This is a Curtis Mayfield sample, but I didn't just want to loop the intro or outro and jack the hook and speed it up. I chopped several different sections and put em together and even though it sounds like a loop it's really not. The humming in the background really gives this song that extra ummph and really makes the record speak to you in my opinion. After I finished making the beat, it kind of reminded me of one of those old Negro Spirituals, and ran the idea of having a Timbaland or Cee-Lo like chorus for the hook. I think Clay will suprise some with his vocal skills. Content wise, this could be the best song on the album because it is not a ficitional account. "Hard Times" gives the listener some insight to Clay's personal life and some things he has gone through.
