It's becoming increasingly clear that Jay-Z is using his new album, 4:44, as a sort of open letter to the world. The rapper is covering ground from apparently cheating on Beyoncé to his infamous elevator brawl with Solange. And on the album's first track, Jay has a message for his good pal Kanye West, who infamously went on vicious tirades against Jay and Bey during stops on his truncated Saint Pablo tour last fall.
Jay addresses Yeezy's bizarre 20 minute-long November rant — in which Kanye criticized him for not visiting after Kim Kardashian's Paris robbery, shaded Beyoncé, and said "Jay Z, I know you got killers" — on the album's first track "Kill Jay Z." He raps, "He gave you 20 minutes on stage, fuck was he thinkin'? / Fuck wrong with everybody?' is what you sayin' / But if everybody's crazy, you're the one that's insane."
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Here is the relevant verse in full:
I know people backstab you, I felt bad too
But this 'fuck everybody' attitude ain't natural
But you ain't a Saint, this ain't KumbaYe
But you got hurt because you did cool by 'Ye
You gave him 20 million without blinkin'
He gave you 20 minutes on stage, fuck was he thinkin'?
'Fuck wrong with everybody?' is what you sayin'
But if everybody's crazy, you're the one that's insane
But this 'fuck everybody' attitude ain't natural
But you ain't a Saint, this ain't KumbaYe
But you got hurt because you did cool by 'Ye
You gave him 20 million without blinkin'
He gave you 20 minutes on stage, fuck was he thinkin'?
'Fuck wrong with everybody?' is what you sayin'
But if everybody's crazy, you're the one that's insane
The late November incident occurred during a Sacramento gig that Kanye cut short after only 30 minutes or so — most of which he spent talking to the crowd. As Rolling Stone reported at the time, he accused Beyoncé of playing politics at the MTV VMAs, saying, "Beyoncé, I was hurt because I heard that you said you wouldn’t perform unless you won Video of the Year over me and over 'Hotline Bling.'" He continued, "Now don't go dissing Beyoncé, she's great. Taylor Swift is great. We are all great people. We are all equal. But sometimes we be playing the politics too much and forget who we are just to win. Fuck winning, fuck looking cool. Fuck looking cool. Fuck being cool. Fuck all that, bruh."
He then directed his fire at longtime friend and Watch the Throne collaborator, seemingly accusing him of not calling and siccing "killers" on him. "I've been sent here to give y'all my truth even at the risk of my own life, my own success, my own career. Jay Z, call me, bruh. You still ain't called me. Jay Z, I know you got killers. Please don’t send them at my head. Please call me. Talk to me like a man." Two days later, Kanye would cancel the remainder of his tour and enter the hospital.
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Just a month earlier, Ye had gone after Jay during a show in Seattle. "There will never be a Watch the Throne 2," he said. "That’s the reason I wasn’t on this song, I wasn’t on the song 'cause of Hov. 'Cause of some TIDAL/Apple bullshit. And that shit be getting me tight every time I perform this motherfucker." He added, "Don't call me, after the robbery, and say 'How you feelin'?' You wanna know how I'm feeling? Come by the house... Bring the kids by the house, like we're brothers."
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