Jay-Z - "99 Problems"off The Black Album
produced by Rick Rubin

Why wasn't this the lead single? Definitely the best banger for the buck off Jiggy's claimed last LP, "99 Problems" should be the party stomper and circle former of 2004. Proving that today's hip-hop doesn't need the minimal drum programming, synth lines, and guests that plague the modern world, Jay-Z rips it ontop of hard drums and blaring noise. DJ Double R (aka Rubin) comes correct with his copies of Ultimate Breaks & Beats sampling two classics for hip-hop production: Billy Squire's "Big Beat" and Wilson Pickett's "Get Me Back On Time", and it sounds fantastic. Rick stop wasting your time with Americana production and do another rap record please? We need these loud sounds back again and prove that we can still do "fresh for '86" and sound modern. I know sampling laws have severely killed great sounding popular hip-hop instrumentals, but Jay-Z can afford it! The samples on this track alone were stale back in 1991 and the royalty game was built on the sample usage of those days. Bring them back! They are worth the payouts! Compare the drums on this track with some of the others on the record. Can producers do drum programming more intricate than kicks on 1 and snares on 2? God it gets so boring. Yes everyone is sweating 9th Wonder these days, but he should have gotten some tips from Rubin (peep "I Need A Beat" by LL for some fantastic Def Jam Rubin production) on how to lay a backbone. Breath of fresh air, thanks Jay-Z for tapping Rubin for this. And you know Jay went nuts in the mic booth he had fun in the mic booth when Rick put this though his headphones. I know I did when they came though mine.