Jay-Z’s new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, reveals his fears about coming up short as a father and how growing up without his dad has made him feel unprepared for fatherhood.
While Jay and Beyonce are clearly willing to do whatever it takes to make their baby girl Blue Ivy happy, even the music industry’s top power couple apparently has trepidations about the daunting task of parenthood.
Jay recently opened up about his fatherhood anxiety in a teaser clip for the upcoming album, in which he discusses his new music with producer Rick Rubin.
The most obviously baby Blue-inspired song is the track, “Jay-Z Blue,” which is where HOV starts to dive deep into his past and wonder how it will impact his future with his daughter.
“[She’s] something that we both created; we still marvel at her,” he tells Rubin.
But Jay-Z’s mood changes as he explains that his own absentee father has him feeling unsure about fatherhood and if he’s ready to do a good job at it.
“It deals with when my pop left when I was young, so he didn’t teach me how to be a man, nor how to raise a child, or treat a woman,” the 43-year-old rapper says. “So, of course, my karma, the two things I need, I don’t have, and I have a daughter.”
He wraps up his thoughts by saying, “It’s the paranoia of not being a great dad.”
Other songs on the album are also inspired by his adorable baby girl.
The song “Heaven” is about how Blue Ivy gave Jay-Z a taste of what heaven on earth might really be like.
“[The song] is toying with the idea of [there] being heaven or hell on earth,” he said to Rubin before asking some rhetorical questions.
“Have you ever been to heaven? Have you ever seen it?” he asked.
Beyonce’s husband then explained to the famous producer what hell and heaven on earth is for him.
“For me, my idea of heaven is in your daughter’s laughter; hell could be if your child is missing for three minutes – you’re in three minutes of hell,” he said. “It’s just not my belief that a just God would make you burn for eternity for [the] free will that He gave you.”
“Jay-Z Blue” and “Heaven” are the latest tracks that fans received a sneak peek of after they got a taste of “Oceans,” “Holy Grail,” and “Part II (On the Run).”
In other exciting Jay-Z news, the hip-hop mogul received approval to perform on top of the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee on July 8, four days after his album is released to a million Samsung users.
The concert is part of a promotional campaign for the new album and is sure to have the New York City streets packed with fans.
Other stars to perform on top of the famous marquee included Sir Paul McCartney, Phish, and Mr. Carter himself took over the top of the building back in 2010 along with Eminem.
In the meantime, you can check out Jay-Z’s latest album teaser below:
