as he's planking on $37 million. The jury is still out on Jermaine though.

73. R. Kelly f/ Jay-Z & Boo & Gotti "Fiesta (Remix)" (2001)

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Producer: Trackmasters & Precision

Album: TP-2.com

Label: Jive


After Jay and Kells saw success on their “Guilty Until Proven Innocent” collaboration, the duo attempted to make lightening strike twice just months later with the “Fiesta (Remix).” The addictive summer smash immediately caught fire spending an impressive five weeks atop the US R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Jay also gave you the blueprint (hey!) for what your evening should look like: “After the show it's the after party/And after the party it's the hotel lobby.” Granted, most could hardly afford to party like “the new 2 Live Crew,” but you could at least pretend to for these four short minutes minutes.


The success of the remix, no doubt inspired the collaborative album, Best of Both Worlds, which came (and went) in 2002. However, the real question here is if Boo & Gotti still drink Cris like it's H2O? Doubtful.

72. Jay-Z "Girls, Girls, Girls" / "Girls (Remix)" (2001)

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Producer: Just Blaze, Kanye West

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Prior to bagging Beyoncé, Jay made songs like “Big Pimpin” and “Who You Wit” which pegged Jay as a cold-blooded male chauvinist. But on “Girls, Girls, Girls,” he switched up his tone. This light-hearted ballad was a dedication to women of all cultures, shapes, and sizes, and earned Jigga some brownie points in the female department. Flight attendants, bootleggers, and model chicks all fell victim to Jay's charm--even if he treated them like animol.


And props to those who fast-forwarded through the dead air after track 13 on The Blueprint and got past the excellent “Breathe Easy” to find “Girls (Remix),” produced by Kanye West. In 2009, shortly after Michael Jackson's death, Jay revealed that the King of Pop contributed backup vocals to ”Girls” but was never credited. Beat it if you don't believe him.

71. Jay-Z "What More Can I Say" (2003)

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Producer: The Buchanans

Album: The Black Album

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


What does a man say who's seemingly said it all? After accomplishing everything a rapper could've dreamed of over the course of eight albums, New York's ambassador didn't have much left to get off his chest. But before slamming down his headphones and leaving the studio in a huff, he had to leave you with a couple gems.


So you think he borrows Biggie lyrics too often, well he's got words for you: “I'm not a biter/I'm a writer for myself and others/I say a B.I.G. verse I'm only biggin' up my brother.” You think your Mitchell & Ness jersey is cool? Jay doesn't. He killed that trend here. Which just goes to show, even when Jay doesn't have much to say, he still says a lot.

70. Jay-Z "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)" (2007)

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Producer: Diddy, Sean C & LV

Album: American Gangster

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Puffy and his Hitmen had a major influence on 1997's In My Lifetime Vol. 1, but the public at large didn't seem to think much of those records. Needless to say, the working relationship between the two camps soon dissolved. Fast forward ten years and a newly relaunched Hitmen returned to the scene with a fresh sound that was big in every way: Big drums, bigger horns.


The bold, brassy sound was a throwback to the era portrayed in the film, American Gangster, and Jay-Z created the perfect accompanying soundtrack, even though it didn't actually appear in the film. If each track on American Gangster represented a scene from the movie, “Roc Boys” no doubt portrayed the high point of the film—when Frank and family are balling out of control. Deep pockets, beautiful women, extravagant clothes. Yes, the Roc Boys were definitely in the building.

69. Pusha T f/ Jay-Z “Drug Dealers Anonymous” (2016)

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Producer: DJ Dahi

Album: King Push

Label: G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam


For years, Pusha T and Jay-Z circled the same beats without ending up on a song together. Pharrell nearly gave the “Grindin’” beat that made Clipse famous to Jay, and Push and Malice rapped on countless Neptunes tracks that ended up going to big name clients like Hov. They both wound up in the sprawl of Kanye West’s 2010 posse cut “So Appalled,” but fans didn’t get a proper Jay/Push duet until “Drug Dealers Anonymous.” The brief break after Pusha’s verse features a sample of conservative pundit Tomi Lahren’s attempts to concern troll Beyoncé about her husband’s past (“For 14 years he sold crack cocaine”). Jay laughs it off with 38 effortless bars about his first career, managing to tie the “Damn, Daniel” meme and driverless Ubers into his tales of hustling in Virginia in the early ‘90s.

68. Young Jeezy f/ Jay-Z "Go Crazy (Remix)" (2005)

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Producer: Don Cannon

Album: n/a

Label: Corporate Thugz/Def Jam


Guess who's bizzack? During Jay's short-lived retirement, he stepped from behind the Def Jam desk to aid and assist their label's rising star, Young Jeezy, on this insanely popular single, “Go Crazy.”


At the time, Jay caught flack for stunting too recklessly on the track (you're rich, you're important, you're powerful—we get it!) But you couldn't help but enjoy the Jiggaman as he crossed off his “I invented swag” checklist. Ever the trendsetter, he was popping bottles of Cristal on speedboats while Puffy was still sipping Moet in a hot tub.


Even more to the point, Jay was itching to get back to the mic after watching a new crop of emcees rise to the forefront of hip-hop. Hov had to drop in, just to let 'em know who was still in charge. Follow the leader.

67. Jay-Z "Show You How" (2002)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: The Blueprint 2: The Gift And The Curse

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Jay-Z is hip-hop's number one cultural architect. He showed you the blueprint and taught you how to build a successful career (in any line of work, really). And never was he a better teacher than on “Show You How.”

For starters, Hov gave you a crash course on cool. Addressing his students over a boombastic Just Blaze banger, Professor Carter warned against becoming now-and-later rappers: “Rap about it now/Hope you get it later.”

Drivers ed: “We don't drive X5's/We give em to baby mamas.” Apparel merchandising: “These ain't Diesel/Nigga, these is Evisu.” He even lectured on women on the finer points of street pharmaceuticals: “Put a little in the baggie/put a little in the purse.” Call it Jiggaman 101.

66. Jay-Z f/ Nas "Success" (2007)

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Producer: No I.D., Jermaine Dupri

Album: American Gangster

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


After Jay-Z and Nas squashed their long-standing beef in 2005, the world patiently awaited for their first ever collabo. It was sure to be a monumental, game changing occasion—one that they were certainly going to live up to. Then they dropped “Black Republicans,” which wasn't terrible but wasn't what we expected from two heavyweights.


Fast forward to 2007, Nas and Jay reconnected for redemption on “Success.” Over No I.D.'s blaring organs, Jay-Hova and God's Son waxed poetic about the problems, pitfalls, and headaches that come with success. Nas may have even made a thinly veiled reference to their uneasy alliance claiming, “Worst enemies wanna be my best friends.”


Meanwhile, Jay complained about drinking pricey champagne and eating expensive Chinese food. He even claimed he had more fun when he was piss poor. Hey Jay, if you're happy with your life of luxury, we'd love to switch places.

65. Jay-Z f/ The Lox, Sauce Money & Beanie Sigel "Reservoir Dogs" (1998)

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Producer: Erick Sermon

Album: Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Named after Quentin Tarantino's classic 1992 flick,”Reservoir Dogs,” much like the movie, featured a rogue six man unit—all talented in their own right—but sans the suits and color coordinated names. These were six of the East Coast's brightest up-and-coming talents and each pulled their own weight over Erick Sermon's flip of The Shaft theme.


