2017 has had plenty of reasons to look forward to New Release Friday. But only a few drops effectively had fans up at midnight collectively experiencing new music as a culture. Kendrick Lamar did it with DAMN., and this past Friday (June 30) JAY-Z released his fabled 4:44, taking over social media as fans gave it a hard listen. By nearly all accounts, it delivered on all fronts.
Amid soundscapes orchestrated by chronically underrated producer No I.D., Jay delivered focused, age-appropriate bars that many have compared to his Blueprint era.
With little wasted space, Jay’s lyrics are dense throughout the 10-song TIDAL-released LP, and take a few listens to catch some of the most intricate references. Deeply personal at points, he takes straight shots and reminds listeners why heads back in 1996 were arguing all day about “Who’s the best MCs, Biggie, Jay-Z, or Nas?”
Not only did he make clear his feelings about Kanye and the coordinators of the late Prince’s estate, he even added to the Lemonade narrative and hilariously referenced Eric Benét — prompting a response on Twitter. And that doesn’t even scratch the surface.
After a few listens, we’ve narrowed down our Top 20 bars from the album. Which lines were you feeling? Let us know in the comments below.
“Kill Jay Z”
“You gave him 20 million without thinkin’/ He gave you 20 minutes on stage, fuck was he thinkin’?/ ‘Fuck wrong with everybody?’ Is what you sayin’/ But if everybody’s crazy, you’re the one that’s insane.”
“Kill Jay-Z”
“You almost went Eric Benét/ Let the baddest girl in the world get away/ I don’t even know what else to say: Nigga, never go Eric Benét/ I don’t even know what you woulda done/ In the future, other niggas playin’ football with your son.”
“The Story Of O.J.”
“Y’all out here still taking advances, huh?/ Me and my niggas taking real chances, uh/ Y’all on the Gram holding money to your ear/ There’s a disconnect, we don’t call that money over here, yeah.”
“The Story Of O.J.”
“I bought some artwork for $1 million/ 2 years later, that shit worth $2 million/ Few years later, that shit worth 8 million/ I can’t wait to give this shit to my children/ Y’all think it’s bougie, I’m like, it’s fine/ But I’m trying to give you a million dollars worth of game for $9.99.”
“Smile”
“A stain on the white suit, inferior IQ/ Niggas’ll rip your shit off TIDAL just to spite you/ Ahhhh what did I do? ‘Cept try to free you/ Niggas’ll love you but hate you ’cause they can’t be you.”
“Smile”
“This was meant to be a haiku, huh / But my story’s too wide to fit inside one or two lines.”
“Caught Their Eyes”
“Y’all body language is all remedial/ How could you see the difference between you and I/ My crash course was much tougher/ Around friends who kill they friends then hug their friends’ mothers.”
“Caught Their Eyes”
“But ain’t no Biggie, no lazy eye, huh/ This guy had ‘Slave’ on his face/ You think he wanted the masters with his masters?/ You greedy bastards sold tickets to walk through his house/ I’m surprised you ain’t auction off the casket.”
“4:44”
“I still mourn this death, I apologize for all the stillborns/ ‘Cause I wasn’t present, your body wouldn’t accept it.”
4:44
“And if my children knew, I don’t even know what I would do/ If they ain’t look at me the same/ I would prolly die with all the shame/ ‘You did what with who?’/What good is a ménage à trois when you have a soulmate?/ ‘You risked that for Blue?’
“Family Feud”
“Nobody wins when the family feuds / But my stash can’t fit into Steve Harvey’s suit/ I’m clear why I’m here, how about you?/ Ain’t no such thing as an ugly billionaire, I’m cute.”
“Family Feud”
“A man that don’t take care his family can’t be rich/ I’ll watch Godfather, I miss that whole shit/ My consciousness was Michael’s common sense/ I missed the karma and that came as a consequence.”
“Bam”
“Uh, y’all make me turn up all this talkin’ down / Uh, niggas is skippin’ leg day just to run they mouth/ I be skippin’ leg day, I still run the world / I pressed ahead of your team with one finger curled.”
“Bam”
“Sometimes you need your ego, gotta remind these fools/ Who they effin’ with, and we got Effen too/ Before we had A&R’s we had AR’s too/ We the only ones really movin’ like y’all say y’all do.”
