American GangsterвЂ™s вЂњSuccessвЂќ marked another historic occasion: the first appearance of once-rival Nas on a Jay LP.

had previously collaborated on The Blueprint 2 (вЂњAll Around The WorldвЂќ), American Gangster(вЂњSuccess,вЂќ вЂњFallinвЂ™вЂќ), The Blueprint 3 (вЂњD.O.A.,вЂќ вЂњRun This Town,вЂќ вЂњA Star Is Born,вЂќ вЂњThank You,вЂќ вЂњWhat We TalkinвЂ™ AboutвЂќ), Watch The Throne (вЂњPrimetimeвЂќ) and Magna Carta(вЂњHoly GrailвЂќ).ДЄ few of these cuts were hits for the emcee: the prog-rock laden вЂњRun This TownвЂќ won two Grammys, and Magna Carta lead вЂњHoly GrailвЂќ won another. as a mentor on вЂњLast Call,вЂќ namechecking him again on 2007вЂ™s вЂњBig BrotherвЂќ and 2011вЂ™s вЂњMade In America.вЂќ Later the same decade, he became a mentor for upstart producer Kanye West, and was largely responsible for his rapid come up: West cites No I.D. The Chicago-born producer is a veteran of the game himself, having started his career alongside Common in the early вЂ90s. Production on the record was handled by just one artist: Ernest Wilson, better known as вЂњNo I.D.вЂќ. The themes within werenвЂ™t particularly hard to Jay to embody: much of the album takes the same autobiographical route as his best records, this time focusing on the trials and tribulations of Jay the businessman, a fully-grown patriarch juggling his entrepreneurship, growing family and ever-increasing public image as a member of the worldвЂ™s most successful couple. As hip hop increasingly shows that itвЂ™s willing to make overnight sensations out of 15 year olds, JayвЂ™s pivot towards exploring fiscal responsibility, familial obligation and interpersonal conflict is a bold and refreshing move. working on 4:44 with HovД¤:44 is an album about adulthood, a unique tack in a genre that favours the young. Whilst itвЂ™s hardly assured, it seems as though Jay may have taken some of these criticisms to heart. Critical reviews pointed at a number of issues, namely JayвЂ™s inability to find a new central conceit to replace his well worn вЂrags to richesвЂ™ narrative and the multitude of clashing visions from producers. JayвЂ™s previous release, 2012вЂ™s Magna Carta, Holy Grail was one of JayвЂ™s more middling efforts, an unexceptional and forgettable record. Though many would say Jay reached his artistic apex in the late-вЂ™90s, itвЂ™s undeniable that a potential return to the mic causes more buzz than it would for any of his peers. Whilst contemporaries such as Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Ice-T have become mainstays of popular culture, theyвЂ™ve since move past their hip hop prime. Heading into the release, Jay commanded the kind of reverence that no other veteran emcee has managed to maintain. Given that hip hop is a relatively young artform, and that many acts retire as they enter middle age, JayвЂ™s continued excellence is somewhat revolutionary. WeвЂ™re celebrating their excellence with this, an in-depth exploration of No I.D.вЂ™s incredible production work on JayвЂ™s most mature record.Д¤:44 was without precedent: never before had such a legendary veteran returned with an exceptional project so late into their career.

That goes double when itвЂ™s the work of a veteran producer and a legendary emcee. In a genre often preoccupied with youth culture, an album exploring the trials of adult relationships and responsibilities is like a breath of fresh air.

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