It's also worth mentioning that “Reservoir Dogs” was Beanie Sigel's first major label appearance and his debut to the world. And oh yeah, Jay threatened to pop your Grandma, then pop up in Atlanta—that has to count for something.

64. Jay-Z "99 Problems" (2003)

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Producer: Rick Rubin

Album: The Black Album

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


In the aughts, hip-hop production was somewhat of an afterthought for Rick Rubin. Rubin rose to prominence in the early '80s as co-founder of Def Jam Records and producer for LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys but he had moved on to work with artists in about every genre but hip-hop, including Johnny Cash, Sheryl Crow, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers.


Although Rubin hadn't produced a traditional hip-hop record in almost ten years, Jay-Z was able to persuade Rick to get behind the boards to contribute a track for what was to be Jay's final album (Remember: rappers never retire. Ever). What ensued was nothing short of a masterpiece that was an obvious nod to Def Jam's yesteryears and the stripped-down sound Rick helped create.


The song plays off the multiple meanings of the word bitch, including: music critics, female dogs, and men who probably pee sitting down. Borrowing a hook from Ice-T and some bars from Bun B, Jay pulled no punches with “99 Problems.” It even incorporated a storyline from his days as a d-boy and his dealings with a K9 unit. Where so many artists try and fail to recreate a rock-oriented sound (We see you Weezy!), Jay-Z overachieved, as “99 Problems” was an immaculately crafted throwback to the beginnings of hip-hop.

63. Jay-Z “4:44” (2017)

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Producer: No I.D.

Album: 4:44

Label: Roc Nation/Universal

After Beyoncé’s Lemonade grabbed the world’s attention with tales of strife and cheating in the marriage of music’s favorite power couple, everyone wanted to know how Jay-Z would address it. It was a question that kept Jay himself up at night so much that he sat up in bed once at 4:44 a.m. and started writing what would become the title track to his thirteenth solo album. It’s a song where he says the words “I apologize” no less than 7 times, stuffing it between other sentences like punctuation. But it also features some disarming snapshots of the inner life of a very private couple, like “I said ‘don’t embarrass me’ instead of ‘be mine’/That was my proposal for us to go steady/That was your 21st birthday.”

62. Jeezy f/ Jay-Z “Seen It All” (2014)

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Producer: Cardo

Album: Seen It All: The Autobiography

Label: CTE World/Def Jam


When Jay-Z and Jeezy meet up on a track, the results are often rowdy and anthemic, from “Go Crazy” to “Real As it Gets.” But when Jay was asked to hop on the title track to Jeezy’s fifth album, the song’s been-there-done-that street hustler tales and eerie Cardo beat brought out some unexpected emotion as he recalled the deaths of his father and uncle. Jeezy told MTV News in 2014, “We got on the phone and [Jay] was like, ‘Yo, Jeezy, when I was writing the verse, I had tears in my eyes, man.’” Bawl so hard.

61. Jay-Z “Regrets” (1996)

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Producer: Peter Panic

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority

So much of Reasonable Doubt is about the bravado and mythology of street hustling. But the album ends on a downbeat note, rather deliberately, as Jay explained in his 2010 book Decoded: “I wanted to end it with regret, that last feeling you have before you go to sleep.” When he celebrated the album’s tenth anniversary at Radio City Music Hall, however, he surprised fans and flipped the script by performing the tracklist in reverse order, strolling out and delivering the harrowing “Regrets” before moving on to the album’s more immediate anthems.

60. Jay-Z “The Story of OJ” (2017)

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Producer: No I.D., Jay-Z

Album: 4:44

Label: Roc Nation/Universal


4:44 was nothing if not the most hotly debated album of Jay-Z’s career, and no song was a bigger flashpoint of discussion than “The Story of OJ.” Using O.J. Simpson’s infamous rumored quote–“I’m not black, I’m O.J.”–as a jumping off point to discuss racism in America, investment tips, and even other rappers taking “money phone” pictures for the ‘Gram. Likely the most unfiltered and provocative rap song ever nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammys, “The Story of OJ” features No I.D. chopping Nina Simone’s voice and piano into unsettling stuttering strands that make every word Jay says sound that much more confident and assured.

59. Jay-Z "Lucifer" (2003)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: The Black Album

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Hov has always been somewhat fascinated with metaphysical matters: Good and evil. Heaven and Hell. But overall his themes tend to lean more towards the dark side (see “D'Evils”), so when he dropped “Lucifer,” and proclaimed he needed to get his soul right, it didn't come as a shock. This song sounds like holy war, and Jay's wetting y'all all with the Holy water.


Of course tracks like this only fuel the fire for conspiracy theorists who believe Jay is some sort of devil worshipper. Jay-Z, who claims to be a spiritual person, rarely talks about his personal beliefs. But he knows these hot button topics stir the pot and get people talking


Rap-nerd trivia bonus: it was actually currently-incarcerated Chi-Town spitter Bump J who lent Jay the: “I'm from the murder capital/Where we murder for capital” line for the hook.

58. Kanye West & Jay-Z "Otis" (2011)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: Watch The Throne

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation/Def Jam


Fans cried foul when the dream team of Kanye West and Jay-Z dropped “H.A.M.” as Watch The Throne's first single. Apparently, hearing Jay and 'Ye over a microwaved Lex Luger beat wasn't really what people wanted. So The Throne went back to the drawing board and returned with that old soul—Otis Redding to be exact. With a perfectly chopped sample of Otis's “Try A Little Tenderness,” the duo were able to recapture that vintage sound fans were longing for, with the reckless stunting we expected. Plus Jay claimed he invented swag. It's the kind of luxury rap you can destroy your Maybach to.

57. Jay-Z "Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)" (2001)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Jay made it clear that he believed he was the top rapper in all six statistical categories (and his interviews are hotter!). But how was he going to prove it? On “Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)” he flexed his muscles and did just that. Chock full of exercise, workout, and gym references, the Blueprint's (first) hidden track even features a name check of the original Tae Bo hoe, Billy Blanks.


Jay didn't stray far from topic, and revisited his ability to cleverly create a concept record: “I spring train in the winter/Round early December/Run suicide drills over and over/With the weight of the world on my shoulder/That's why they call me Hova.” Jay made the competition get in shape.

RELATED: JUST BLAZE TALKS ABOUT MAKING "BREATHE EASY"

56. Jay-Z “Dear Summer” (2005)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: 534

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Jay-Z often helped buoy the careers of his Roc-A-Fella signings with guest verses on their albums. But occasionally he went ahead and stole the show, putting an entire solo cut of his own on a labelmate’s album. First, “Anything” appeared on Beanie Sigel’s 2000 debut The Truth. And five years later, Memphis Bleek’s third album, 534, was blessed with one of the best Jay songs of his brief 3-year “retirement.” Over the spare sound of fingers snapping in the wind that slowly ease into a lush sample of jazz pianist Weldone Irvine, Hov raps nostalgically about his favorite time of year to be a rap superstar.

55. Jay-Z "Who You Wit II" (1997)

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Producer: Ski

Album: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


You can love or hate Jay-Z. Either or. You can roll with him or get rolled over. No exceptions.


