In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (Edited) Review

07/13/2005 6:14 AM, AMG


With his second album, In My Lifetime, Jay-Z goes a long way to establishing himself as an indivdual talent and not simply a roaming guest artist. Jay-Z is still reluctant to explore new musical territory, preferring to work traditional pop-crossover ballads and funky, watered-down post-gangsta hardcore, but his rhyming has gotten quicker and better, while the production is tight, seamless and appealing. There are still a few slow spots on In My Lifetime, and Jay-Z would be advised to broaden his sonic palette in the future, but on the whole, the record shows that he is beginning to come into his own. [In My Lifetime was released in an edited version with all of the profanity removed.] ~ Leo Stanley, All Music Guide