As exciting as it is JAY-Z's new album is finally here, it's time to discuss an important question that probably many of you have. What does JAY-Z's 4:44 mean? Believe it or not, but the title is quite literal. The rapper opened up to iHeartRadio's The Beat on Friday, where he offered up details about the album, including how and why 4:44 became the name.
First, JAY-Z dished about the song, '4:44.' He said, "'4:44' is a song that I wrote, and it's the crux of the album, just right in the middle of the album. And I woke up, literally, at 4:44 in the morning, 4:44 AM, to write this song." The run-time of the song is also 4:44. See? It's very literal, but there's also a bit more to it. As he explained further, "So it became the title of the album and everything. It's the title track because it's such a powerful song, and I just believe one of the best songs I've ever written."
There's no denying that the song is a memorable one. It contains several intriguing lyrics that fans already can't help but pick apart. For example, it appears that "4:44" just might be the 47-year-old's way of admitting he cheated on Beyoncé. Bustle has reached out to JAY-Z's rep for comment on the song, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
One particular lyric he raps is, "Look, I apologize, often womanize/Took for my child to be born/See through a woman's eyes." Later on in the song, he sings, "And if my children knew, I don't even know what I would do/If they ain't look at me the same/I would prob'ly 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?"
Another important factor to point out is that JAY-Z and Beyoncé are obsessed with the number four. First, they both were born on the 4th, with Bey's birthday on Sept. 4 and JAY-Z's on Dec. 4. Then, they also got married on April 4. If that's not enough, they even have "IV" tattoos, which is the Roman numeral representation of the number four. Oh, and furthermore, many think that Blue Ivy's name stands for the number four. The number is definitely significant in their lives, so no wonder "4:44" means so much to the rapper.
As JAY-Z noted, it's a pretty powerful song, just like the rest of the album. He seems to open up a lot about several private matters in his life, including Elevatorgate with Solange Knowles and his newborn twins. It's probably safe to say that 4:44 is one song and album that will be talked about for years to come.