On “Who You Wit,” Jay-Hov was hard on a chick and gave you nothing but that silver-tongue pimp talk. Thug bitches, shy bitches, and rough bitches? Yeah, Jay was an all inclusive mack.


Obviously, the player days are over for Young Hov, but his pimp hand was heavy in the late '90s. Even if Vol. 1 is often criticized for being too glossy, this record still worked. It's also worth noting that this line—“I sink this ball in your hole, I'm Tiger Woods"—would take on a whole new meaning a decade later. The man is a prophet!

54. Memphis Bleek f/ Jay-Z & Missy Elliot "Is That Your Chick?" (2001)

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Producer: Timbaland

Album: The Understanding

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam/Get Low


A very rough version of “Is That Yo Bitch” landed on the bootleg of Jay-Z's Vol. 3 album. (What up Un?) But it failed to make the final cut after the leak heard 'round the world. The track was shelved, then reworked and repurposed as a single from Memphis Bleek's album, The Understanding, which was released a year later. But that's not the end of the story.


The controversy lay within Jay's verses, which were allegedly directed towards Nas and his baby's mother, Carmen Bryan. Rumors swirled that Jay was carrying on a love affair with Carmen, and Jay didn't do much to dispel the talk when he spewed: “Gradually, I'm taking over your bitch/Cumming over your shit/Got my feet up on your sofas, man.”


But Jay's second verse was even more disrespectful: “She keep beggin' me to hit it raw/So she can have my kid and say it was yours/How foul is she?/And you wifed her/Shit, I put the rubber on tighter.” It was a surprise to no one when the Jay and Nas feud erupted publicly months later. These were fighting words. But somehow they managed to work through their issues like grown men.

53. DMX f/ Jay-Z & The Lox "Blackout" (1998)

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Producer: Swizz Beatz

Album: Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood

Label: Ruff Ryders/Def Jam


“Blackout” was a classic '90s posse cut. It gave you that feeling where each rapper was in the cramped studio, laying on the floor all sweaty and carefully crafting their verses, secretly trying to outshine the next man—and perhaps even sneaking a peak at their peer's notepad.


When you have Jadakiss, Styles, Sheek, DMX, and Jay-Z all on one track, you've got to expect some stiff competition. Although Kiss received The Source's 'Hip-Hop Quotable' nod for his verse, it was no secret that Jay stole the show with lines like: “I'm a Monster/I sleep cold winters/Wake up and spit summers/Ghetto nigga, puttin' up Will Smith numbers." Ask anyone about “Blackout” and that's the first lyric they'll cite. Jay literally blacked out.

52. Scarface f/ Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel "Guess Who's Back" (2002)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: The Fix

Label: Def Jam South/Island Def Jam/Universal Records


How does Hov do it? Time and again he makes the impossible, possible. Case in point: “This Can't Be Life” from his Dynasty album.


Bucking conventional hip-hop protocols, Jay put rappers from four of the five biggest cities in the U.S. on one track with excellent results. This could have easily been a monstrous mess, but somehow Jay made it work.


On “Guess Who's Back,” the foursome of Jay, Scarface, Beanie Sigel, and Kanye West returned for a second round, and proved that their first outing was no fluke. While “This Can't Be Life” was more of a meaningful record, “Guess Who's Back” was a classic shit-talking, skill-flexing showdown. The Philly, Houston, Chitown and BK emceees favored no particular region—this one was all about hip-hop.

51. Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Freeway "1-900-Hustler" (2000)

best jay z songs 1 900 hustler

50. Mya f/ Jay-Z "Best Of Me Pt. 2" (2000)

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Producer: Trackmasters

Album: Backstage: A Hard Knock Life

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Throughout the span of his career, Jay ruled plenty of summers with an iron fist. While he had a firm grip on the rap charts in the third quarter of 2000, he made a splash in R&B when he hopped on Mya's “Best Of Me” sequel. Filled with sexual innuendo, Jay gave the best of him with two verses, further proving that he could appeal to the ladies while keeping it thorough.


The Trackmasters nod to Biz Markie was a monster in clubs and on radio; and was big enough to push Roc-A-Fella's Backstage: A Hard Knock Life soundtrack to gold status.

49. Jay-Z "Song Cry" (2001)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


On each of Jay's early albums, he had at least one song where he let his guard down. Whether dealing with family business, struggles with parenthood, or lost love; he would escape from his larger than life Jay-Z persona as and revert back to the human Shawn Carter. On “Song Cry,” Jay would enter rap ballad territory, touching on a failed relationship, that crumbled due to his own infidelity. Jay was too strong to let you see his tears, so he let this heartfelt track do the sobbing for him.

RELATED: JUST BLAZE TALKS ABOUT MAKING "SONG CRY"

48. Freeway f/ Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel "What We Do" (2003)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: Philadelphia Freeway

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


In 2003, Jay was like a proud father. His place in the record books had been solidified, he'd bagged Bey, was running a successful clothing line, and his Roc-A-Fella roster was kicking ass. So to kick off the release of Freeway's debut album, Philadelphia Freeway, Jay joined Free for his first single, “What We Do.”


Over a Just Blaze banger, Jay kicked some of his most vivid and colorful bars to date (“And I move keys, you can call me the piano man”). The imagery of “Gotta kill witnesses 'cause Free's beard sticking out” is second to none, and his claims of providing for Biggie's kids (“Gotta feed T'Yanna, man”) seemed sincere. Jay also played a great coach by cheering on Free to “keep going” during his lengthy verse. You can do it!

47. Jay-Z f/ Foxy Brown "Ain't No Nigga" (1996)

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Producer: Big Jaz

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


While Jay's first single (“Dead Presidents”) from Reasonable Doubt, made a splash with hardcore hip-hop enthusiasts, “Ain't No Nigga” was the key crossover joint that helped him reach a mainstream audience. The song's familiar sample and catchy hook were exactly what Jay needed to hurdle the walls of the underground. If they weren't paying attention to Jay before, they were now, thanks to this battle of the sexes on wax.


The success of this single no doubt led to Roc-A-Fella's label deal with Def Jam, and proved that Jay had the ability to create big singles without selling out. But here's the kicker: The secret weapon was a red-hot guest verse from 16-year-old Foxy Brown. Truth was, after years of frustration with the rap game, “Ain't No Nigga” could have been Jay's last shot at some sort of success. So if it wasn't for Foxy, Jay's career might not taken a whole different route.

46. Jay-Z "So Ghetto" (1999)

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Producer: DJ Premier

Album: Vol. 3...The Life And Times Of S. Carter

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


As Jay-Z ascended to the top of hip-hop's food chain, his work with golden era producers like DJ Premier and Clark Kent began to dwindle. But on “So Ghetto” he let listeners know he that even when he's poppin' bottles on the White House lawn, he's just the saaaaaaame old Shawn.


On what would be his last record produced by Primo (at least as of press time), Jay licked off this certified Tunnel banger (just ask Cipha Sounds) that bridged the gap between underground and commercial.


But don't let his success fool you, Jay was still that hardrock from Marcy Projects. Sure he was hitting the Grammys, but he was toting heat. This was part of the reason prissy chicks were falling in love with him, duh! You can take the boy out of the ghetto...

