"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" is a single from rapper Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It samples the song "It's the Hard Knock Life" from the Broadway musical Annie. The song was produced by The 45 King and at the time of its release, was the most commercially successful Jay-Z single. The RIAA certified it as a gold single in March 1999. In addition, it was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 41st Grammy Awards in 1999.
It was ranked number 11 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop.
The song was parodied by Mike Myers' character Dr. Evil in the 2002 movie Austin Powers in Goldmember.
"Hard Knock Life" was Jay-Z's first single to achieve success outside the U.S., reaching the top 10 in several countries. Commercially, its biggest success came in the United Kingdom, where it reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1998.
Famous quotes containing the words hard, knock and/or life:
“The repugnance to animal food is not the effect of experience, but is an instinct. It appeared more beautiful to live low and fare hard in many respects; and though I never did so, I went far enough to please my imagination.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“I would not knock old fellows in the dust
But there lay Captain Carpenter on his back
His weapons were the old heart in his bust
And a blade shook between rotten teeth alack.”
—John Crowe Ransom (1888–1974)
“With only one life to live we can’t afford to live it only for itself. Somehow we must each for himself, find the way in which we can make our individual lives fit into the pattern of all the lives which surround it. We must establish our own relationships to the whole. And each must do it in his own way, using his own talents, relying on his own integrity and strength, climbing his own road to his own summit.”
—Hortense Odlum (1892–?)