Jay-Z: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 is the second studio album from Jay-Z, 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.

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.

Singles

1. “Who You Wit”
   • Released: May 20, 1997
2. “(Always Be My) Sunshine”
   • Released: September 16, 1997
3. “The City Is Mine”
   • Released: February 3, 1998

U.S. Billboard Charts

#3 on Billboard 200
#2 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums

- The above information was taken from Wikipedia