RELATED: DJ PREMIER TALKS ABOUT MAKING "SO GHETTO"

45. Jay-Z f/ Kelly Price “You Must Love Me” (1997)

Jay Z

44. Jay-Z "In My Lifetime (Remix)" (1995)

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Producer: Jaz

Album: n/a

Label: Payday Records/FFRR Records


You've heard the story countless times: No one wanted to give Jay-Z a record deal, so he was forced to create his own label. The single for “In My Lifetime” was one of Jay, Dame, and Biggs' first experiments in pedaling music, and was mostly sold the old fashioned way: hand-to-hand out of the trunk of Damon Dash's car.


“In My Lifetime's” questioning of life's meaning would generate enough buzz for super-indie label Payday Records to step up and offer the hungry upstarts a single-only deal. As fate would have it, Jay and Payday never saw eye to eye, so the original Roc Boys took their earnings and created their own imprint, Roc-A-Fella Records.


So you can look at the “In My Lifetime” single as the seed that planted the Roc. Although the record didn't appear on either of Jay's first two albums, it did find a home on the Streets Is Watching soundtrack some years later. But it was worth the wait: Big Jaz's remix was far superior to Ski's original.


Looking back, it's almost unfathomable that no label was interested in signing Jay-Z. Thankfully he didn't spend an entire lifetime waiting on one to do so. More than anything else, this record proves that if you want something done, sometimes you've gotta do it yourself.

RELATED: SKI BEATZ TALKS ABOUT MAKING THE ORIGINAL "IN MY LIFETIME"

43. Jay-Z "The Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)" (2001)

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Producer: Bink!

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


As Jay closed out his seminal album, The Blueprint, he took a stroll down memory lane, discussing every era of his life: childhood, serving on the block, searching for a deal, finding a deal and later success ("Reasonable Doubt, classic, should've went triple").


He also took a moment to shout out friends, former friends, accomplices, family members and business partners. While most of the names are familiar to Jay fans, there are others that are only known to Shawn Carter—before the glamour and glitz. Oh and Bleek, we're still waiting on that one hit. More than any other part of the album, this really sounded like Jay was saying goodbye. But we now know he was simply him paying homage to those who helped him become the successful man he was.

42. Kanye West & Jay-Z "The Joy" (2011)

100 best jay z songs the joy

41. Jay-Z "This Life Forever" (1999)

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Producer: Ty Fyffe

Album: Black Gangster (Soundtrack)

Label: Lightyear


“This Life Forever” was Jay's contribution to the Black Gangster soundtrack. The film was based on a Donald Goines' novel of the same name but for whatever reason, the movie was never made. However, the soundtrack featured big names like DMX, Ja Rule, and a then-unknown 50 Cent.


Although the soundtrack flew under the radar, Jay's contribution cannot be overlooked. With vivid imagery like: “I ride through the ghetto, windows down halfway/Halfway out of my mind/Music on nine/Blasting Donny Hathaway,” the track successfully evoked the sound and feeling of the era the movie was trying to recreate.

40. Jay-Z "My 1st Song" (2003)

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Producer: Aqua, Joe "3H" Weinberger

Album: The Black Album

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Taking B.I.G.'s advice from the sampled interview that serves as the tracks intro, Jay truly treated every move like it was his first. Jay was able to thrive in the music industry because he always remained hungry no matter how much success he encountered. On what was to be the final song on his final album, Jay reverted back to his O.G. double-time flow (what he came in the game with) and walked us down memory lane.


Although “My 1st Song” didn't turn out to be his swan song, we learned a valuable a lesson from Hov, one that can be applied to any career in any industry: “Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first, and my first as the same as when I came.” And it's worth mentioning, the extended talking outro became emulated by everyone from Kanye West to Lupe Fiasco to Maino. See, Jay was setting trends without even thinking about it.

39. Jay-Z “Ignorant Shit” (2003)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: n/a

Label: Bootleg


Although it was revamped with new verses by Jay and Beanie Sigel for 2007’s American Gangster, the original leaked “Ignorant Shit” that Hov recorded during 2003 sessions for The Black Album is probably the best song that ever missed the cut for a Jay-Z album. One of The Notorious B.I.G.’s signature songs, “Big Poppa,” sampled the smooth first half of the Isley Brothers’ “Between The Sheets.” And in Jay’s long-running tradition of picking up where Biggie left off, Just Blaze’s “Ignorant Shit” beat makes use of the tense arpeggios from the second half of “Between The Sheets,” while Hov waxes eloquent about the role profanity plays in hip-hop’s popular appeal.

38. Jay-Z "Encore" (2003)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: The Black Album

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


It's so hard to say goodbye to the God MC. Jay took it from Marcy to Madison Square, and prior to hanging his jersey in the rafters, Kanye gave him the perfect soundtrack for one last encore.


As it turns out, Jay's retirement was a good old-fashioned pump fake, so thankfully this wasn't the last time the crowd roared for the Brooklyn Boss. But if you've got to end an era, this song would be the ideal way to do it—with a victory lap.

37. Jay-Z f/ Gloria Carter “Smile” (2016)

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Producer: No I.D., Jay-Z

Album: 4:44

Label: Roc Nation/Universal


Gloria Carter had dropped in on her son’s studio sessions before, most significantly to recall a young Shawn Corey’s birth and childhood on 2003’s “December 4th.” But for his most personal album to date, Jay opened up about his mother’s interior life as well, revealing her struggles as a closeted lesbian over a warmly reassuring sample of Stevie Wonder’s “Love’s In Need of Love Today.” The song ends with Gloria’s own poem about “living two lives, happy but not free. ” In April 2018, the song’s video, starring Dominique Fishback as a young Gloria, was honored at the GLAAD Media Awards.

36. Jay-Z "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" (2001)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Do you remember where you were when Jay premiered “Izzo” at 2001's (first ever) BET Awards? It was the world's first taste of the anthem, as Hov invited Nelly and Snoop (and their respective entourages) to celebrate the moment on stage with him. If you witnessed the moment, you knew this was going to be something big.


The next morning, fans were scouring file-sharing sites and impatiently waiting to record from radio. The immediately-recognizable Jackson 5 sample, and beyond-catchy chorus resonated with the masses and created massive amounts of hype for his upcoming album, The Blueprint.


While the record was commercially pleasing, it also appealed to the snobbiest of hip-hop elitists with Jay successfully bringing intricate rhyme patterns and drug talk to Top 40 radio. Granted, most of the world had no idea what “H to the Izzo” meant (No, it wasn't a dedication to Michigan State's basketball coach, Tom Izzo), but that didn't stop the record from exploding, giving Jay another Top 10 Billboard hit. He did it for his culture!

35. Jay-Z "People Talkin" (2001)

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Producer: Ski

Album: Jay-Z: Unplugged

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Not that you needed any incentive to pick up Jay-Z: Unplugged, but this bonus cut had people talking—literally. Jay's last collaboration with Ski Beatz—dropped during the height of the Jay-Z vs. Nas feud (Unplugged and Stillmatic dropped on the same day)—so one would assume Hov was throwing shots at the Little Homie here: “Don't you know when you're defeated/Won't you throw, throw in the towel I'm better with vowels.” It was never specified who was on the receiving end of those barbs, but whoever the “featherweight fucker” was absolutely got sonned.

