According to teh internetz, rap mogul Jay-Z is releasing his first-ever “greatest hits” album this November. Entitled Jay-Z: The Hits Collection, Vol. 1, the album is apparently the first in a series of who-knows-how-many, and compiles 14 of Hov’s choicest cuts.
However, a quick glance at the tracklist shows a heavy reliance on his more recent, post-Blueprint material. A bulk of the tracks are even post-Black Album-era “retirement.” Every album from 1998’s Vol 2… Hard Knock Life onward is included, but the earlier albums are vastly underrepresented. Vol 2…‘s title track is its sole representative, “Big Pimpin” is the only song from Vol. 3, and Vol. 4 and Blueprint 2 also receive the one-track treatment. Here’s the track listing in full:
1. “Public Service Announcement (Interlude)”
2. “Run This Town” (feat. Rihanna and Kanye West)
3. ” ’03 Bonnie & Clyde” (feat. Beyoncé)
4. “Encore”
5. “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)”
6. “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”
7. “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”
8. “99 Problems”
9. “Empire State of Mind” (feat. Alicia Keys)
10. “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”
11. “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)”
12. “Show Me What You Got”
13. “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is) … ”
14. “Big Pimpin’ “
I know I’m not the only Jay fan throwing up their arms in disgust. “Run This Town?” “Show Me What You Got?” “D.O.A?” Just because it was in a Budweiser commercial or preview for a Network TV drama doesn’t mean it’s a hit, Jigga Man.
With as strong of a back catalog as he has, the first installment of his defining collection should be nothing short of phenomenal. Since I’m somewhat of a Jay-Z nerd who can recite nearly verbatim lyrics to random crap like Vol. 3’s “Snoopy Track” (yeah, the one with Juvenile on the hook) I started thinking about what songs would be on my ideal Hits Collection: Vol. 1. Some of them are on the actual album because I think those ones absolutely should be.
1. “Public Service Annoucement” –
I love the idea of starting with those spoken lines.
2. “U Don’t Know” – It’s downright criminal to not include this triumphant banger as one of his all-time greats. “I sell ice in the winter/I sell fire in hell/I am a HUSTLER baby/I’ll sell water to a well!”
3. “Brooklyn’s Finest (feat. Notorious B.I.G.)” – Ditto on this one, “Jay-Z and Biggie Smalls…” you know the rest. Two rap legends at their youngest and thirstiest.
4. “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” – This one I fully support. “It’s the anthem, get your damn hands up!” Classic Jackson 5-sampling Kanye beat to boot.
5. “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” OR “Moment of Clarity” – Either the Timbaland-produced shoulder-shaker or the Eminem-laced head-nodder would be a fine example of his grown-man lyrical swagger displayed throughout The Black Album.
6. “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is…)” – Fully support this one too, a sterling late-career entry off the American Gansgter soundtrack/concept album that sounds, just like Hov calls it, “black superhero music.” Those horns, man.
7. “Can I Get A… (feat. Amil & Ja Rule)” – This song was absolute fire when it came out on the Rush Hour Soundtrack. Those computer-y blips are like, totally ’90s and it would be hilarious to have a Ja Rule guest appearance on the greatest hits album from one of the most successful rappers of all time. And remember when you first heard the uncensored version?
8. “Song Cry” – This one’s a bit on the soft side but it showed that Jay wasn’t afraid to get a little sentimental over a soulful-ass beat. He pulls it off expertly.
9. “Blueprint 2” – The most definitive track off of the way-overrated Blueprint follow-up. An Ennio Morricone “Ecstacy of Gold” sample adds plenty of drama to it, but that Austin Powers reference in the chorus is just embarrassing. Had to include something from this album though, right?
10. “I Just Wanna Love U (Give it to Me)” – This one I fully endorse as well, plus a greatest hits album wouldn’t be complete without something produced by The Neptunes.
11. “So Ghetto” – Incredibly slept on and produced by DJ Premier. Authentic BK-style boom bap with lyrics about Jay’s bad-guy/good-guy persona – “We tote guns to the grammys/pop bottles on the White House lawn/I guess I’m just the same old Sean.”
12. “(Always Be My) Sunshine (feat. Foxy Brown)” – Kinda of a corny one (freakin Babyface sings the hook… ugh) but it has a dope Kraftwerk sample and Fox (she of the Ill Na Na) was all over Jay’s stuff – and vice-versa – in the ’90s.
13. “Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)” – This song was so damn huge that it simply needs to be on here. One of the most memorable, singable choruses of ANY music put out in the last few years.
14. “My First Song” – In all honesty, if this Black Album closer would’ve been Jay’s last musical utterance he would’ve gone out like a true champ. But then again, nobody’s exactly complaining about his return. End the album with this gem of an album-ender and you got yourself a mighty fine compilation.
This barely skims the surface of Jay-Z’s ridiculously deep catalog, and there will likely be at least five of these. Probably even themed ones – Soundtrack/Comps, guest appearances, the list goes on. Order it or stay up on the future installments at the official website (as if Jay-Z needed a plug from this local music blog, right?).
