Jay-Z - Empire state of mind / 99 problems

Lil Static rerelease Jay Z’s perhaps most well known singles: ’99 Problems’ and ‘New York State Of Mind’ which were the first ever to top the charts and propel the rap turned mogul’s name to fame. Also bookending two distinct phases of his career, the A side is a polished love letter to New York built on soaring piano loops and Alicia Keys’ chorus, crystallising his transition into cultural statesman mode: less hustler, more mayor. Released in 2009, it echoed Frank Sinatra’s civic romanticism but filtered through the lens of Marcy Projects and Roc Nation boardrooms. ’99 Problems’, from The Black Album (2003), hit different: raw, confrontational, stripped down to Rick Rubin’s punk-funk minimalism. Courtroom tension and street wits flip a snappy chorus into a layered commentary on race, law enforcement, and the media.