34. Jay-Z "Come And Get Me" (2000)

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Producer: Timbaland

Album: Vol. 3...The Life And Times Of S. Carter

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Paranoia runs rampant in the entertainment industry—and rightfully so. Countless rappers have been relieved of their material possessions and had their gangster tested over the years.


On this certified banger, Jay decided to take a stand. Instead of hiding from those scheming goons, he confronted them head on, threatening to "remove your roof" and "let the sun shine in." Don't let the money fool you, he was still Shawn Carter from BK: “I'm a crook like you/I took like you/I disobeyed the law/Threw out the book like you”


While Jay and Timbaland are best known for their blockbuster singles, Tim has also given Jay some of his stronger album cuts over the years—the best of which fell on Vol. 3. On “Come And Get Me,” Jay ripped two separate Timbo beats, taunting and prodding his adversaries to stop their talking and come see him face to face.

33. Kanye West & Jay-Z " Niggas in Paris" (2011)

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Producer: Hit-Boy, Kanye West, Mike Dean & Anthony Kilhoffer

Album: Watch The Throne

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation/Def Jam


While recording Watch The Throne, Jay and Ye headed to Paris to work, eat, and go all-out gorilla. “Niggas In Paris” came from those sessions. The cut was an immediate standout from WTT—and now has kids all over the world obnoxiously chanting, “That shit cray.”


Jay balled so hard on the track that he had no problem taunting the powers that be to hit him with a $50K fine which is exactly what the NBA did after he visited the Kentucky Wildcats locker room. But what's a couple dollars to Jay? If you escaped what Jay escaped, you'd be in Paris getting fucked up too.

32. Jay-Z "22 Two's" (1996)

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Producer: Ski

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


Reasonable Doubt wasn't all Mafioso rap—Jay still had to put his champagne down and show and prove as an emcee. On “22 Twos” he paid homage to A Tribe Called Quest and showed off his skills as a highly technical lyricist. He proved he had the ability to properly execute a concept record (faux talk-show banter and all) and although he slowed his flow down a touch, his fast-paced delivery was still highly potent.


The song is mostly celebrated for its first verse, wherein Jay spits the word two/to/too 22 times (Count 'em!). The second verse was always underwhelming by comparison since Jay abandoned the the two/to/too schtick, which may be why during the 10-year anniversary of RD he dropped a proper second verse, “44 Fours.” But it really didn't matter at that point. At the end of this track there was no question, Jay-Z was just too much.

31. Jay-Z "Feelin' It" (1996)

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Producer: Ski

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


Jay kept his Big Willie persona intact on “Feelin It,” the fourth single from Reasonable Doubt. While many of the records on Jay's debut were dark and introspective, “Feelin' It” felt like a vacation from the Marcy Projects—even if it was just temporary. Jay took us to a place where custom suits and expensive champagne were mandatory and although it wasn't sunny, Jiggy Jigga wasn't complaining.


The song's producer, Ski aka Ski Beatz, had his fingerprints are all over Reasonable Doubt. At the time, Ski was also working with a duo from the BX by the name of Camp Lo, who were promised the beat for “Feelin' It.” But even as a newcomer, what Jay wanted, Jay got. Camp Lo fell back and Jay kept the instrumental for his album. Which is a good thing, because “Feelin' It” helped propel Jay's image as a jet-setting, bottle-popping playboy.

30. Puff Daddy f/ The Notorious B.I.G. & Jay-Z "Young G's" (1997)

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Producer: Rashad Smith

Album: No Way Out

Label: Bad Boy


In the summer of 1997, Jay's career was in a holding pattern. While Reasonable Doubt was heralded as a classic by critics, it wasn't a huge success commercially. Jay's Def Jam debut was dropping in the fall, so everything he did in the interim had to make a mark.


Never one to choke under pressure, Jay made sure that his appearance on Puff Daddy and the Family's “Young G's” was an incredibly focused outing—precise, intricate, and understandably smooth. The God MC's well-received guest spot exposed Hov to Puff Daddy's pop audience.


Unfortunately, this would be Jay's last recording with B.I.G., who was murdered just weeks after laying the track. But Jay did promise B.I.G. that he'd be multi (platinum) before he died. Just a few months later, Jay made good on that promise.

29. Jay-Z "Friend Or Foe" (1996) / "Friend or Foe (98)" (1997)

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Producer: DJ Premier

Album: Reasonable Doubt / In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority/Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


When you think of hip-hop's greatest story tellers, names like Slick Rick, Ice Cube, and Scarface typically come to mind. But rarely do you hear Jay's name mentioned—possibly because he rarely flexes his muscle in the story-telling department. But when he does, it's serious, B.


Enter the “Friend or Foe” series, where Jay spins a tale of would-be drug dealers who unknowingly set up shop on Jay's block. The song is typical of the always in control Hov as he promises violence and brandishes a pistol without ever raising his voice. Did you really think you could get by with trying to move work in Hov's territory? Nah, right?


The worst part is that even after Jay gave them a pass on their first attempt (after making them promise to never, no matter the weather, ever, ever, ever come around here no more), they returned in '98 only to meet their maker. In a two hotel town, at that.

28. Jay-Z "Never Change" (2001)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Truth be told, the entire Blueprint album could've made this list. That disc is chock full of so many classics it's hard to pick a favorite. “Never Change” makes the list because it personifies the Blueprint sound, and the wave the album created.


The track finds the Roc Representer proclaiming that no matter how successful he would become, deep down he was still the same old Shawn Carter. He'd worked hard for his spot on top, but don't think he was about to sell out that easily.


What you may not know is that prior to Jay, “Never Change” actually belonged to a Chicago artist by the name of Payroll, who'd purchased the track before Kanye uprooted to the East Coast. Somehow Jay heard Payroll's version of the track, and Pay's “Never Change” became Jay's “Never Change” complete with the same hook (this time performed by Kanye as opposed to Payroll). It must have been a tough pill to swallow, but Payroll never could've taken the track where Jay did.

27. Jay-Z "D'Evils" (1996)

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Producer: DJ Premier

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


On this track Jay's so caught up in the criminal underworld that it's got him praying—not to God, but to Gotti. Years before Jay would be accused of being a devil-worshipping grand wizard of the Illuminati, he was promising to sell his soul for life's riches. “D'Evils” was rich with secret society undertones—enhanced by Preemo's choice of scratched vocals—and showed us Jay's fascination with the dark side.


Claiming his soul was possessed with the hunger for fancy cars and shiny jewelry, Jay says he's willing to attain these things by any means. He would go on to make his wishes come true, hopefully appeasing his inner demons. What can we say? The taste of dollars are shitty, so get some $50s.

RELATED: DJ PREMIER TALKS ABOUT MAKING "D'EVILS"

26. Jay-Z f/ Beanie Sigel & Amil "Do It Again" (1999)

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Producer: Rockwilder

Album: Vol. 3...The Life And Times Of S. Carter

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


After Jay's Vol. 2 shipped 2 million, then blew to three, and skated to four, the Jiggaman had to follow-up in a major way. He started by making big claims, predicting Vol. 3 would move a million copies in its first week—a bold statement, even by Jay's standards. The album sold about half that in the opening week but you couldn't blame the club-ready first single “Do It Again.”


