vol. 3... life and times of s. carter is the fourth studio album by american rapper jay-z. it was released on december 28, 1999, by roc-a-fella records and def jam recordings. according to "usa today" critic steve jones, the record marked a return to the street-oriented sound of jay-z's 1996 debut album, "reasonable doubt". "vol. 3..." featured production from swizz beatz, timbaland, k-rob, dj clue, rockwilder, dj premier, and irv gotti, among others.