Jay-Z remembers his Grammy-nominated 4:44 as “the hardest album for me to make” in a rare interview.
The interview in question, conducted by Complex alum Frazier Tharpe for GQ, finds HOV tapping into the limitless powers of vulnerability while tackling a number of topics, including hints at how he’s approaching what may come next in his solo discography.
As fans are well aware, 4:44, released in 2017, still stands as HOV’s most recent solo studio album as of this writing. The album marked a pivotal moment in Jay’s journey as an artist, with the lyrics inviting listeners along for a ride marked by deeply lived-in reflections on personal matters.
With the hunger for a follow-up now stronger than ever, Jay is looking back on just how special the 4:44 chapter was for him.
“I think 4:44 released a lot, although it’s the hardest album for me to make,” he told GQ, adding that he “can’t really even listen” to the album due to the personal nature of its lyrics.
Still, the album stands as the one he always wanted to write, though it sounds like fear got in the way earlier in his career.
“It's the album that I was always afraid to make,” he explained. “You think about like, man, I want to make an album [that’s] just pure and just vulnerable and just the real interior thoughts. Not like, you know, this Superman, this mythical figure.”
This reflection was followed by thoughts from Jay on the sense of pride he feels about having the opportunity to do such work at this scale, pointing to the period from 4:44 to Everything Is Love (his and Beyoncé’s joint 2018 album) as particularly meaningful to him. He also praised his wife’s sense of creativity in the studio, calling her a “monster” in such spaces, but surprisingly revealed that these experiences don’t necessarily inspire him to launch right into his own work.
He has, however, laid down some rough ideas, though he deems them “all bad” for now.
What comes next for Jay in terms of new music remains unclear. What’s certain is that he’s returning to the stage this year, including alongside The Roots for a special performance in Philadelphia as part of Roots Picnic.