The song was a certified banger featuring the Roc's newest recruits (Beanie Sigel and Amil) as well as one of Jay's most vicious verses. Sitting at the top but still only two years removed from the hood, Jay unleashed some of the most memorable put-downs in hip-hop history including, “He's alright but he's not real,” and “You gotta a little flow? That's cool with me.”


There's no telling how much champagne has been spilled over the years as tipsy clubgoers chanted the contagious countdown-style hook (unless they evacuated the dance floor per Jay's warning). While bootlegging and the subsequent stabbing of Lance “Un” Rivera, at the Kit Kat club may have all contributed to Vol. 3's relatively disappointing first week sales; there was nothing disappointing about “Do It Again.” The song made it clear that the game belonged to Hov and he would never foul out.

25. Jay-Z "Allure" (2003)

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Producer: The Neptunes

Album: The Black Album

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Jay-Z is hardly the first rapper to note that the rap game and the crack game share many parallels. The allure of each can be deadly and many risk life and limb for a small taste of success.


When you're on top, it's hard to walk away. Your eyes are always fixated on that last big run. The theme of leaving the “game” wasn't new in Jay-Z's lyrics, but this time he meant it—or at least he thought he did.


As Hov prepared for his (first) exit from hip-hop, he crafted “Allure,” a record that described, in detail, the allure of the illegal life, and how he successfully made an exit from it. This no doubt symbolized what we thought was going to be Jay's departure from the rap game—but we know how that story ended. He couldn't resist the allure.

24. Jay-Z "Imaginary Player" (1997)

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Producer: Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool for The Hitmen

Album: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Even if Jay-Z wasn't the $100 million man in 1997, he made you believe he was. You talked it while Jay lived it. Do you even know the difference between a 4.0 and a 4.6? Unlikely.


Ever gotten a manicure on a plane before? Of course not. It was already a hard knock life for the false-fronting players out there, and Jay made it even harder for them to breathe.


On “Imaginary Player,” Jay was truly rapping about some other shit, most of which the hip-hop community at large wasn't up on in 1997. Luxury rap at its finest.

23. Jay-Z f/ Ja Rule & Amil "Can I Get A" (1998)

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Producer: Irv Gotti, Lil Rob

Album: Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


The summer of 1998 was huge for Jay-Z. He had come into his own as an artist and was beginning to accumulate the mainstream accolades he'd always longed for. Leading up to the release of his third album, Vol. 2, Jay had four charting singles including “Can I...” which had dance floors packed and middle fingers up. Jay kicked that futuristic flow and had no love for women who were only after his dough.


Although Jay was still somewhat “new” (at least to the masses) at the time, it didn't stop him from introducing us to his proteges: one a growling pocket-sized Pac named Ja Rule and the other being Amil, that chick from Major Coinz. The song worked and this call-and-response anthem had New York and the rest of the world bouncin' (Hi Cam!).

22. Jay-Z "Politics As Usual" (1996)

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Producer: Ski

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


Despite Jay-Z's attempt to break into the rap game, he seemed to treat it only as a hobby, like he could take or leave the success that came along with being a rap star. He was into the fast money, the street money.


Throughout the course of Reasonable Doubt, Jay appeared to still have one foot in the streets, as if unable or unwilling to break his underworld ties. Whether this was actually true is another story, but on “Politics As Usual,” he made you believe it. Champagne wishes and caviar dreams? Nah, Jay was really bout this life. It's raining here again.

21. Ruff Ryders f/ Jay-Z "Jigga My Nigga" (1999)

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Producer: Swizz Beatz

Album: Ryde Or Die Vol. 1

Label: Ruff Ryders/Interscope


Leave it to Jay to steal the show on a compilation set to showcase the roster of a competing record label. When Ruff Ryders dropped Ryde or Die Vol. 1 in the spring of 1999, listeners immediately gravitated towards track four, which featured the catchy, bubbly, sing-a-long chorus coupled with a siren screeching beat that set the streets on fire.


“Jigga My Nigga” would later be released as a single, reaching #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 (the highest charting single from the compilation), further cementing Jay and Swizz Beatz as a force to be reckoned with. Do you even remember the DMX records on Ride or Die Vol. 1? We rest our case.

RELATED: SWIZZ BEATZ TALKS MAKING "JIGGA MY NIGGA"

20. Jay-Z f/ Eminem "Renegade" (2001)

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Producer: Eminem

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


While The Blueprint was heralded for its cohesiveness and soulful sound, one track that didn't fit the mold was the Eminem-produced “Renegade.” Marshall's melodramatic mood music was a direct contrast to the chipmunk soul featured throughout the rest of the opus.


The sonic disparity didn't seem to matter to fans, as they'd been thirsty for a collab from these two lyrical titans for years. The track was initially a Bad Meets Evil pairing, but due to Em's time constraints and approaching Blueprint deadlines, Em had to slide it to Jay instead (the original with Royce can be found on the internets).


To be considered one of hip-hop's all-time greats, you should be able to switch up your flow to attempt a pattern perfected by another artist, especially one you're sharing a song with. Biggie did it with Bone Thugs, and Jay did it on “Renegade,” giving us his best Marshall-inspired layering.


Em and Jay were at the top of hip-hop's food chain at the time, so it was only right they spent five-plus minutes addressing their role model status, critiquing bad parents, and explaining why they were rebels to America. The questions remains, though: Did Em murder Jay on his own shit?

 

19. Jay-Z f/ Scarface & Beanie Sigel "This Can't Be Life" (2000)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Beanie Sigel and Scarface made waves in 2000 on their first pairing, “Mac & Brad,” from Sigel's debut album—and their chemistry was immediately apparent. Jay knew a good thing when he saw it, so he recruited them for “This Can't Be Life,” a heart-wrenching track from his Dynasty album.


While each artist brought their A-game, Jay's verse was especially touching, as he reflected on feeling like a loser watching peers like Nas and Biggie break through while he was still on the corner doing hand-to-hand sales.


He also spoke on losing a child to stillbirth and the internal pain that came along with it. The good news is that Jay will get another chance at fatherhood, however, as Beyoncé cliche is due in February.

18. Jay-Z f/ The Notorious B.I.G. "Brooklyns Finest" (1996)

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Producer: Clark Kent

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


Biggie Smalls was one of the illest to ever do it. So the world had no choice but to respect Jay-Z as a major contender after hearing him go toe-to-toe with Frank White on “Brooklyn's Finest.” There's no doubt both emcees were quietly competing against each other, but this competitive spirit only brought out their best. Loaded with quotables, “Brooklyn's Finest” found Biggie taking playful jabs about his wife Faith Evans and 2Pac while Jay was laughing off junior varsity chumps.


Unfortunately, this would be the first of only three collaborations they'd record prior to Big's demise. There's no doubt who would've been watching the throne had Big's life not been cut short. R.I.P. B.I.G.

17. Jay-Z f/ Jaz-O "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)" (1998)

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Producer: Timbaland

Album: Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


When Jaz and Jay dropped “The Originators,” back in 1990, they were kicking that rapid-fire flow that's now more associated with the Midwest than the city slickers of NYC (Peace to Chip Fu). Jay quickly cut that shit out once he became the Hov the Hustler, but that didn't mean he still couldn't get his hands dirty from time to time.


