After what felt like the longest four years of Jay-Z fans’ lives, the wait for his 4:44 album became officially over on Friday (June 30) when he dropped the full-length project in collaboration with Sprint and via his music-streaming service, Tidal.
With its unveiling came many earfuls of the Carter family’s most intimate subject matters, too. In what might be the most up-close and personal the Roc Nation superior may ever let the world get, Jay spit bar for bar the most anticipated details of his marriage with legendary songstress Beyoncé, his nearly defunct brotherhood with Kanye West and his deepest confessions about the life and times of Shawn Carter.
1. HE HEARD KANYE’S SAINT PABLO TOUR RANT AS LOUDLY AS THE REST OF US DID
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, 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”
Don't big bro me, don't "Big Homie"
I've seen pure admiration become rivals
I've been to Paris at least two times
I've seen the Eiffel, I've seen a eyeful — “Caught Their Eyes”
2. SOLANGE’S ELEVATOR ATTACK WAS JUSTIFIED AFTER ALL
Let go your ego over your right shoulder
Your left is sayin', "Finish your breakfast!"
You egged Solange on
Knowin' all along, all you had to say you was wrong —“Kill Jay Z”
3. JAY DID, IN FACT, NEARLY RUIN HIS MARRIAGE WITH BEYONCE
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 — “Kill Jay Z”
Look, I apologize, often womanize
Took for my child to be born
See through a woman's eyes
Took for these natural twins to believe in miracles
Took me too long for this song
I don't deserve you — “4:44”
4. 'BECKY WITH THE GOOD HAIR' IS A REAL THING
Yeah, I'll f**k up a good thing if you let me
Let me alone, Becky
A man that don't take care his family can't be rich
I'll watch Godfather, I miss that whole sh**
My consciousness was Michael's common sense
I missed the karma and that came as a consequence. — “Family Feud”
5. HE PARTIALLY BLAMED HIMSELF FOR BEY’S MISCARRIAGES
I've seen the innocence leave your eyes
I still mourn this death, I apologize for all the stillborns
'Cause I wasn't present, your body wouldn't accept it - “4:44”
6. BEY BREASTFEEDS!
Super Bowl goals
My wife in the crib feedin' the kids liquid gold
We in a whole different mode
Kid that used to pitch bricks can't be pigeonholed
I cooked up more chicken when the kitchen closed — “Family Feud”
7. JAY TUNES IN TO SOCIAL MEDIA, EVEN WHEN YOU THINK HE’S NOT
Y'all out here still takin' advances, huh?
Me and my niggas takin' real chances, uh
Y'all on the 'Gram holdin' money to your ear
There's a disconnect, we don't call that money over here, yeah — "The Story of O.J."
8. JAY’S MOTHER, GLORIA CARTER, IS GAY
Mama had four kids, but she's a lesbian
Had to pretend so long that she's a thespian
Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate
Society shame and the pain was too much to take
Cried tears of joy when you fell in love
Don't matter to me if it's a him or her — “Smile”
9.EVEN JAY-Z NEEDS A THERAPIST FROM TIME TO TIME
I still ain't trippin', that's life, winners and losers
Drug dealers and abusers, America likes me ruthless
My therapist said I relapsed
I said, "Prehaps I Freudian slipped in European whips — “Smile”
10. JAY-Z HAD A CONVERSATION WITH PRINCE BEFORE HIS UNTIMELY DEATH...
I sat down with Prince, eye to eye
He told me his wishes before he died
Now, Londell McMillan, he must be color blind
They only see green from them purple eyes — “Caught Their Eyes”
...11. AND HE’S NOT HERE FOR THE POSTHUMOUS MOVES FROM PRINCE’S ESTATE
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 — “Caught Their Eyes”
12. JAY HAS ALSO HAD ENOUGH OF THE OLD SCHOOL VERSUS NEW SCHOOL HIP-HOP DEBATE
And old niggas, y'all stop actin' brand new
Like 2Pac ain't have a nose ring too, huh — “Family Feud”
13. JAY’S GOT EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE HE’S PRETTY DAMN HANDSOME
Ain't no such thing as an ugly billionaire, I'm cute
Mmmmm
Pretty much
If anybody gettin' handsome checks, it should be us — “Family Feud”
I be skippin' leg day, I still run the world
I pressed ahead of your team with one finger curled — “Bam”
Source: Bet
