Photo: Theo Wargo (Getty Images)
This week’s New Music Friday releases include the latest from Calvin Harris and a deluxe re-issue of Prince’s Purple Rain, but the only album anyone is talking about is JAY-Z’s 4:44.
The 10-song collection, which was released exclusively on Tidal at the stroke of midnight, features HOVA’s 3x baby mama Beyonce, Frank Ocean, Damian Marley, his daughter Blue Ivy, tight production, and genius samples.
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Of course, most of us hypebeasts will be listening to the rapper’s first album in four years strictly to see if and how JAY-Z addresses the infidelity rumors that sprang up on Beyonce’s Lemonade.
Well, JAY-Z doesn’t disappoint, hitting them head on with rhymes not about his trademark bravado, but of shame and regret: “You egged Solange on, knowing all along all you had to say you was wrong / You almost went Eric Benet, let the baddest girl in the world get away … I don’t even know what you woulda done, in the future, other niggas playing football with your son.”
Jay-Z even name drops “Becky with the good hair” the Lemonade lyric that launched a million memes: “I’ll fuck up a good thing if you let me / Let me alone Becky! / A man who don’t take care of his family can’t be rich.”
The album (check out the track list below) is only available to Tidal subscribers who signed up before June 26 and anybody with Sprint. It’s also been announced that it will also play in full on 160 different iHeartMedia radio stations for the next 24 hours.
JAY-Z’s 4:44: track listing:
01 Kill Jay Z
02 The Story of O.J.
03 Smile [ft. Gloria Carter]
04 Caught Their Eyes [ft. Frank Ocean]
05 4:44
06 Family Feud
07 Bam [ft. Damian Marley]
08 Moonlight
09 Marcy Me
10 Legacy
