Jay-Z’s new album is believed to be a response to Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.”(Wikipedia/@ebenet Twitter)
Jay-Z’s new album “4:44” is full of personal revelations and the rapper made one about his history with Beyoncé using singer Eric Benét as an analogy.
The 47-year-old rapper made the statement on his song, “Kill Jay-Z,” where he confirmed what wife Beyoncé said in her seminal 2016 album “Lemonade” — that he was unfaithful.
“You almost went Eric Benét / Let the baddest girl in the world get away / I don’t even know what else to say / N—-, never go Eric Benét,” he rapped.
In an interview with iHeart Radio, Jay explained the song title isn’t meant to be taken literally.
“It’s really about the ego,” he said. “It’s about killing off the ego, so we can have this conversation in a place of vulnerability and honesty.”
Benét, who famously cheated on actress Halle Berry several times, which led to their 2005 divorce, shot back on Twitter.
Hey yo #Jayz! Just so ya know, I got the baddest girl in the world as my wife….like right now! ✌🏾
— Eric Benét (@ebenet) June 30, 2017
That wasn’t the only revelation Jay made on the Tidal-exclusive album. On “Smile,” which features the MC’s mother, Gloria Carter, the pair publicly opened up for the first time about Carter’s sexuality.
“Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian / Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian,” Jay rapped on the track, which samples Stevie Wonder’s “Love’s In Need Of Love Today.” “Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate / Society shame and the pain was too much to take / Cried tears of joy when you fell in love / Don’t matter to me if it’s a him or her / I just wanna see you smile through all the hate.”
During the outro, Carter discussed her reservations about coming out but ultimately decided she should be allowed to be her true self.
“The world is changing and they say it’s time to be free,” she says in spoken word style. “But you live with the fear of just being me / Living in the shadow feels like the safe place to be / No harm for them, no harm for me / But life is short, and it’s time to be free / Love who you love, because life isn’t guaranteed.”
Fans gleefully reacted to the special ode.
Jay Z officially outed his mom on "Smile," w/ her support. Been an open secret for awhile, but adds another dimension. Nicely done #LoveWins
— Zack O’Malley Greenburg (@zogblog) June 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/MrDane1982/status/880668449902604288
Listening to Jay Z – Smile and barely finding out Jays mom is a lesbian…then hearing the poem Gloria Carter recites at the end. TRUTH! pic.twitter.com/ntgK68pa0i
— homemadesexual (@LaBellaREDDsayz) June 30, 2017