“Moonlight”
“I don’t be on the ‘Gram goin’ ham/ Givin’ information to the pork, that’s all spam/ Please don’t talk about guns t that you ain’t never gon’ use/ Y’all always tell on y’all self/I’m just so fucking confused.”
“Moonlight”
“Y’all niggas still signin’ deals? Still?/ After all they done stole, for real?/ After what they done to our Lauryn Hill?/ And y’all niggas is ‘posed to be trill?”
“Marcy Me”
“Old Brooklyn not this new shit, shift feel like a spoof/ Fat laces in your shoe I’m talking busting off the roof/ Hold a uzi vertical, let the thing smoke/ Y’all flirting with death I be winking through the scope.”
“Marcy Me”
“When Denzel was blottin’ carpet, I’ll pack a nine millimeter when Slick Rick made Mona Lisa/ When Lisa Bonet was Beyoncé of her day, I had divas y’all/ Think I just popped up in this bitch like a fetus? Nah.”
“Legacy”
“We gon’ start a society within a society/ That’s major, just like the Negro League/ There was a time America wouldn’t let us ball/ Those times are now back, just now called Afro-tech/ Generational wealth, that’s the key/ My parents ain’t have shit, so that ship started with me.”
“Legacy”
“See how the universe works?/ It takes my hurt and helps me find more of myself/ It’s a gift and a curse
Trash basic ass bars, where’s the Fuck Marcy dude when you need him? lmao
full bottle o mouthwash wouldnt get the taste of his dick out your mouth
Mumble rap fans wondering why Jay using real words. And Why his bars actually make sense when you think about them.
Y’all are so butthurt and gay that constantly feel the need to compare hiphop artists to the current mumble rap. They aren’t the same genre. It’s like those who compare drake to kendrick. Ones a pop star, the other is a hiphop artist. Can’t compare two different types of music. If your gonna compare mumble rap to Jayz your just being straight up ignorant lol.
Shut up Tommy.. you sound like a big diva. People can compare whatever they want. If it wasn’t the same genre (hiphop) they wouldn’t all be featured on the same site. Not everyone is going to like mumble rap or new artist. They suck.. and albums like this are a breathe of fresh air in comparison. Go listen to that weak ass teenage album yachty dropped and get all emotional somewhere else.
So where are all the haters who said this album was going to be about how rich Jay was.
Congratulations! It only took close to 30 years for Jay Z to release a good album with most of it being about doing real grown man shit. I can’t wait until he’s 89 years old to tell me how his parenting turns out. FWIW, He’s still talking about how much money he has but now he’s responsible HOV, don’t blow all that dough on Ace of Spades, Hublots and white chicks when you have Beyonce!
It’s going to be OK…Go put ya Lil yacthy album on and keep trying to bite your ear. You’ll get it one day.
Well, if I am Jay Z’s schedule I might not ever grow up but stans like you are more then willing to play in his ball pit.
I’m trying to be the one to start my family legacy
Cole, Joey BadA$$, K Dot, Hov, all made albums. That’s more than pop pills, drink lean and get Lit music. Respect to them for trying to say something helpful. And something that will make you think.
Bone dropped too..n its better thn kdot n hova..hova not doing shit but talking shitvwht lyrical content is that
“Ain’t no such thing as an ugly billionaire, I’m cute.”
Bwwwahhaaaa has this ugly as fuck camel looking dickhead looked in the mirror lately?
He said that line out of irony you stupid fuck.
Jay z is one of the greatest. He’s always been lyrically superior. He has incredible range as well. Just too good. This is coming from someone who is not even a big fan of his.
It would be nice if you can hear the album outside of tidal and sprint. That’s my only issue I have with JAY lmao. At least have the hard copy you can buy in the store.
It’ll be on apple and in stores Friday
Back in 96, Jay Z was known more for being Foxy Brown’s hype man than his own music. Nobody was mentioning Jay Z as the best in 96. That wasn’t said until he blew up on the watered down commercial album hard knock life. Also, this album is extremely weak. The 17 year old reference to Eric Benet’s failed marriage to Halle, shows old hov is way out of touch. And sorry it ain’t no grown man stuff when you are using a made up marriage infidelity marketing strategy, after you have become a father, to get interest for an album. Could careless about their business marriage.
Stop the politics, this is album is a classic
it definitely is
As a NaS fan I’ve always felt some sort of way about Jay but can’t deny greatness