{"id":11753,"date":"2017-08-22T18:28:40","date_gmt":"2017-08-22T22:28:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mdcthereporter.com\/?p=11753"},"modified":"2021-02-23T12:59:14","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T17:59:14","slug":"444-shows-jay-zs-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mdcthereporter.com\/staging\/8357\/444-shows-jay-zs-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"4:44 Shows Jay-Z\u2019s Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Album
I’M SORRY: In 4:44 Jay-Z grows as an artist and apologizes for his transgressions in several of his relationships.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCNATION RECORDS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4:44<\/span> is rapper and songwriter<\/span> Jay-Z<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u2019s latest album.<\/span><\/p>\n

The album, released on June 30, was built around several issues in his life including his relationship with Beyonce, his mother and various social issues. Many view it as a response to Beyonc\u00e9<\/span><\/strong><\/a>\u2019s most recent record <\/span>Lemonade<\/span><\/i>, which exposed the power couple\u2019s marital issues. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jay-Z has been in the music industry since 1989 and has always been known for his distinct \u201chustler\u201d persona. However, this album showed his maturity. Perhaps being a father or going through different changes in his personal life changed his mindset<\/span>, but whatever it is, his music proves he is not the same person he was before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe samples aren\u2019t just aesthetically beautiful but profound in context,\u201d said <\/span>Sheldon Pearce in his critique of the album for <\/span>Pitchfork, a music review website. \u201cThey speak when Jay is silent, often saying what he can\u2019t.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

This statement could not have said it better.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout the track list you are taken into something deeper than what you found on Jay-Z\u2019s last album, <\/span>Magna Carta Holy Grail<\/span><\/i>.<\/span> The subjects he touched upon were more raw and intimate and you feel the emotions throughout the lyrics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the entire tracklist being utterly amazing, there are several songs on the album that truly stand out. Some of the most impactful tracks on the album are <\/span>Smile<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Legacy<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jay-Z dedicates the song <\/span>Smile <\/span><\/i>to his mother Gloria Carter, who comes out as lesbian on the song: \u201cLove who you love,\u201d Carter says on the song, \u201cbecause life isn’t guaranteed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When discussing<\/span> Smile <\/span><\/i>on the iHeartRadio website, Jay-Z revealed to Nicole Mastrogiannis: \u201c<\/span>There are gonna be bad times, and those bad times can do two things: they can get you in a place where you’re stuck in a rut, or it can make your future that much better because you’ve experienced these things.”<\/span><\/p>\n

On the song <\/span>Legacy<\/span><\/i>, the last song on the track list, he raps: \u201cWe gon\u2019 start a society within a society\/That\u2019s major, just like the Negro League\/There was a time America wouldn\u2019t let us ball\/Those times are now back.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Jay-Z expressed to Mastrogiannis that the song was directed toward his daughter, Blue Ivy, to serve as a \u201cwill\u201d and a \u201clegacy\u201d for when she grows up.<\/span><\/p>\n

The album is undeniably one of the best Jay-Z has ever produced. It\u2019s a must listen. You will not regret diving into this story, from beginning to end. You will meet a new Jay-Z. The album is exclusively found on Tidal and has been free to all subscribers. This marks a new era of Jay-Z.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

4:44 is rapper and songwriter Jay-Z\u2019s latest album. The album, released on June 30, was built around several issues in his life including his relationship with Beyonce, his mother and various social issues. Many view it as a response to Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s most recent record Lemonade, which exposed the power couple\u2019s marital issues. Jay-Z has been […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":450,"featured_media":11926,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[789],"tags":[209,240],"class_list":{"0":"post-11753","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-the-lead","8":"tag-album-review","9":"tag-hip-hoprap"},"yoast_head":"\nThe Album 4:44 Shows Jay-Z\u2019s Growth<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jay-Z\u2019s shows his growth as an artist through the themes that line his new album, 4:44. 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