Jay’s 3rd studio album, released September 29, 1998, less than a year after his sophomore record. The album spawned his biggest hit so far, “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” which propelled Vol. 2 to the dizzying heights of 5 million record sales by the year 2000. The track made it to number 15 on the US Billboard Charts, although it was lead single “Can I Get A…” that won Jay a spot atop the US Billboard 200 album charts. That song was picked up by Rush Hour. Stylistically, it’s a shift back towards Reasonable Doubt, and ironically, despite the heavy radio airplay that the first two singles received, Jay steers clear of trying to make a true radio hit. Production is once again handled by DJ Premier, but new heads like Swizz Beatz, Timbaland and Irv Gotti are utilised, alongside Jay’s longtime mentor Jaz-O. Puff Daddy does not appear on the album. The opening track: “Intro – Hand It Down” is performed entirely by Pain In Da Ass and Memphis Bleek, and we see the first example of a young Beanie Sigel, appearing on the huge posse cut “Reservoir Dogs” with both Sauce Money and The LOX. The bonus track “Money Ain’t A Thang” was a massive hit for Jermaine Dupri, appearing on his record Life in 1472. In 2013 Jay ranked Vol. 2 his 4th best album, beating out American Gangster. In 2012 he said: It was just so pure. I wanted Dame Grease, ‘cause he was workin’ on the DMX album It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot. I was like, ‘Where’s the guy that’s making all of those songs?’ [He says of Swizz Beats] He came in, he played those songs. We went from my office to the studio, we made four records … From there, the body of the album was in place.