JAY-Z Explains Every Track On 4:44

Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images

JAY-Z Explains Every Track On 4:44

Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images

Jay-Z has not had kind things to say about the state of modern radio, but that did not stop him from sharing a detailed breakdown of his new album 4:44 with the company most responsible for creating the modern radio landscape. In a new feature at iHeartRadio, the rapper explains the meaning behind each song on the album. For instance, “Family Feud” takes on rap’s generation gap:

“Family Feud” is about separation within the culture. Like, new rappers fighting with old rappers, saying all these things. So, the line is, “Nobody wins when the family feuds.”

Meanwhile “Moonlight” uses this year’s Academy Awards fiasco as a metaphor for the state of America:

The hook is “We stuck in La La Land/Even if we win, we gonna lose.” It’s like a subtle nod to La La Land winning the Oscar, and then having to give it to Moonlight. It’s really a commentary on the culture and where we’re going.

And here’s his take on the title track, on which he admits to cheating on Beyoncé:

“4:44″ is a song that I wrote, and it’s the crux of the album, just right in the middle of the album. And I woke up, literally, at 4:44 in the morning, 4:44 AM, to write this song. So it became the title of the album and everything. It’s the title track because it’s such a powerful song, and I just believe one of the best songs I’ve ever written.

Read the full feature here.

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