4:44 The Maturation of Jay-Z

It's Friday the 30th of June 2017, the release date of  the highly anticipated 4:44, the 13th studio album by Jay-Z.

Barely noon, 11:44 to be precise. 

I have let the album play a few times over now, and a wave of emotion has consumed in this very moment! Not sadness, not joy, but a wave of recompense is the word that I would use to aptly describe it!

I recompense is a strong word, however I feel the fraternity of Jigga's loyalist fans were somewhat short changed with his 2 previous releases; "Watch the Throne" and "Magna Carta Holy Grail". They were very much in sync with the climate of music at that specific time, but when you are Jay-Z you don't follow the trends. You set the trends for others to follow, and since 1996 this is what I have become accustomed to.

So as I press play on the album for a 4th straight time, I would just like to go on record as saying 4:44 is definitely the defining moment in The Maturation of Jay-Z.

Regardless if you are a fan or not, it is important we embrace this moment, it is important for the culture. Hip Hop music is the only genre where we don't allow our legends to age gracefully. This in part to many of their personal lives spiralling out of control, or just simply not providing a quality of music that is homogeneous to what they have been renowned for previously. Either way often we see our legends compromising all they have done to have them so high in our estimations.

This fortunately isn't the case with Shawn Corey Carter, the list of accolades include; Most Number 1 albums on the Billboard 200 as a solo artist; 21 Grammy Awards; A net worth of over $800m (2nd richest in Hip Hop); and most recently becoming the first Hip Hop artist to be inducted into the Song writers Hall of Fame.

Jay-Z has pretty much ticked everything off of the bucket list as far as the music industry, he has also delved successfully into other areas such as Sports and Clothing and the term "Roc" is synonymous and associated with a lot of your favourite celebrities and brands. 

I don't want to delve too much into his previous accomplishments but over the years have become a great admirer of the man, and some of his music has become like the soundtrack to my life. I once was having a discussion about how I've probably learnt more life lessons from Uncle Jay's lyrics than I have my own father. Make of that what you will, but for me while digesting this new album I felt a sense of finality. 

The themes that he addresses on this new album are very sophisticated; Betrayal and infidelity are constant throughout. Everyone is aware of his rumoured transgressions, but he amongst all the madness that ensued after the release of Lemonade, stayed restful and in true Jay-Z fashion has used this album as the mouthpiece.

He is apologetic from the offset reflecting of real life situations whilst still remaining epigrammatic and charismatic;

"You almost went Eric Benet/

Let the baddest girl in the world get away/

I don't even know what else to say/

Nigga, never go Eric Benet"

This type of content on reading might seem very like a heavy listen but the production by No I.D. is very tranquil and serene and provides the perfect backdrop. "Smile" in particular lends to the soul sample sound that Kanye, Just Blaze and Bink provided to a prime Jay-Z. The flip of Stevie Wonder's "Love's in Need of Love Today" for me is the highlight track, it is an introspective short story which depicts his journey including coming to terms with his Mother's sexuality and the ups and downs of his drug dealing days. 

Kanye West spoke of his like for the more introspective Jay-Z some years ago, this has returned on this album to my pleasure. There is still slick talk for days, though it is more relate-able than what was exhibited on "Magna Carter Holy Grail", where it seem he was lauding his endless wealth in our faces. On 4:44 he still talks about financial gains, but again it is empathetic and reflective of the environment socially:

"Fuck rap, crack cocaine/

Nah, we did that, Black owned thing/

Hundred percent, Black owned champagne/

And we merrily merrily eating off these streams"

I don't want to spoil your listening experience by decoding every song but he ventures further into his relationships with women and specifically his Wife on "Family Feuds". A lack of emotion is something that a lot of men in their formative years can relate to, it is an interesting perspective on how being emotionally unavailable can negatively impact the women you may encounter.

The album takes us to a multitude of places, but Black empowerment is prevalent from beginning to end. Given unfortunate events in recent weeks and some of the dialogue that people have engaged in since the Grenfall Towers incident, Black Ownership is something that should be promoted more. To some the lyrical content on 4:44 might just qualify as Elite level cloth talk but I view as the jewel in an already splendorous crown.

4:44 feels akin to that moment in "Brown Sugar" where they discuss the moment that they fell in love with Hip Hop, I think the release of this album is that moment where we've seen Hip Hop grow up, go through a violent adolescence, go to college, drop out, but somehow still make it to the board room, and make millions, get married, have kids... and ride off into the sunset!

They say your first album should be your best work as you wait your whole life to tell that initial story but the uniqueness of Jay-Z legacy is that is ever evolving and changing. I myself am turning 30 in the next few months and had reservations of how a man approaching 50, and old enough to be my parent would be able to make an album that could reflect the vehemence emotions I have been experiencing as I am about to open the next chapter in life. As far as chapters go I think the presence of Gloria Carter might indicate that this is Hov's final studio length album, kinda like he did on "The Black album" hopefully this time out he within himself feels that he has nothing left to prove! 

Thanks Jigga

4:44 is now available on Tidal