Day 319
Fresh Start_319: Something a little different
Since I heard about the
possible Jay-Z new album release about a month ago, I couldn’t stop thinking
about it and wanting to listen to it. THEN, on June 30th 2017 Jay-Z
releases his new album “4:44” but on only his co-owned service Tidal. Tidal
streamed the album and it went platinum in less than a week before it even hit
iTunes. This feat hasn’t been reached in hip-hop since 2008 when Lil Wayne’s “Tha
Carter III” went platinum.
Today “4:44” was released
on iTunes and I couldn’t be happier with HOV’s 13th studio album. Here
is my SPOLIER review of the album song by song:
Kill Jay Z-This
song just sets the tone for the album—with you knowing right away this is something
that is completely different. The dirt is being kicked back up after four years
of not saying a word. “Kill Jay Z” gives you the sense that HOV has been doing
some thinking and is reflecting on himself and doing some self-awareness. He even
responds to Kayne West saying “You walkin' around like you invincible
You dropped outta school,
you lost your principles
I know people backstab
you, I felt bad too
But this 'f**k everybody'
attitude ain't natural
But you ain't a saint,
this ain't kumbaye
But you got hurt because
you did cool by 'Ye
You gave him 20 million
without blinkin'
He gave you 20 minutes on
stage, f**k was he thinkin'?”
If you forgot Kanye
called out Jay-Z and pleaded him to call him at one of his concerts in L.A.
late last summer. I really like this song, and it is a good tone to start this
album, this is the right song to open-up this album.
The Story of O.J.-This
song is the first song that I heard from the album with the video being
released of a cartoon character singing this song in a music video if you want
to call it. The video is a “Loony Tunes” type of style and is just perfectly
animated. This song has my favorite verse on the entire album with it going “O.J.
like ‘I’m not black, I’m O.J.” …okay” I find this line funny because it was
true. Back before the trial for O.J. Simpson he was a larger than life figure
that wasn’t considered black in a lot of white people’s minds… he was O.J.
The song also takes a
look at HOV’s new found like for art for the simple fact that he can flip it
when the piece of art reaches an insane price tag.
Smile ft. Gloria Carter-The word that describes this song that is only a word
long is “Acceptance.” Being a song that recognizes his nomination to the Song Writers
Hall of Fame with the line “Hall of Fame Hov, I did it all without a pen.”
Jay-Z didn’t attend his nomination into the Song Writers Hall of Fame because
of the birth his twins, but “Smile” is much more than that. “Smile” goes into
detail about his mother’s sexuality and his acceptance about her being gay. This
could also be a line to his children saying that he’d love them regardless of
what happens because they are his children.
Caught their eyes ft. Frank Ocean-Frank Ocean joins HOV on another album—previously being
on “Magna Carta” with their song “Heaven.” But, this song is part reminiscing about
his life now as an older man in hip-hop “talking to Prince” and part talking to
Black America. This song is probably my least favorite on the album, but it
does still have a strong message and is a powerful song
4:44-Finally,
the title track. The song that shares the name with the title of the album, and
has a good story behind it. HOV woke up at 4:44 in the morning to write this
song, with it also being his response to Lemonade. Seeing Jay-Z dive deep into
his relationship with Beyoncé is something that we haven’t seen, and we just
get the answer. This is something that just brings back one of the gods of rap
back to earth—showing his human side not just the rapper. The first verse of “4:44”
is just everything you need to know, and is the answer that we weren’t expecting.
Family Feud ft. Beyoncé-“Family Feud” draws some comparison’s to “Jay Z Blue”
and “La Familia.” The family first attitude that like HOV, a lot of us share.
HOV is still apologizing to Beyoncé in for some of it and is accepting of his faults
and seems to want to move forward as a family. As Jay Z says perfectly “We all
lose when the family feuds.”
Bam ft. Damien Marley-You will play this song at parties or when you need a “pick-me-up.”
This is old-school HOV just puffing out his chest and being the rapper that we
all fell in love with. He shows us that even though he is diving deep into
personal issues, his pleads to Black America, that he is still got the ability
to just make an all-timer and be one of the greats in the rap game. This is my favorite
song on the album, and I don’t think I will be alone with this song. The ego gets let loose and well “I was on the
total f**kin' opposite
S#%!, stuff a million
dollars in the sock drawer
That's a war chest in
case you need your chest knocked off” I’ll leave that as your teaser…
Moonlight-Yes
this is about the Oscar mix-up between La La Land and Moonlight. It plays on
the name of the films with the line “We stuck in La La Land
Even when we win, we gon'
lose” Which even if you don’t take into account the mistake in the 89th
Annual Oscars the meaning is still a life lesson. This song also is a tiny look
into HOV’s outlook on the current hip-hop game and it brings up the question of
what happens when Jay-Z, Kayne, and Lil Wayne are gone?
Marcy Me-Playing
on Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Me” as well as where Jay-Z grew up “Marcy housing” in
Brooklyn. This continues the theme of the album of self-reflection and maybe
having some nostalgia toward, but also thanking his upbringing for making him
the man he is today. I love this song for the fact that he is remembering his
home and saying he still knows where he is from, and being a thank you all at
the same time.
Legacy-The
final song on the album starts with Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy asking “Daddy,
what’s a will?” And, with that, to me this is HOV’s last song that he will
release… being his “will.” Saying “My stake in Roc Nation should go to you
Leave a piece for your
siblings to give to their children too
TIDAL”
I could be wrong here,
but to me this is Jay-Z saying goodbye, and thank you for the run. This song is
the last one of the 13th studio album, and what a better way to go
out? Jay-Z now has three kids, just having twins, honestly when will he have time
to record another album anytime soon? It won’t happen for at least another four
year, maybe more. Jay-Z is 47-years-old and will be 51 years old in four years
with three kids. He has already accomplished EVERYTHING that you could do in a
career. There is nothing left for Jay-Z to do and can just be a father and run
ROC Nation and TIDAL. Oh, and sit on his pile of money that he has.
Sources:(genius.com,
complex.com)
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