Fourteen years ago, today, Jay-Z released his breakout album, Hard Knock Life. Jay-Z had previously released albums in 1996 and 1997. Both albums were met with positive reviews, but were not enough to put him over the hump. Fortunes changed for Jay-Z in 1998 with Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life. The album would sell over five million records in the United States, a then-record for Def Jam.
Jay-Z posted several hits off the album and established himself as a force in the rap game. The success of Hard Knock Life and the title track paved the way for Jay-Z. Over the years, Jay-Z would deliver eight more albums and a retirement. In addition to the music, Jay-Z would also take over the head role at Def Jam before leaving to form Roc Nation.
Close to two decades later, Jay-Z continues to go strong, now the executive producer of NBA 2K13. During the red carpet for the 2K13 event, Jay-Z spoke to MTV News about the album that helped put him on the global map. Jay-Z spoke of how he wanted Dame Grease for the album and instead was given Swizz Beatz, which initially he did not like, but loved once he heard the music.
