4:44, A Seat at the Table, and Lemonade.

“Hard times bring out good songs” –Glen Benton, Deicide 

After a week of seemingly punishment for a non-TIDAL subscription, we were finally able to enjoy the release of Jay-Z’s 4:44. This continues the now trio of crazy good albums to be released from the Knowles-Carter family. Last year, Beyonce gifted us with the instant classic, Lemonade. Album of the year (don’t @ me) and a subsequent tour that broke records and personally for me, the greatest concert I’ve ever been to.  One of the only albums I can immediately recall where I was when the album dropped, and the only (and likely last) record that released exclusively through TIDAL when I had an a subscription. Lemonade was everything. A multitude of visions and perfectly packaged work of art of social commentary, marriage, and a baseball bat named Hot Sauce. Oh, and a damn motion picture that was as fun and interesting as the album itself.

A mere five months after Beyonce tightened her grip on the world (again), Solange released A Seat at the Table and just when we thought album of the year was so clear-cut, now I was unsure. 

Solange had soared to new heights with a powerfully soulful record that still flew just beneath the mainstream clouds. While Beyonce’s Lemonade spilled tea on the details of the often ultra-private relationship of her and her husband, A Seat at the Table was the record we actually needed. 

A string of endless, emotionless killings of unarmed black men and women by the hands of police reset a feeling of hopelessness and anger. The age of social media gave us the power of visual evidence to the long history of the abuse we had screamed about. We aimed to have meaningful discourse that fast forwarded the elimination of oppression from those who were tasked to protect. What we got back was opposition that it even exists. 

Through 21 tracks, Solange delivered the better album musically. This album fits in any decade, any space; cleaning the house, a long road trip. You can listen with a bad sound system, or your favorite pair of headphones. After a bad breakup, or a job promotion. Yet the message of this record was speaking to a specific epidemic of mistreatment coupled by uplift and empowerment. It's an album that cries and celebrates, both when appropriate. There's a real danger of any album spanning that many songs, but this one never gets stale, never gets tiring in its depth. Master P, and Tina Knowles add clarity if the music blurred any ounce of the message. It's an album that will be slept on, and will not capture the star power it so rightfully deserves.

Now, back to Jay-Z. 

Only time will tell if Jay steps up to bat again but damned if 4:44 isnt a walk-off home run.

Every track, from start to finish; enjoyable – one of the few Jay-Z albums you can truthfully say that about. It’s everything we’ve come to love and respect about Jay-Z; the incredible ease with which he raps every line. Listening to his peers, every bar is crafted. Kanye can rap, but we know him as a perfectionist and that any and every verse saw multiple iterations before it made the album. For as much Jay-Z we get, we’re introduced to Sean Carter for the first time. 

It took Jay-Z 26 years to write Reasonable Doubt. It took 47 years for Sean Carter to write 4:44. A man baring his soul and accounting for mistakes and wrongs he committed, pain he caused to those he’s loved the most. This record is different from every one before it. This isn’t “Song Cry” Jay-Z – the perspective of a bruised ego, hurt by the same pain perfected upon others. 4:44 is man admitting his flaws, and that he’s flawed. 

So much of the conversation of modern hip-hop is about why the new guys aren’t worthy of respect from both fans and peers. The way they rap, dress, act, and what they stand for, the antithesis of hip-hop. The truth is of course, it’s just different ways to express the art. Young people tend to do things like hold a brick of cash to their ear. At the top of world at 47, Sean expresses more importance on generational wealth, taking care of his family, and owning his masters. Also... duh.

Who knew that timeline of infidelity, and an altercation inside an elevator would spawn three immensely enjoyable albums deep with both emotional depth and beauty. At the time of the elevator incident, we for some reason praised Jay for not putting his hands on Solange, and amazed at Beyonce’s restraint to her sister kicking her husband’s ass. We never shined a light on the awkward spot the security guard was put in of having to do his job but having to yanno… put his hands on Solange.. in front of Beyonce… to defend Jay-Z… in front of Beyonce. How does that work exactly? Does that come down to simply who signs the check? Is he employed by both Jay-Z AND Beyonce? Anyway…

Here we are now. Two-in-half years in, three albums deep. One certified classic. Three perspectives from three different people, lives intertwined producing works of art that will age well with time.

But now what? Does the mistress, the home-wrecker come out with an album detailing her side of the story? Assuming that woman is the woman whom you’re thinking of right now. That woman who's arguably the biggest rockstar walking the face of this planet right now. The same woman who also released an album worthy of recognition last year? For some reason, I don’t think Mýa will be releasing an album any time soon, so we can rest easy, and enjoy 4:44 for now.