'Both guys are used to getting their way' and thus reluctant to back down, Jay-Z notes, and the driver 'knows a bit about the law because he's used to breaking it' and asserts his legal rights. In a discussion at the Celeste Bartos Forum at the New York Public Library, Jay-Z described the second verse of the song as representing 'a contest of wills' between the car's driver who is 'all the way in the wrong' for carrying illegal drugs, and a racist police officer who pulls over the driver not for any infraction but for being African-American. His contention that he was pulled over for being black was later confirmed to have been common practice by New Jersey police. Moments after he drove away, he saw a police car with the dogs drive by. However, the dogs never showed up and the police had to let him go. He refused to let the police search the car and the police called for drug-sniffing dogs. He wrote that in 1994 he was pulled over by police while carrying cocaine in a secret compartment in his sunroof. The second verse was based on an actual experience of Jay-Z in the 1990s in New Jersey. The second verse, describing Jay-Z's traffic stop, has received much more attention than the rest of the song. Problems playing this file? See media help. Jay-Z begins his third verse directly quoting lines from Bun B's opening verse off the track 'Touched' from the UGK album Ridin' Dirty. Portions of Ice-T's original lyrics were similarly quoted in a song by fellow rapper Trick Daddy on a track also titled '99 Problems' from his 2001 album Thugs Are Us. Ice-T would re-record his version of the song with the Rubin/Jay-Z guitar riff for Body Count's 2014 album Manslaughter in order to 'reclaim' the hook from being mis-attributed to Jay-Z. The original song was more profane and describes a wide range of sexual conquests. The song featured Brother Marquis of 2 Live Crew. The title and chorus are derived from Ice-T's '99 Problems' from his 1993 album Home Invasion. Featuring the same Billy Squier drum beat sample, Dizzee Rascal released ' Fix Up, Look Sharp' in August 2003 prior to The Black Album's release.

In creating the track Rubin used some classic 1980s sample staples such as ' The Big Beat' by Billy Squier, ' Long Red' by Mountain, and 'Get Me Back On Time' by Wilson Pickett. Rubin provided Jay-Z with a guitar riff and stripped-down beat that were once his trademarks.

The track was produced by Rick Rubin, his first hip hop production in many years.

6.4 99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Vinyl.

6.3 99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt.

6.2 99 Problems/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Pt.

Jay z the black album cover