In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
| In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 | ||||
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| Studio album by Jay Z | ||||
| Released | November 4, 1997 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 58:00 | |||
| Label | Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam | |||
| Producer | Jay-Z (exec.), Damon Dash (co-exec.), Kareem "Biggs" Burke (co-exec.), The Hitmen, Teddy Riley, DJ Premier, Chad Hugo, Ski, Buckwild, Poke and Tone, Big Jaz, Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool | |||
| Jay Z chronology | ||||
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| Singles from In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Chicago Tribune |  |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide |  |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+ |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| The Source | 4/5 |
| Spin | 5/10 |
| USA Today | |
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 is the second studio album by American rapper Jay Z, released on November 4, 1997 by Roc-A-Fella Records. The album debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
The album features guest contributions by Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, Babyface, Blackstreet, Teddy Riley, Too $hort, and Puff Daddy. Producers for Reasonable Doubt such as DJ Premier and Ski contribute to a limited number of beats on this album, though the majority of the production is handled by beatmakers from Puff Daddy's Bad Boy label, giving the album a generally glossier sound than its predecessor. It displayed a shift from the mafioso rap themes of his first effort to the so-called "jiggy" era of late 90's hip-hop, often credited to videos and albums from Puff Daddy and his Bad Boy record label's roster of artists including Notorious B.I.G. (the first two singles from his second album were both huge pop hits) and Mase.
In a contemporary review, Steve Jones of USA Today called In My Lifetime "a rock-solid set with both street and pop appeal".Chicago Tribune critic Soren Baker believed Jay-Z's lyrics "contain a finesse and insight few can articulate as succinctly", while writing that "his use of pop producers Teddy Riley and Sean 'Puffy' Combs will alienate listeners, even as Jay-Z establishes himself as that rare underground rhymer with commercial appeal".Robert Christgau gave the album a two-star honorable mention in his 2000 Consumer Guide book, indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy". He named "(Always Be My) Sunshine" and "Real Niggaz" as highlights while calling Jay-Z "arrogant yet diffident, ruthless yet cute--a scary original". Chris Norris from Spin said Jay-Z's raps are often "in search of meaty ideas or distinctive charm—skills without pleasure", and was also critical of the production. "Without one sure, guiding vision," Norris wrote, "the Combs blueprint comes off as either mundane or embarrassing".
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