Jay and Jaz took their double-time flow to outer space over Timbaland's otherworldly production when they revisited the record in 1998. The results were largely successful, but Jay dumped this style shortly after dumping Jaz, and would go on to call Twista whenever he needed those racecar bars.

16. Jay-Z f/ DMX "Money, Cash, Hoes" (1998)

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Producer: Swizz Beatz

Album: Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Sex, murder, and mayhem: Romance for the street. By 1998, DMX and Jay-Z had filled the gaps left by 2Pac and Biggie and become hip-hop's hottest commodities. Plus, they were the two biggest stars on the newly invigorated Def Jam Records. So it was only right Jay and X took it back to the days of their legendary battle in the Bronx and linked with a then-19-year-old Swizz Beatz to discuss life's three most important necessities: Money, cash, and hoes (Are we the only ones who noticed that money and cash are the same thing?).


Besides X's ad-libs, the most mesmerizing part of the song was Swizz's descending keyboard which he recently revealed to us started off as a joke but then became the foundation for the song. We may have scoffed at the idea of Jigga being a best-selling author in '98 but when he went and dropped Decoded on us, he proved us wrong.

RELATED: SWIZZ BEATZ TALKS MAKING "MONEY, CASH, HOES"

15. Jay-Z f/ Mary J. Blige "Can't Knock The Hustle" (1996)

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Producer: Knobody, The Hitmen

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


If you're a newjack trying to break into the rap game, there's no better way to kick off your album than with a feature from Mary J. Blige. However, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul's record label, MCA/Universal, almost baller-blocked the feature from happening, as they thought it would be a bad look for their Queen to appear on a track with an lowly peasant. Luckily, industry vet Combat Jack was able to call in a favor and clear the vocals, but with no further involvement from Mary (including advertisements, music videos, etc).


No Mary J. for the video? No problem. The big-budget, black and white, Hype Williams–directed clip portrayed Jay as a larger-than-life lady killer and all-around dapper don—proving that he needed to share the spotlight with no one. The imagery in the video would set the tone for how the public perceived Jigga throughout the rest of his career: Calm, collected, and untouchable.

13. Jay-Z "Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)" (2001)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


You gotta move carefully because like B.I.G. said, "Mo money, mo problems." Despite (or maybe because of) Jay's overwhelming success, competitors, foes, and bottom feeders were praying for his downfall in the early 2000s. It was becoming harder and harder for Jay to find love from the industry—either they wanted him out or wanted his spot. But why hate on Jay? Being jealous is female trait and those sensitive thugs, they all needed hugs.


It was said Kanye had DMX in mind when he crafted the instrumental for “Heart of the City (Ain't No Love),” but Jay, being the visionary he is, quickly cuffed the track for himself. This was one of four Kanye contributions to The Blueprint, and a pillar of the often-imitated Roc-A-Fella sound that became so popular in the early-aughts. First the Fat Boys broke up, and eventually the Roc did too, but not before their sound changed the direction of hip-hop forever. This joint is probably in the dictionary under “Roc-A-Fella Sound.” Kanye took 'em to church.

12. Jay-Z f/ UGK "Big Pimpin" (1999)

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Producer: Timbaland

Album: Vol. 3...The Life And Times Of S. Carter

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Jigga, Timbaland, and UGK? Nah, they never saw it coming. Being a huge fan of UGK's Ridin' Dirty album, Jay reached out to the Underground Kingz to collaborate on a record for Jay's fourth album. However, Hov's invitation was politely declined by Pimp C, who was staunchly opposed recording with hip-hop's biggest star at the time. The late, great Chad Butler reasoned that a feature with Jay and Timbo would alienate their die-hard fan base and turn their loyal supporters against them.


Luckily, after much prodding from Bun B, Pimp C agreed to do the feature and the rest is history. Timbaland's Middle Eastern-influenced sample was unlike anything in hip-hop at the time, and the boastful, braggadocious rhymes from the East and Third Coast's finest make the “swag” rap of today look downright silly. Not to mention that the Hype Williams-directed video, which was shot on a yacht in Trinidad, completely raised the bar for rap video opulence.

11. Jay-Z "Intro/A Million And One Questions/Rhyme No More" (1997)

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Producer: DJ Premier

Album: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


While Jay kicked off his first album with a Mary J. Blige feature, he opened up his second (also his Def Jam debut, mind you) with two of DJ Premier's best beats—on one song. If you had any questions about the mysterious figure that was Jay-Z on Reasonable Doubt, he addressed them all here in a little over a minute over a beautiful Aaliyah-sampling Primo beat. Well, sort of.


Was Jay, who'd only gone gold with his last effort, really as rich as an artist who'd sold three million? Was he really in L.A. down by Pico with Frederico? Did he really still have a drug spot? Is so, what block? Jay doesn't give much of a reply to most of these questions—at one point asking his interrogator "how bad you wanna know?"—but the mere suggestion that someone would ask these questions tells you all you really need to know.


As he started to deal with the hassles of fame, the ever-so-cool Hov was defensive to reporters and radio personalities who wanted to actually know what he was up to. Of the many questions listed, he really only answered one: Would he ever fall off? But you know already the answer to that one.

RELATED: DJ PREMIER TALKS ABOUT MAKING "A MILLION AND ONE QUESTIONS"

10. Jay-Z "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" (2000)

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Producer: The Neptunes

Album: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


One of Jay's strongest suits—and a big reason why he's avoided falling off for over 15 years—is his ability to spot a trend coming and be in front of it before it reaches the masses. So when he noticed the young, fresh and new sound of The Neptunes headed for chart dominance, he quickly tapped the VA-production duo for this feel good smash, complete with a Pharrell hook.


As the century turned, the sound of The Neptunes turned music and “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” opened the flood gates for this new wave. This playful and fun ode to excess with multiple sing-songy hooks had everyone in the club, high, singing off-key. The track is also noteworthy as it was Jay's first ever track to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B charts, solidifying Jigga as a certified hit maker.

9. Jay-Z "Dynasty Intro" (2000)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Rap album intros are typically skip-worthy. It's not uncommon to find painfully unfunny skits, boring narrators, and even blabbering CEOs carrying on about nonsense. Most rappers would be better off avoiding the whole concept of an album introduction completely.


But every now and again someone cooks up something special, and Jay did just that on the intro to his Dynasty album. Over Just Blaze's eerie instrumental, Jay blacks out, raising questions about his religious beliefs: “Never read the Koran or Islamic scriptures/Only psalms I read was on the arms of my niggas/Tattoos, so I carry on like I'm non-religious.”


This was food for thought from Jigga, who left you to do the dishes after blessing you with a four course meal. Jay's opening verse was so wicked, it created a trend rappers trying emulate the “Dynasty Intro” on their own albums. And as you can guess, most were a fail.

RELATED: JUST BLAZE TALKS THE MAKING "THE DYNASTY INTRO"

8. Jay-Z "U Don't Know (2001)"

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


This was the blueprint for, well, the bombastic Blueprint sound: The soul samples, the pounding bass, the sped up vocals are all on here. Another classic pairing of Just Blaze and Jiggaman. We all knew Jay-Z was rich but clearly we didn't know how rich. When he proclaimed he was going to rape Def Jam until he was the $100 million man, we knew it was serious. Since then, Jay must have made that proclamation a reality at least five times over. Momma definitely ain't raise no fool.

