"If you havin' girl problems, I feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems and a bitch ain't one"

These exact lyrics and theme appear all through Ice-T's song 99 Problems from 1992's "Home Invasion". Yet Ice-T isn't credited for the Jay Z song anywhere. What the fuck???

Its just you...its just you hon...

I was thinking the exact same when I first heard the Jay Z song...

You´re right, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe it´s kind of tongue in cheek or some sort of hommage to Ice T . Maybe he just wants to show that he´s familiar with the IceT song.
Funny thing is , when I was going through some girl problems some while ago a friend of mine, who also happens to be a rapper, quoted these lines from that song. He kept rapping these lines over and over again, and I told him it´s quite funny that all those wannabe tough rappers without "girlproblems" are the first to shoot you and go to court when they really do have girl problems.
Didn´t Jigga have beef with 50 Cent because of Beyonce for a while ?
Yeah, "99 problems and a bitch ain´t one " my ass !
Most problems are girl problems one way or another

KoolEaze said:

BTW, Jay-Z & 50 Cent are friends now.

And they NEVER has beef about Beyonce.

Years back when 50 was just an underground act, some members of the New York media ask Jay-Z for his opition about 50's chances of going mainstream. And Jigga's exact quotes were:

F*** a 50 cents, I'm all about a dollar.

Even till this day, 50 never took Jigga's statement as an insult. In fact, 50 credit Jay-Z for putting his name out to the mainstream so G-Unit could sell more mixtapes!!!

Yeah it is, and the Ice-T original is the best. BROTHER MARQUIS on that one too!!! Stick to the OG's yall!

MrSquiggle said:

Add me to the list. Hope Ice T sues Jay Zzzzzz.
[Edited 12/19/04 22:58pm]

Shapeshifter said:

Are they homies or anything?

can anyone email me an mp3 of the Ice T rap?

I read about this on a hip hop forum
Posters were accusing Jay Z of always stealing other rappers hooks and key or classic lines.

I love Jay Z's 99 problems and felt swindled when I googled the lyrics and found Ice T had created the chorus a decade prior.

Ice T's song is about women and sex. It's too raunchy and pornographic to listen too, really. Jay Z's song is about racist social systems and is the much better song.

But while I like Jay's lyrics, the most driving, catchy part of the song is the headbanging chorus- which he did not originate. He should have given a shout out to Ice T or at least a cameo in his video (like Will Smith did for Kool Moe Dee in Wild Wild West).

As it is, many people will think the hook to be original because who even knows that obscure Ice T song. Jay always says he's paying homage to rappers when he "quotes" them.

But you know, if your song's success is based on the energetic hook you stole (like in Me and My Girlfriend, as well) then that's really weak.

SynthiaRose said:

Quote, steals...

tomāto, tomăto...