In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

Infobox Album |
Name = In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
Type = Album
Artist = Jay-Z


Released = November 4, 1997 (US)
Recorded = 1997
Genre = East Coast hip hop, Gangsta rap, Mafioso rap
Length = 57:59
Label = Roc-A-Fella Records
Def Jam Recordings
Producer = Jay-Z (Executive), Damon Dash (Co-Executive), Kareem "Biggs" Burke (Co-Executive), The Hitmen (Including Sean "Puffy" Combs, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Steven "Stevie J" Jordan, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Nashiem Myrick, & Carlos "6 July" Broady), DJ Premier, Teddy Riley, Ski, Buckwild, Poke and Tone, Big Jaz, Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool, Anthony Dent
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:uwaxqj4iojka link]
*Entertainment Weekly (B+)
*RapReviews rating-10|9 [http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_lifetimevol1.html link]
*The Source Rating|4|5 [http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1631787&style=music&cart=358537095&BAB=M link]

Last album = "Reasonable Doubt"
(1996)
This album = "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1"
(1997)
Next album = "Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life"
(1998)
Misc = Singles
Name = In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
Type = studio
single 1 = (Always Be My) Sunshine
single 1 date = September 16 1997
single 2 = The City Is Mine
single 2 date = February 3 1998
single 3 = Wishing on a Star
single 3 date = 1998

"In My Lifetime, Vol. 1" is rapper Jay-Z's sophomore album, released on November 4 1997. The album received positive reviews from critics but fans were not embracing Jay-Z's commercialized new image. The album features a much more pop oriented sound than his debut release "Reasonable Doubt" and went on to receive a Platinum certification from the RIAA, selling more than 1.2 million copies in the U.S.

On "In My Lifetime, Vol.1", Jay-Z was able to claim the throne as the "King of New York" after the death of close-friend Christopher Wallace aka, the Notorious B.I.G..

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.

Track listing