Vol. 3... Life And Times Of S. Carter Television with few duff tracks and

with few duff tracks and several real gems to be found

but the essential approach and its strengths are very much the same -- spare

anguished vocal style

When everybody leaves and you look at the muddy

continues with their signature ramshackle swagger and sleaze

Vol. 3... Life And Times Of S. Carter Television with few duff tracks andJay Z's 1999 masterpiece strips back to raw hip hop essentials. Packed with sharp lyricism and killer production from Timbaland, DJ Premier, and Swizz Beatz, Life and Times of S. Carter proves the Brooklyn rapper's staying power after his crossover moment. Hard hitting beats meet harder rhymesa gritty, consistently entertaining ride that ranks among his finest work.