99 Problems Lyrics

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  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
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About

Genius Annotation

In Decoded, Jay states he used “99 Problems” to confuse critics and point out their own ignorance by hiding a deeper story behind a superficial chorus.

The chorus hook “I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain’t one” is taken from the Ice-T single “99 Problems” from the album Home Invasion (1993). The hook was coined during a conversation between Ice-T & Brother Marquis of Miami-based 2 Live Crew.

Jay went old-school for the beat—he linked with Def Jam Recordings co-founder Rick Rubin, who was a key producer of seminal, hard-hitting beats for the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC and other early rap icons. This song samples the classic breakbeat from Billy Squire’s “Big Beat,” popular with many tunes from that era.

The video became controversial for its ending, where Jay gets shot in a metaphorical end to his rap career. The clip was only aired with a disclaimer in which MTV’s head of programming defended its artistic value.

If you have time to read it, here’s a 20 page analysis of the second verse by a law professor, discussing its legal accuracy.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Where can I watch footage of the "99 Problems" studio session?
Genius Answer

What did JAY-Z say about "99 Problems"?
Genius Answer

Jay-Z said of the track:

As a writer, and as a creator, you have ideas—and for whatever reason, a lot of them don’t work out. So when it happens it’s like, euphoria. I’d always wanted to do a track with Rick Rubin, and I knew once he pulled out the ‘Roland’ it was gonna be a problem. He also truly produced me, which felt uncomfortably good. I wasn’t used to someone telling me to ‘change’ something. He pushed me to take the track to a whole other level. My A&R Kyambo ‘Hip-Hop’ Joshua had the idea to use Ice-T’s concept, but I ran with it in a different way. I wanted to flip the hook, not make it about a girl. So I had these stories—the Southern racist cop, I wanted to paint the picture with his voice. Even down to the things he says, [such as] ‘a lot of you are.’ The track is light in its approach, but it’s heavy.

What has producer Rick Rubin said about the track?
Genius Answer

Jay Z was going into retirement and asking different producers that he liked to each do a track. We went in several times. He had started something that was more rooted in the old Def Jam sound. He suggested using 808s, so we came up with a polyrhythmic beat that functions in a similar way to ‘Going Back to Cali.’

The idea for the song was Chris Rock’s idea. He said, ‘Ice-T has a song called “99 Problems.” It’s a great hook: “I got 99 problems but a bitch ain’t one.” It’s a great phrase. Jay Z could make a great record out of that.’ I told that to Jay, and he wrote the song based on the title. The idea was, it’s the opposite song. In the Ice-T original song, it’s all about the girls. Our idea was, ‘OK, this will be a song with the same hook about the problems.’

He took the track in the back of the room and played it over and over again and wrote whole complicated verses in his head. It took him about half an hour. And he’d run in the other room and just do it several times, and each time he did it, the inflection and flow would be different. It would fit the beat differently, or he’d emphasize different words. Each one was its own unique performance. He did that for each of the verses: He’d listen, write and record. I’d played him the beat at night, and the next day he came in with a page of lyrics. He said it was the first time he had ever physically wrote anything down before for any record. He was just very inspired by that beat, and it was a miraculous thing to behold.

After he did the vocals, we did some more scratching and drops and just kind of made it into the record that it is. The guitars were a combination of old records that were sped up or slowed down, scratched in, or in some cases, we played guitars and then made a disc and scratched them in with a digital turntable. It was all processed and made new.

