Image: David Dow/Getty Images
From New York to the world, Jay-Z – real name Shawn Corey Carter’ – had released his fifth studio album ‘The Dynasty: Roc La Familia’ on 31st October, 2000. The album, which served as the bridge between his fourth studio album ‘Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter’ and the iconic ‘The Blueprint’, still remains one of Hov’s best projects yet.
Released through Roc-A-Fella Records – a label that Jay himself founded in 1994 – the album featured guest appearances from several Roc-A-Fella signees at the time. The album had sold over half a million copies in its first week and debuted at the top spot on Billboard Top 200.
The album featured one of Kanye West’s early productions ‘This Can’t Be Life’ featuring Scarface. This was also his first album that didn’t feature music by DJ Premier. The sixteen-track record included Jay-z’s massive hits of the time such as ‘I Just Wanna Love You (Give it 2 Me)’, ‘Change the Game’ and ‘Stick 2 the Script’. ‘Squeeze 1st’, produced by Just Blaze, had sampled The Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Hyonotize’ and ‘Who Shot Ya?’.
Notable lyrics from the album:
“If I shoot you, I’m brainless
Different toilet, same shit, and I’m sick of explainin this
I’m waitin on arraignment, my n*gga is the plantiff
Yeah, I know what you thinkin – f*cked up ain’t it?” – Streets Talking
“Outta every rag drop, and the West had it locked
Everybody doin ’em, I’m still scratchin on the block
Like “Damn; I’ma be a failure”
Surrounded by thugs, drugs, and drug paraphernalia” – This Can’t Be Life
“Be the most asked question – how I got them digits?
I say I stay on my grind, never stop for bitches
Never talk like a mime, I gotta watch you snitches
And I stick to the script, that’s my advice so live” – Stick 2 The Script
Check out the visuals from Jay-Z’s ‘The Dynasty: Roc La Familia’ below:
Change the Game f/ Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek
I Just Wanna Love You (Give it 2 Me)
Listen to the album here:
