99 Problems 4291380 225157961 2008-07-12T05:12:06Z Valkyrie Missile 1958980 /* Mash-ups */ {{Infobox Single | Name = 99 Problems | Cover = Jayz99problemsdirtoffyourshoulder.jpg | Artist = [[Jay-Z]] | from Album = [[The Black Album (Jay-Z album)|The Black Album]] | Released = [[April 13]] [[2004]] | Format = [[12" single]] | Recorded = [[2003]] at <br />[[The Mansion]]<br /><small>[[Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California]], [[United States|USA]] {{flagicon|USA}}</small><br />Akademie Mathematique of Philisophical Sound Research<br /><small>[[Los Angeles, California]], [[United States|USA]] {{flagicon|USA}}</small>| | Genre = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]]<br />[[Rapcore]] | Length = 3:54 | Label = [[Roc-A-Fella]]/[[Def Jam]] | Writer = Jay-Z<br />[[Norman Landsberg]]<br />[[Felix Pappalardi]]<br />[[Billy Squier]]<br />[[John Ventura]]<br />[[Leslie Weinstein]] | Producer = [[Rick Rubin]] | Reviews = | Last single = "[[Dirt off Your Shoulder]]"<br />(2003) | This single = "'''99 Problems'''"<br />(2003) | Next single = "[[Numb / Encore]]"<br />(2004) }} "'''99 Problems'''" is the third [[single (music)|single]] released by American rapper [[Jay-Z]] in 2003 from the ''[[The Black Album (Jay-Z album)|The Black Album]]''. It reached number thirty on the [[United States|U.S]] [[Billboard Hot 100]] singles chart. The track was produced by [[Rick Rubin]], his first [[hip hop production]] in many years. Rubin provided Jay-Z with the type of stripped-down beat that was once [[Rick Rubin#Production trademarks|his trademark]]. The song features samples of "The Big Beat" by [[Billy Squier]], "Long Red" by [[Mountain (band)|Mountain]], "99 Problems" by [[Ice-T]] and "Touched" by [[UGK]]. Although it remains uncredited, "99 Problems" also contains samples of "Get Me Back on Time, Engine No. 9" by [[Wilson Pickett]]. The title and [[refrain|chorus]] are taken from [[Ice-T]]'s "99 Problems" from his [[1993]] album ''[[Home Invasion]]''. The song featured Brother Marquis of [[2 Live Crew]]. [[Trick Daddy]] released a track on his [[2001]] album ''[[Thugs Are Us]]'' titled "99 Problems", which also contains the lyrics "I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one." On [[July 6]] [[2008]], the song entered the [[UK Singles Chart]] at #35 due to Jay-Z's appearance at [[Glastonbury Festival|Glastonbury]] and the [[O2 Wireless Festival]]. ==Music video== [[Image:99 probs.jpg|thumb|left|Rick Rubin and Jay-Z]] The [[music video]] premiered in April [[2004]] and was directed by [[Mark Romanek]]. It received praises from critics such as [[Armond White]]<ref>[http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=4qp_Hv1-Nog&feature=related YouTube - (Part 14) Armond White on Jay-Z "99 Problems" - Mark Romanek<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, and was nominated for four [[Music Video Production Association|MVPA]] awards in 2005, of which it won three. It also won the [[MTV Video Music Awards]] for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video|Best Rap Video]], [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction|Best Director]], [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]]<ref>Editor: [[Robert Duffy (editor) |Robert Duffy]], [[Spot Welders]]</ref> and [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]], as well as gaining nominations for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Video of the Year|Video of the Year]] and [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video|Best Male Video]]. It was criticized, however, by the [[Humane Society of the United States]] for what the organization alleged was glorification of [[dogfighting]]. [[Image:99problemsvideo.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Jay-Z being shot at the end of the video.]] The video is shot entirely in [[black-and-white]]. It consists mainly of scenes filmed in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]] showing life in the city in an elegant and celebratory fashion. The scenes include: *Jay-Z and Rubin in a car being stopped by the police (lyrical reenactment). *Jay-Z in the [[Marcy Houses]] [[housing project]] where he grew up. *[[Breakdancer]]s and a group doing a rhythm [[choreography]]. *Jay-Z performing in a small club. *Jay-Z on the [[Brooklyn Bridge]]. *Inmates of a [[prison]] in the [[Bronx]]. *Rubin walking with [[Vincent Gallo]]. *A [[funeral director]] making preparations. *A [[rabbi]] praying. *An [[African-American]] [[motorcycle club]]. *Jay-Z being shot with multiple bullets by unseen assailants. This final scene was very controversial as [[music video]] networks normally remove any scenes with violent content. On [[MTV]], every airing of the video featured an introduction by [[John Norris (MTV News reporter)|John Norris]] explaining why the network felt it was proper to air the video unedited. The introduction also featured [[Jay-Z]] explaining why he felt the scene was important to the video. Jay-Z also made a special introduction for [[BET]]. Jay-Z explained that him getting gunned down at the end of the video means, basically, that it was the "death" of Jay-Z, and the "rebirth" of Shawn Carter.