Credits
Produced By
Video Director
Performance Rights
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Recording Engineer
Programmer
Mixing Engineer
Recorded At
Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research (Los Angeles, California); The Mansion (Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California, U.S.)
Release Date
November 4, 2003
Songs That Sample 99 Problems
Bagażowi by Szad Akrobata, Kawałek o ściemnianiu panien (Po pierwsze...) by Smarki Smark (Ft. Emrat), JEUNE by Benjamin Epps, Auf mein Fahrrad by LX & Bonez MC, Intro (Rock Phenomenon) by Various Artists, 40 Years of Hip-Hop by The Hood Internet, ​please let me testify (Testify Freestyle) by ​dread scott, 99 Problems by дима бамберг (dima bamberg), Mutterliebe by Hiob & Morlockk Dilemma, Citizen Caine by Slaine, KSI Exposed by W2S, I Ain`t Got None by JUSTHIS (저스디스) (Ft. DJ Djanga), Ciuchy, kobiety... (SB Maffija Remix) by Quebonafide (Ft. ADM, Białas, Danny (POL), Solar & TomB), Young & Black by Kendrick Lamar, Throw Up Ya Gunz by The Notorious B.I.G. (Ft. 2Pac, Busta Rhymes, JAY-Z, Nas & Snoop Dogg), 1985 (DJ Premier 1966 Remix) by J. Cole & DJ Premier, Ciuchy, kobiety... by Quebonafide (Ft. Dwa Sławy, Ras & Sitek), Oh No by Girl Talk, Hip Hop Goes Broadway by Superfruit, Homage to Premier by Focus… (Ft. Phonte, Royce da 5'9" & Stat Quo), Full Tank by Illy, History of Rap 5 by Jimmy Fallon (Ft. Justin Timberlake), No Friend Of MIne by B.B.S., 100 Bars / Wake-Up Call by Punch Arogunz, Don't Come Back by Vybz Kartel, Say It To Me by Illy, Sushi & Cocaina by Marracash (Ft. Luchè), 99 Problemi (Remake) by Slait (Ft. En?gma & Salmo), Für meine Feinde by Prinz Porno (Ft. Stickle), Lift-Off by Luizão 911, Wir regeln by Seyed & Kollegah, Tag Team by Seyed & Kollegah, Law And Order by Funkoars & 99 Problems (Shootin Bricks Ain't One) by Heath McNease
Songs That Interpolate 99 Problems
999 проблем by Horus, Зараза (Zaraza) & Ка тет (Ka tet), 9 by Snik, My Dog by Killa Fonic, Bassthoven by Kyle Exum (Ft. ​shawn wasabi), We Are Strong by Jamie Drastik (Ft. ATM), Alright by Sik-K (식케이) (Ft. HAON (김하온), Jay Park (박재범) & ​pH-1), Chromosomes by Key Glock, Bloody 98 by $UICIDEBOY$ (Ft. Ghostemane), Rich Russian Kid by OG Buda, 99 Problems by JayBZY!, NEVER INVITED by XIOMARI, Länge Leve Vi by 23, Увяз (Bogged Down) by White Punk (Ft. ЛСП (LSP)), LITERS by Appledream & Schokk, Started from the bottom G-Mix by Yung Beef (Ft. El Mini & Marcielo Alma en Pena), Дракула (Dracula) by Jubilee, Luego by JABO, For Da Slatts (Problem) by Big Ant Dog, Ламбада (Lambada) by T-Fest & Скриптонит (Skryptonite), Points of Authority by Eyes Set To Kill (Ft. Whitney Peyton), GOD FLAVOUR by Jay Jiggy, ​okay. by Dante Bowe (Ft. LAEL (US) & Trevor Jackson), Putas y Dinero by Brașov & NANE, Brothers (Remix) by Lil Tjay (Ft. Lil Durk), Sauce by The Game (Ft. DJ Khaled), 12 Problems by Rapsody, ASHTRAY by BERWYN, My Amy by Owen (오왼) (KOR) (Ft. Leebada (이바다)), 99 Problemas by Bruno JVP, Pistol In The Bathroom by Dan Bull (Ft. Bonecage), 99 Bottles (Demo) by Khary, Instagram Story Snippet 16 March 2020* by Fukkit, ​awkward! by Savage Ga$p (Ft. Sewerperson), Changed by 7 GRANDY, There He Is by Bobby Creekwater, The Rap Monument by Noisey (Ft. Action Bronson, Alexander Spit, A$ton Matthews, Bobby Creekwater, Bodega Bamz, Bryant Dope, CUZ Lightyear, CyHi, Danny Brown, Da$H, Del Harris, Flatbush Zombies, Heems, Killer Mike, Kilo Kish, Meyhem Lauren, Mike G, Nigel Nasty, Nipsey Hussle, Pill, Pregnant Boy, Problem, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Pusha T, Raekwon, Remy Banks, Renegade El Rey, RetcH, Rockie Fresh, Scotty ATL, Two-9, Vado, Yak Ballz, YG, Young Thug & Zebra Katz), So Much Better by Eminem, Soundtrack 2 My Life by Kid Cudi, 2002 by Anne-Marie, POWER by Kanye West, Inside by Earl Sweatshirt, FREE3 by Shawn May, Law And Order by Funkoars, Problem by Ariana Grande (Ft. Iggy Azalea), 99 NEETs by L-VOKAL, Que fita, hein... by Siddie, 99 Problems (Shootin Bricks Ain't One) by Heath McNease, În zgomot de măsele supte by Cheloo & ​please let me testify (Testify Freestyle) by ​dread scott
99 Problems Live Performances
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