In My Lifetime, Vol.1

Jay-Z\'s second album adds silk suits to the saggy denim hanging in his closet. *In My Lifetime* is best known for its cold-blooded dissections \"The City Is Mine,\" \"Streets is Watching,\" and \"Where I\'m From.\" Eve when he lightens up, as he does on \"(Always Be My) Sunshine,\" \"I Know What Girls Like,\" and \"Who You Wit 2,\" he refuses to take off his shades. There is a distance being created here, an elevation that would carry him to the top of the game. The loss of Biggie Smalls in 1997 opened the position of NYC rap kingpin and *In My Lifetime Vol. 1* is Jay-Z\'s resume and convincing cover letter to assume the mantle.

Each Sunday, Pitchfork takes an in-depth look at a significant album from the past, and any record not in our archives is eligible. Today, we revisit JAY-Z’s second album, one that’s more gripping as a show of raw skill than it is as an act of myth-making.

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