99 Problems
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“99 Problems”
Single by Jay-Z from the album The Black Album
Released	April 13, 2004
Format	12" single
Recorded	2003 at The Mansion Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California, USA Akademie Mathematique of Philisophical Sound Research Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre	Hip hop Rapcore
Length	3:54
Label	Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
Writer(s)	Jay-Z Norman Landsberg Felix Pappalardi Billy Squier John Ventura Leslie Weinstein
Producer	Rick Rubin
Jay-Z singles chronology
"Dirt off Your Shoulder" (2003) "99 Problems" (2003) "Numb / Encore" (2004)

"99 Problems" is the third single released by American rapper Jay-Z in 2003 from the The Black Album. It reached number thirty on the 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 his trademark. The song features samples of "The Big Beat" by Billy Squier, "Long Red" by 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 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 and the O2 Wireless Festival. On October 16, 2008, Jay-Z dedicated the song to John McCain and a certain "homegirl," referring to the Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, whom he described as "the one who says 'You betcha.' "

Music video

The music video premiered in April 2004 and was directed by Mark Romanek. It received praises from critics such as Armond White¹, and was nominated for four MVPA awards in 2005, of which it won three. It also won the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Rap Video, Best Director, Best Editing² and Best Cinematography, as well as gaining nominations for Video of the Year and Best Male Video. It was criticized, however, by the Humane Society of the United States for what the organization alleged was glorification of dogfighting.

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.
• Breakdancers 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 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.³

Track listings

"99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt. 1'" single cover

"99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt. 2'" single cover

"99 Problems" promo cover

"99 Problems" Science for Charlotte Mix Cover

99 Problems/My 1st Song

A-Side

1. 99 Problems (Clean)
2. 99 Problems (Main)
3. 99 Problems (Instrumental)

B-Side

1. My 1st Song (Clean)
2. My 1st Song (Main)
3. My 1st Song (Instrumental)

99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt. 1

1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
2. Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Explicit)

99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt. 2

1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
2. Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
3. 99 Problems (Video)
4. Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Video)

99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Vinyl

A-Side

1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
2. 99 Problems (Clean)

B-Side

1. Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
2. 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 & Supreme Entity created a song called "99 Problems", which relies heavily on the vocals, but has an entirely different instrumental accompaniment. [1]
• Rapper Skillz used the instrumental of this song to diss Shaquille O'Neal. The song was called "99 Free Throws."

Mash-ups

• Phish performed the song on 06/18/2004 with Jay-Z during their concert at Brooklyn's KeySpan Park.
• Linkin Park did a mashup with Jay-Z that put this song together with their songs "One Step Closer" and "Points of Authority" on the 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" 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 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" 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 (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" 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, done by Skyve Reuter.⁴
• 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.
• Silverchair mashed-up the Chrous with their own song "The Man That Knew Too Much" Live.

See also

• List of Jay-Z songs

References

1. ^ YouTube - (Part 14) Armond White on Jay-Z "99 Problems" - Mark Romanek
2. ^ Editor: Robert Duffy, Spot Welders
3. ^ Mark Romanek.com on "99 Problems"
4. ^ YouTube - Jay-Z vs Millionaire "99 On A High" (Skyve Reuter mash-up)

External links

• Entry on mvdbase.com
• Page on Mark Romanek's official site. Includes screenshot gallery, treatment, credits and production stills.
• Music video for "99 Problems" at YouTube