7. Jay-Z "Streets Is Watching" (1997)

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Producer: Ski

Album: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


The street life comes with paranoia. Boatloads of it. Someone or something is always watching. Closely. Waiting on you to make your first mistake. On “Streets Is Watching,” Jay dove deep into his inner psyche to speak on the subject; including foiled plots, brushes with death, and a conscious that weighed heavily on him.


The track featured two samples. One was dialogue the hit gangsta movie, Sleepers (“Going soft if a habit, you've got to keep yourself mean”). The second was "I Got The" by Labi Siffre. Due to the Siffre sample, even the album version of the song is censored (similar to Kanye's “School Spirit”). Even then, the song still became an instant anthem. Jay took the song a step further and created a full-length movie with a soundtrack based around it. Yeah, the streets were watching, but so was everyone else.

6. Jay-Z "Where I'm From" (1997)

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Producer: Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence for The Hitmen

Album: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 is known as Jay's glossiest effort and his foray into the short-lived Jiggy, genre so thankfully there was something on it to remind us Hov was from Marcy. So despite Puff Daddy's influence, the album still featured some the grimiest and grittiest moments of Jay's catalog. Jay always repped BK but never with the vivid imagery and ice-cold detachment he displayed on “Where I'm From.”


He switched his point of view from Kingpin to street-level dealer, speaking to those whose bank accounts were more St. Ides than Cristal, and dropped one of the cleverest couplets of his career, “Where you can't put your vest away and say you'll wear it tomorrow/Cause the day after we'll be saying, 'Damn I was just with him yesterday.'” Not to mention he dropped his infamous quip about the holy trinity of NY hip-hop, “Who's the best emcee? Biggie, Jay-Z, or Nas?”

5. Jay-Z "Takeover" (2001)

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Producer: Kanye West

Album: The Blueprint

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


NYC greats, Nas and Jay-Z, had been entangled in a subliminal war of words for a few years before Jay finally called out God's Son by name at Hot 97's Summer Jam in 2001: “Ask Nas, he don't want it with Hov.” This shot prompted Nasty Nas to drop his infamous “Stillmatic” freestyle which stated H to the Izzo was actually an H to the Omo. What Nas didn't know was that Jay had an extended, more intricate diss in the chamber, that set out to discredit and dismantle Nas' career once and for all.


Enter “Takeover,” a Kanye West-produced monster that was more of a well-written essay than a diss song. The cleverly crafted battle raps not only picked apart Nas' shortcomings, but also took shots at Mobb Deep's Prodigy for being, well, short. Although Jay's beef with Prodigy was greatly overshadowed by the battle with Nas, “Takeover” would ignite the greatest hip-hop feud since 2Pac vs. Biggie and fuel the eternal debate as to who won. But for us, there's no debate: “Takeover” is the greatest diss song of all time.

RELATED: THE 50 BEST HIP-HOP DISS SONGS

4. Jay-Z "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" (1998)

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Producer: The 45 King

Album: Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Jay gave us prophecy on his first joint, but it was commercially ignored (though critically acclaimed). After his follow-up, Volume 1, was panned by fans for being overly jiggy, it was becoming harder and harder for Jay to distinguish himself from the dozens of other NYC upstarts with similar content. This would change forever after Jay heard Kid Capri play a DJ Mark The 45 King-production that sampled the Broadway musical, Annie, after one of his sets in NYC.


As the story goes, Mark the 45 King was watching TV when he saw the commercial for Annie's return to Broadway and immediately picked up on the “It's The Hard Knock Life” sample. 45 later found the Annie album in a bin at the Salvation Army and bought it for a quarter.


Mark crafted the beat and gave it to Kid Capri for Capri's Soundtrack To The Streets album but when Jay heard the instrumental, he was able to persuade Capri to give it to him for his Volume 2 project.


This critical and commercial mega-hit set Jay apart from the rest of the class and sereved as the catalyst for his rise to superstardom. The song marked Jay's arrival to the mainstream masses with a global smash that analyzed life's ills and appealed to all races, ages, and cultures. Volume 2...Hard Knock Life would go on to become Jay's most commercially successful album selling over five million copies in the United States alone.


What still sticks out about the record is how the hook is so innocent and accessible, yet on the verses Jay promises to murder everything moving. “Hard Knock Life” was embraced by everyone—from street dudes to substitute teachers—and broke down yet another cultural barrier for hip-hop. One of Jay's signature records, it finds a perfect balance between hip-hop's street edge and it's pop aspirations. A delicate balance no rapper has been able to manage throughout their career quite like Jay-Z.

3. Jay-Z "Dead Presidents" (1996) / "Dead Presidents 2 (1996)" / "DP3" (2007)

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Producer: Ski

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


“Dead Presidents” was Jay's coming-out party. Sure, he'd guested on Big Daddy Kane and Jaz-O records, but this was his first solo endeavor to be seen by the MTV and BET crowd. So how did represent himself? With dead presidents, that's how. Jay viciously attacked this haunting piano-heavy instrumental, effortlessly displaying his meticulous wordplay. It featured hints of the rapid-fire delivery style Jay was known for in the early 90s but slowed down a few notches to mesh with his smooth kingpin persona.


When Reasonable Doubt dropped, the album included a version different from that of the video: same beat, same hook, new lyrics, equally dope. Nas was allegedly supposed to re-record the hook for part two but he left Hova high and dry, which is rumored to have sparked the Jay-Z and Nas beef.


In 2007, Jay revisited “Dead Presidents” with “DP3” a short and sweet nod to the classic that was solid but seemed unfinished. In turn it was forever banished to mixtapes. Unfortunately, it was never confirmed if Jay was still spending money from '88.

2. Jay-Z "Public Service Announcement" (2003)

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Producer: Just Blaze

Album: The Black Album

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam


Who knew an album interlude could be so powerful? Jay and Just Blaze have a plethora of incredible collabs, but this one is quite possibly be the most perfect. A last second edition to The Black Album's tracklist, Hova checks cheddar and flawlessly rides Just's “Seed of Love” sample on what was to be his swan song.


He also finds time to spew some of his most quote-worthy bars of his career including, “I got the baddest chick in the game, wearing my chain,” and our personal favorite, “I'm like, Che Guevara with bling on, I'm complex!” Admit it: You've used multiple quotes from this song in real life conversations no less than twenty times. So either love it or leave us alone.

1. Jay-Z "Can I Live" (1996)

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Producer: Irv Gotti

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Priority


The centerpiece to Jay's opus, Reasonable Doubt, “Can I Live” finds Jay at the craps tables, sipping margaritas, easily explaining the plight of the hustler and the ups and downs of the game. Over a luscious, jazzy soundscape from Irv Gotti, Hov revealed why he'd rather die enormous than live dormant. He offered his life to acquire the lifestyle he'd always desired, despite the consequences he faced. This joint was a plea to those who wanted Jigga to meet his demise, when all he wanted was a taste of the good life and a minute to enjoy it. Even righteous minds go through this.

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