Fans who tuned in for the live stream of Kanye West’s new album Donda on Thursday were given quite the surprise, with Jay-Z putting in an appearance.
West, 44, and Jay-Z, 51 (real name Shawn Carter) haven’t seen eye to eye for years, with their last collaboration nearly a decade ago, 2011’s Watch the Throne.
The verse appeared on the final track of the album, reportedly titled Guess Who’s Going to Jail Tonight?, which, according to Jay-Z’s producer Young Guru, was recorded just HOURS before the live-streamed event… and may explain why it started nearly two hours later than scheduled.
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Surprise: Fans who tuned in for the live stream of Kanye West’s new album Donda on Thursday were given quite the surprise, with Jay-Z putting in an appearance
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Collab: West, 44, and Jay-Z, 51 (real name Shawn Carter) haven’t seen eye to eye for years, with their last collaboration nearly a decade ago, 2011’s Watch the Throne
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Final track: The verse appeared on the final track of the album, reportedly titled Guess Who’s Going to Jail Tonight?, which, according to Jay-Z’s producer Young Guru, was recorded just HOURS before the live-streamed event… and may explain why it started nearly two hours later than scheduled
‘HOV did the verse today!!!! At 4pm,’ Young Guru tweeted on Thursday evening, after the event.
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The event was originally supposed to start at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, though it started nearly two hours later than scheduled.
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Given how late Jay-Z recorded the verse, it’s possible that could be one reason why the event had such a late start.
Verse: ‘HOV did the verse today!!!! At 4pm,’ Young Guru tweeted on Thursday evening, after the event
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Time: Time: The event was originally supposed to start at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, though it started nearly two hours later than scheduled
Regardless, HOV’s verse was the biggest surprise of the night, although he was not at the event, held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
West was seen roaming the expansive space on the ground while his album played, and when Jay-Z’s verse was played, the rapper raised his fist in the air.
Jay-Z’s verse on Guess Who’s Going to Jail Tonight is seemingly from the perspective of a man in jail.
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Fist: West was seen roaming the expansive space on the ground while his album played, and when Jay-Z’s verse was played, the rapper raised his fist in the air
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Jail: Jay-Z’s verse on Guess Who’s Going to Jail Tonight is seemingly from the perspective of a man in jail
‘God in my cell, that’s my celly/Made in the image of God, that’s a selfie/Pray five times a day, so many felonies/Who’s gon’ post my bail? Lord, help me,’ Jay-Z sang.
The next verse may have even hinted at a future collaboration, seemingly referencing their 2011 album Watch the Throne.
‘Hol’ up, Donda, I’m with your baby when I touch back road/Told ’em stop all of that red cap, we goin’ home/Not be with all these sins, casting stones/This might be the return of the throne,’ Jay-Z sang.
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Collab: The next verse may have even hinted at a future collaboration, seemingly referencing their 2011 album Watch the Throne
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Cell: ‘God in my cell, that’s my celly/Made in the image of God, that’s a selfie/Pray five times a day, so many felonies/Who’s gon’ post my bail? Lord, help me,’ Jay-Z sang
He then added, ‘Hova and Yeezus/Like Moses and Jesus,’ comparing themselves to the Biblical figures.
The verse was quite stunning given the history between the two rappers, which dated back to the 90s when West produced tracks for Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records.
At some point after Watch the Throne though, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in August, the relationship soured.
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Biblical: He then added, ‘Hova and Yeezus/Like Moses and Jesus,’ comparing themselves to the Biblical figures
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Biblical: He then added, ‘Hova and Yeezus/Like Moses and Jesus,’ comparing themselves to the Biblical figures
When Jay-Z and Beyonce didn’t attend Kanye and Kim Kardashian’s May 2014 wedding in Italy, it fueled speculation that the rappers were not on speaking terms.
Two years later, West lashed out at Jay-Z during an October 2016 show in Sacramento, when he criticized HOV for not checking in with the couple after Kim was robbed at gunpoint in Paris.
‘Don’t call me after the robbery and say ‘how you feelin?’ You wanna know how I’m feelin? Come by the house. Bring the kids by the house. Like we’re brothers. Let’s sit down. I can’t take this shit bro. Our kids have never even played together,’ West said.
Jay-Z fired back in June 2017 with his album 4:44 where he dissed West, leading to West leaving Jay-Z’s Tidal streaming service.
The duo did reunite, seemingly amicably, during Diddy’s 50th birthday party in December 2019, though this new song is the first time they have collaborated in nearly a decade.
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Robbery: ‘Don’t call me after the robbery and say ‘how you feelin?’ You wanna know how I’m feelin? Come by the house. Bring the kids by the house. Like we’re brothers. Let’s sit down. I can’t take this shit bro. Our kids have never even played together,’ West said
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Fired back: Jay-Z fired back in June 2017 with his album 4:44 where he dissed West, leading to West leaving Jay-Z’s Tidal streaming service
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Speculation: When Jay-Z and Beyonce didn’t attend Kanye and Kim Kardashian’s May 2014 wedding in Italy, it fueled speculation that the rappers were not on speaking terms
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Lashed out: Two years later, West lashed out at Jay-Z during an October 2016 show in Sacramento, when he criticized HOV for not checking in with the couple after Kim was robbed at gunpoint in Paris