View source for Points Of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer

{{Infobox song
| Name          = Points Of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer
| Artist        = [[Linkin Park]] & Jay-Z
| Album         = [[Collision Course]]
| Cover      = Remix-Collision_Course_explicit.jpg
| Working title      = 
| Recorded      = 2004
| Released      = November 30, 2004
| Format      = 
| Length        = 4:55
| Stems      = 
| Time signature      = 4/4
| Tempo      = 95
| Key      = Eb Minor -> C# Minor
| Samples      = 
| References      = Ice-T - 99 Problems
| Live debut      = [http://lplive.net/shows/db/2004/20040718 July 18, 2004]
| Last played      = [http://lplive.net/shows/db/2005/20050218 February 18, 2005]
| Writer        = Billy Squier, Brad Delson, Chester Bennington, Felix Pappalardi, Jay-Z, John Ventura, Joseph Hahn, Leslie Weinstein, Mike Shinoda, Norman Landsberg, Rob Bourdon
| Producer      = Linkin Park, Jay-Z
| Label         = Warner Bros.
| Misc      = {{Extra track listing
| Album       = [[Collision Course]]
| Type        = ep
| Tracks      = 
# [[Dirt Off Your Shoulder/Lying From You]]
# [[Big Pimpin'/Papercut]]
# [[Jigga What/Faint]]
# [[Numb/Encore]]
# [[Izzo/In The End]]
# [[Points Of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer]]
}}
}}
==Background==
"Points Of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer" is a mash-up between "99 Problems" from Jay-Z's ''The Black Album'' and two songs from Linkin Park's ''[[Hybrid Theory]]'', "[[Points Of Authority]]" and "[[One Step Closer]]".

The idea for the track was inspired by a mash-up made by a DJ who went by the handle "AL-B" in early 2004. His mash-up used the songs "99 Problems", "One Step Closer" and "[[1stp Klosr]]". It gained enough attention to receive airplay on numerous radio stations.
Many people thought it was an official remix at the time, and after ''Collision Course'' came out, many people thought it was a ''Collision Course'' demo. The last one was perpetuated by the existence of an internal Warner Bros. Records CD containing a clean and an explicit version of his mash-up.<ref>[http://lplive.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=11764 LPCatalog Exclusives: Linkin Park/Jay-Z Mix - Got News? - Linkin Park Live], June 13, 2015</ref>

Speaking to Soundslam on December 2004, Mike Shinoda said, ''"My favorite part of doing this project was doing Jay’s first verse on “99 Problems.” I felt crazy suggesting it to him at first, like, “hey, I was thinking you could let me rap your part here.” I had to get my confidence up to suggest that one. But I recorded it, played it for him, and he was feeling it, so we were all good."''<ref>[http://mikeshinodaclan.com/media/interviews/soundslam-collision-course-interview/ Soundslam Collision Course Interview - Mike Shinoda Clan]</ref>

The chorus of "99 Problems" is a reference to "99 Problems" by Ice-T.

On April 14, 2021, during a Twitch stream, Mike talked about doing Jay-Z's parts from "99 Problems", saying: ''"I think it was my idea. He was fine with it. Part of the idea was to have us do some of his stuff and him doing some of our stuff, what you can't do with a regular mashup. If a DJ is just taking instrumentals and acapellas and putting them together, and mashing those up, what they can't do is having the two artists do each other's songs, so that was kinda the idea."''

==Versions==
Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.
===Studio===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Album
! Length
! Recorded
! Released
! Notes
|-
| Points Of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer
| ''[[Collision Course]]''
| 4:55
| 2004
| November 30, 2004
| 
*Official mash-up with Jay-Z.
|-
| Points Of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer
| ''Collision Course (Clean)''
| 4:55
| 2004
| November 30, 2004
| 
|-
| [[99 Steps Klosr]] (Explicit)
| ''Linkin Park/Jay-Z Mix''
| 3:52
| 2004
| Summer 2004
| 
*Mash-up of Jay-Z's "99 Problems" and Linkin Park's "One Step Closer" and "1stp Klosr" made by a DJ called AL-B prior to the release of ''Collision Course''.
*While this isn't an official remix, it was discovered that Warner Bros. Records had an internal CD containing it.
*The CD dates from May 19, 2004.
|-
| [[99 Steps Klosr]] (Edited)
| ''Linkin Park/Jay-Z Mix''
| 3:52
| 2004
| Summer 2004
| 
*Clean version.
|-
|}

===Live===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Album
! Length
! Recorded
! Released
! Notes
|-
| Points Of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer
| ''[[Collision Course]]''
| 
| [http://lplive.net/shows/db/2004/20040718 July 18, 2004]
| November 30, 2004
| 
*Censored.
*DVD only.
|-
|}

==Live==
"Points Of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer" debuted at the [http://lplive.net/shows/db/2004/20040718 MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups] event in West Hollywood, California, along with the rest of the ''Collision Course'' tracks. Linkin Park and Jay-Z had to play each of the album's tracks twice due to lighting messing up. Technically, this song was the first one besides the regular "One Step Closer" to close a Linkin Park show. 

