[4] In the early 1990s, drug addiction caused him to lose a production deal that he signed with Warner Bros.

The song was a hit and featured a looped chorus from the original cast album of the Broadway musical Annie.

In an interview, Jay-Z spoke on James' importance to hip hop and called him a true pioneer of the business.

[8] Following the success of Hard Knock Life, James heard the Dido song "Thank You" in the 1998 film Sliding Doors.

The recording was later used for the Eminem song "Stan", as the rapper interpreted Dido's lyrics as being about stalking.