Don T Let It Show Analysis

This is the album's first track and it discusses killing Jay-Z's ego. This track was written by Shawn Carter known as Jay-Z, Producer No I.D., Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. No I.D. was also a producer in this single. This single samples Alan Parsons Project's song "Don't Let It Show". In this track, Jay-Z discusses important events that have affected his life and were highly publicized. The first occurrence was the shooting of his crack addicted brother when he was twelve years old. Although, Jay Z was never prosecuted for this event, he never forgets it. In addition, he rhymes about growing up in the Marcy projects in Brooklyn without a father. His father abandons him and the rest of the family when Jay Z was young. He mentions how for a long time he had a built an "armor" to protect him against getting emotionally hurt. However, now as a father, he has to show his daughter that he loves her and is her super hero. Additionally, he rhymes about how before being a successful rapper he sold drugs to survive and the guilt he feels for doing so. Jay-Z briefly mentions rapper Kanye West and the rant Kanye did at his 2016 Sacramento Tour Stop. The lyrical content in this track is emotionally raw with a low tempo sound.
"The Story of OJ"
It was produced by No I.D. and Shawn Carter, and samples Nina Simone's single "Four Women". In this track, Jay-Z discusses the struggle of making money and losing it. He begins his rhymes discussing the difference between African slaves that worked in the homes and the field slaves. How the field slaves detested their masters and wanted freedom, while the house slaves cherished their masters. He then continues his rhymes discussing the gang life and how he experienced it while he was a drug