| Lewis was replaced as host by Dennis James, who was even worse, and other emcees were tried. |
| This is definitely a man with a lot on his mind, he and his guest emcees rhyming with a sense of conviction and urgency on each track. |
| The emcees kept the flow going by introducing each item with a brief description. |
| The emcees asked the classic is-there-a-doctor-in-the-house question, and four popped up to give aid. |
| Aside from that, Jay-Z's not one of my favorite emcees, but a good beat does a lot to make up for that, and this album is a wonderful example. |
| For reasons that will be explained later, the highlights of 1st Class are the tracks that feature guest emcees. |