[http://www.markromanek.com/press/nytimesd.html] ==Track listings== [[Image:Jayz99problemsdirtoffyourshoulder.jpg|thumb|150px|right||"''99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt. 1'''" single cover]] [[Image:Jay-Z - 99 Problems+Dirt Off Your Shoulder (CD2).jpg|thumb|150px|right||"''99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt. 2'''" single cover]] [[Image:Jayz99problems.jpg|thumb|150px|right||"''99 Problems''" promo cover]] ===99 Problems/My 1st Song=== '''A-Side''' # 99 Problems (Clean) # 99 Problems (Main) # 99 Problems (Instrumental) '''B-Side''' # My 1st Song (Clean) # My 1st Song (Main) # My 1st Song (Instrumental) ===99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt. 1=== # 99 Problems (Explicit) # Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Explicit) ===99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt. 2=== # 99 Problems (Explicit) # Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Explicit) # 99 Problems (Video) # Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Video) ===99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Vinyl=== '''A-Side''' # 99 Problems (Explicit) # 99 Problems (Clean) '''B-Side''' # Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Explicit) # Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Clean) ==Remixes== * Rapper [[T.I.]] used the song's beat to diss fellow southern rapper [[Lil' Flip]]. The diss track was called "99 Problemz (Lil' Flip Ain't One)". * Hardcore techno artists [[Paco Rincon]] vs. [[The Guardian (producer)|The Guardian]] & [[Supreme Entity]] created a song called "99 Problems", which relies heavily on the vocals, but has an entirely different instrumental accompaniment. [http://www.discogs.com/release/976438] * Rapper [[Skillz]] used the instrumental of this song to diss [[Shaquille O'Neal]]. The song was called "99 Free Throws." ==Mash-ups== * [[Linkin Park]] did a [[mashup (music)|mashup]] with Jay-Z that put this song together with their songs "[[One Step Closer (Linkin Park song)|One Step Closer]]" and "Points of Authority" on the ''[[Collision Course (album)|Collision Course]]'' album. * Another mashup is the one found on [[Danger Mouse]]'s ''[[The Grey Album]]'' whose beat is composed of samples from "[[Helter Skelter (song)|Helter Skelter]]" by [[The Beatles]]. * One of the more interesting mashups is from The Argyle Album by 100dBs, where the melody is carried by a synthesizer over a Modest Mouse sample. * There is a mashup of "99 Problems" and "[[99 Luftballons|99 Red Balloons]] (Luftballons)" by [[Nena]] called "99 Luftproblems". * There is a mashup done by Tapemasters Inc. & DJ Chachi named "99 Hills" which features this song lyrics and the beat and chorus from "[[Beverly Hills (song)|Beverly Hills]]" by [[Weezer]]. * The song was mashed with the [[Red Hot Chilli Peppers]]'s song [[Give It Away]] on DJ Vlad and [[Roc Raida]]'s [[Rock Phenomenon]] album. * A rare mashup by TimG ([http://www.timgmusic.co.uk timgmusic.co.uk]) featuring [[Jimi Hendrix]]'s "[[Voodoo Child (Slight Return)]]" also exists. This track was commissioned to be used on a car advert for the new Dodge Charger, but due to a copyright dispute, was never shown. * A mashup of this song and [[Bon Jovi]]'s "[[Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi song)|Wanted Dead or Alive]]" is available. * A Remix Version by Pete Rock also appears on The DJ Jazzy Jeff Live from No where mix cd * There is a mashup called "99 On a High", featuring "99 Problems" and "I'm On a High" by [[Millionaire (band)|Millionaire]], done by Skyve Reuter.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyTfeWjUDe8&feature=related YouTube - Jay-Z vs Millionaire "99 On A High" (Skyve Reuter mash-up)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> * When Jay-Z himself performs the song live with his [[backing band]], they often integrate the main riff of the [[AC/DC]] song, [[Back in Black (song)|Back in Black]]. ==See also== *[[List of Jay-Z songs]] == References == <References/> ==External links== *[http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=31571 Entry] on [http://www.mvdbase.com/ mvdbase.com] *[http://www.markromanek.com/video/22.html Page on Mark Romanek's official site]. Includes screenshot gallery, treatment, credits and production stills. *{{youtube|WwoM5fLITfk|Music video for "99 Problems"}} {{Jay-Z}} [[Category:2003 singles]] [[Category:Jay-Z songs]] [[Category:Music videos directed by Mark Romanek]] [[Category:Songs that sample previously recorded songs]]