"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:
“A long time ago people often said, “Why did you become a teacher?” Well, that was about the only decent thing when I was growing up for a girl to be. If you became a secretary ... you got a hard name.”
—Knowles Witcher Teel (b. c. 1906)
“‘Who knocks?’ ‘I, who was beautiful,
Beyond all dreams to restore,
I from the roots of the dark thorn am hither,
And knock on the door.’”
—Walter De La Mare (1873–1956)
“Time, fall no more.
Let that be life time falls no more. The threat
Of time we in our own courage have forsworn.”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)