Jay Z’s 4:44 is another addition to the rapper’s legacy, but let’s not forget even someone at his stature has a few things to address. Namely, a few assumed targets running hip-hop right now.
If we're talking about subliminals, this isn’t the first time Hov has delivered a few sneak disses on record. Throughout his discography, you’ll hear him going at Mase (“Ride or Die”), 50 Cent (“It’s Hot (Some Like It Hot)”), Joe Budden (“Pump It Up (Freestyle) ‘03”), and of course, Nas (“People Talkin’,” “Takeover”).
Dig deeper than that, most Jay historians remember what was thought as a Mase jab was actually towards Harlem World's Meeno on Memphis Bleek's "My Mind Right (Remix)." (The line: "Using my name in vein like I won't damage the boy/You think niggas was shooting your fat ass out of canons before (I'm that nigga).") It goes without question that each of his lines are open for interpretation for the listener, which causes all kinds of debates by stans and newcomers alike.
Lately, rap theorists have delved into Jay’s complicated relationship with Drake, where they’ve come to the conclusion that he’s referencing him on songs like “I Got the Keys” and “Shining.” Whether you agree or not, nothing doesn’t sound as more direct as him rapping on DJ Khaled’s “They Don’t Love You No More”: “Haters wanna ball, let me tighten up my draw string/Wrong sport, boy, you know you soft as a lacrosse team.” All for sport, right?
Or if you consider this album is Jay letting his guard down, are some age-old feuds being squashed here on some grown man shit? When he went on that tweetstorm and shouted out all his influences after being inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a few of them were his once-rivals—Nas, Cam’ron, and Budden. It takes more than one listen to break down a subliminal, and we’d made sure to look at both sides.
On 4:44, Jay is in top form. Just like other big event albums from this year, we'll be talking about this one for awhile. Here, we’ve complied all of the subliminal disses from 4:44.
"Kill Jay Z"
Assumed Targets: Kanye West, Future, Eric Benét
On the opening track, Jay Z raps about how he’s angry at himself. You can probably guess this is him killing the old Jay Z so the new Jay Z can flourish. There’s also a shot aimed at Kanye West which addresses the nearly 15-minute rant 'Ye did during the Saint Pablo Tour stop in Sacramento. On Jay, he said:
In his last verse, Jay makes a reference to the infamous elevator fight with Beyoncé's sister Solange, cautioning himself to not end up like Eric Benét who split from Halle Berry in 2003 amid rumors that he was cheating. Jay's wordplay also points out the situation with Future and Ciara's relationship, as well as their tense custody battle. There's numerous photos of Ciara's husband Russell Wilson playing with Future's son, filling the void of a father figure.
"The Story of O.J."
Assumed Targets: Gentrification
Jay Z told iHeartRadio: "We as a culture, having a plan, how we’re gonna push this forward." Anyone savvy in real estate knows if you invest in property early, then it appreciates in value. Hov is kicking himself for not jumping on some cheap property before the neighborhood in Brooklyn was called Dumbo.
"Caught Their Eyes"
Assumed Targets: The Prince Estate, Kanye West (?)
It’s unclear who Jay is talking about in his first verse (someone must have offended him recently), but he’s clear about his target in his second verse: The Prince Estate. The music industry advisers are Charles Koppelman and L. Londell McMillan, who is also the owner of The Source. Here, he chides them for profiting off Price’s death. Tours open to the public of his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota were organized months after his passing. It’s also worth noting that The Source honored Prince with a tribute cover, but Hov believes that was an easy cash-in.
Jay then makes a reference to fake people who call him "big bro" or "big homie." This could be him referencing Kanye again, who is his biggest admirer. 'Ye once dedicated a whole song to Hov ("Big Brother"), but lately there seems to be some rough patches in their friendship.
"Family Feud"
Assumed Targets: Younger generation of rappers
The old vs. new guard of hip-hop has been a hot topic of discussion recently (See: Lil Yachty and Joe Budden’s conversation on Everyday Struggle). Jay is taking the concept of family and applying it to the rap game—we can all get money and be successful together if the younger rappers let the older ones mentor them. He uses current cultural references like Al Sharpton's mirror selfies and Bill Cosby (who used to have a loveable father-figure image) as examples of role models who aren't leading us the right way.
"Bam"
Assumed Targets: Kanye West
“Bam” not only samples Sister Nancy (just like Kanye did on “Famous”), but this lyric might be in response to Kanye’s line on “30 Hours”: “I hit the gym, all chest no legs.” Hov comes to the conclusion that certain rappers like to talk more than actually putting in work.
"Moonlight"
Assumed Targets: The culture at large
This is a subtle nod to La La Land winning the Oscar, and then giving it to Moonlight. Jay wants to capture how the culture can sometimes feel taken advantage from mainstream, out-of-touch influencers. On the flip side, Jay thinks that it doesn't help when younger rappers choose to be unoriginal and do what everyone else does. The line about Dracos could be dissing Soulja Boy, Famous Dex, and others who have used violent imagery to gain a following.