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JAY-Z apologises to Beyonce on 4:44 and addresses infidelity rumours

Fans had expected JAY-Z to respond with his own album after Beyonce released Lemonade in 2016

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Friday 30 June 2017 07:58 BST
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Trailer: Jay Z's 4:44 album

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JAY-Z has used tracks on his new album to make a public apology to Beyonce for his past indiscretions.

4:44 was released exclusively to Tidal on 30 June, and fans were quick to notice how many of the lines seem to respond directly to those of Beyonce's album Lemonade.

The two artists have been married for almost 10 years, but their relationship was the subject of worldwide speculation after lyrics in Lemonade appeared to accuse JAY-Z of being unfaithful.

How to listen to 4:44

Many fans expected JAY-Z to respond on 4:44, and it seems they will not be disappointed.

For instance, on Beyonce's track 'Hold Up' she says: "Never had the baddest woman in the game up in your sheets."

On JAY-Z's track "Kill Jay Z" he responds with the self-critical: “You almost went Eric Benét / Let the baddest girl in the world get away."

On Beyonce's track “Pray You Catch Me" she sings: “You can taste the dishonesty / It’s all over your breath as you pass it off so cavalier."

On “Kill JAY-Z” he appears to reference an infamous altercation in a lift with Beyonce's sister Solange after the 2014 Met Gala: "You egged Solange on/Knowin’ all along, all you had to say you was wrong."

On Beyonce's "Sorry” she goes: "Me and my baby, we gon’ be alright / We gon’ live a good life."

On the title track "4:44" JAY-Z raps: "If my children knew, I don’t even know what I would do / If they ain’t look at me the same, I would prolly die with all the shame / You did what with who? What good is a ménage à trois when you have a soulmate, you risked that for Blue?"

Grammys 2017: Pregnant Beyonce delivers moving performance

One of the most prominent lyrics is on JAY-Z's "Family Feud" where he addresses the notorious 'Becky', who was checked on Beyonce's track "Sorry".

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“Sorry” lyric: “He only want me when I’m not there / He better call Becky with the good hair."

"Family Feud": “Yeah, I’ll fuck up a good thing if you let me / Let me alone Becky!”

Beyonce's father Matthew Knowles recently confirmed that she has given birth to twins after she announced her pregnancy in February with a stylish photo shoot.

JAY-Z's album promotion has been rather confusing - the record was released on Tidal three minutes before midnight ET on 30 June, but is currently only available to Sprint customers and Tidal subscribers who signed up to the service before 26 June.

However sources have told Variety that the 10-track album's exclusivity to Tidal will likely only last for a week.

It will reportedly be available on Apple Music by 7 June, and likely also on iTunes as well: another source said it would be available on all major streaming services.

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