The song was performed once more after this event, in 2005 at the [http://lplive.net/shows/db/2005/20050218 Music For Relief: Rebuilding South Asia] event where it closed the setlist. It has not been performed since.

==Personnel==
==Lyrics==
{{collapse top|Album Version|width=500px|left=true}}
<poem>
If you havin' girl problems I feel bad for you, son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

You got it, Mike?

He's got the rap patrol on the gat patrol
Foes that wanna make sure his casket's closed
Rap critics who say he's “Money, Cash, Hoes”
He's from the hood, stupid, what type of facts are those?
If you grew up with holes in your sapitos
You'd be celebratin' the minute you was havin' dough
So fuck critics: You can kiss our whole asshole
If you don't like the lyrics you can press fast-forward
Got beef with radio if we don't play the show
They don't play our hits—we don't give a shit, so
All these mags tryin' to use our ass
So advertisers can give ‘em more cash for ads
Fuckers, I don't know what you take us as
Or understand the intelligence that Jay-Z has
From rags to riches, we ain't dumb
We got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

Ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
If you havin' girl problems I feel bad for you, son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

The year is ninety-four and my trunk is raw
In the rear-view mirror is the mo'fuckin' law
I got two choices, y'all: Pull over the car or
Bounce on the double, put the pedal to the floor
Now I ain't tryin' to see no highway chase with Jake
Plus I got a few dollars—I can fight the case
So I pull over to the side of the road
And I heard: “Son, do you know what I'm stoppin' you for?”
‘Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hat's too low?
Do I look like a mind-reader, sir? I don't know
Am I under arrest or should I guess some more?
“You was doin' fifty-five in a fifty four
License and registration and step out of the car
Are you carryin' a weapon on you? I know a lot of you are”
I ain't steppin' out of shit
All my paper's legit
“Well, do you mind if I look around the car a little bit?”
Well, my glove compartment is locked—so's the trunk in the back
And I know my rights so you gon' need a warrant for that
“Now aren't you sharp as a tack? You some type-a lawyer or somethin'?
Somebody important or somethin'?”
Haha, I ain't passed the bar but I know a little bit
Enough that you won't illegally search my shit
“We'll see how smart you are when the K9's come”
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

Ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
If you havin' girl problems I feel bad for you, son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

Ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
If you havin' girl problems I feel bad for you, son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

Ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
If you havin' girl problems I feel bad for you, son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one

Now, once upon a time not too long ago
A nigga like myself had to strong-arm a ho
This is not a ho in the sense of havin' pussy
But a pussy havin' no God damn sense tryin' to push me
I tried to ignore him and talk to the Lord
Pray for him ‘cause some fools just love to perform
You know the type: Loud as a motorbike
But wouldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight
The only thing that's gonna happen is I'm-a get to clappin'
And he and his boys gon' be yappin' to the captain
And there I go, trapped in the kit-kat again
Back through the system with the riff-raff again
Fiends on the floor scratchin' again
Paparazzis with they cameras, snappin' them
DA tried to give the nigga shaft again
Half a mil for bail ‘cause I'm African
All because this fool was harassin' them
Tryin' to play the boy like he's saccharine
But ain't nothin' sweet—‘bout I hold my gun
I got ninety-nine problems—bein' a bitch ain't one
Hit me

Ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
If you havin' girl problems I feel bad for you, son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

Ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
If you havin' girl problems I feel bad for you, son
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me

Shut up when I'm talkin' to you
Shut up
Shut up
Shut up
Shut up when I'm talkin' to you
Shut up
Shut up
Shut up
Shut up
I'm about to break

Everything you say to me
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me
I need a little room to breathe
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me
Everything you say to me
I got ninety-nine problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me
I need a little room to breathe
I got ninety-nine problems
And I'm about to break</poem>
{{collapse bottom}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, AL-B and Jay-Z.jpg|Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, AL-B and Jay-Z<ref>[https://twitter.com/ALBthr3/status/1639769485811892225 AL-B on Twitter: "@linkinpark Hanging with a couple of you guys and the main man Jay Z in 2004 after the Mashup I created sparked the creation of Collision Course…#linkinpark #jayz #collisioncourse #ALB3 #Mashup #KRock https://t.co/Ja0CFcly40" / Twitter], March 25, 2023</ref>
</gallery>

==External Links==
==References==
<references />

[[Category:Linkin Park Discography]][[Category:Linkin Park Songs]]