Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life

Jay-Z stands on the cover of his third album in a sharp dark suit, leaning against a classic car, cool and composed against a clean white background, with his name in silver capitals at the top.

Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, released on 29 September 1998, was Jay-Z's commercial breakthrough. Its title track sampled the orphans' song from the musical Annie and became a worldwide hit, and the album won the Grammy for Best Rap Album and became the best-selling record of his career.

The image of the businessman leaning on his car summed up the Jay-Z persona that took over rap in the years that followed. The polished look and confident pose turned the Brooklyn hustler of Reasonable Doubt into a star.