Jay-Z divulged a great deal of his personal life on his 2017 album, 4:44. So much that Hov says other rappers have thanked him for saving their relationships, seemingly referring to the transparency he displayed about his marriage to Beyoncé.
During a recent episode of NBA star LeBron James' HBO series The Shop: Uninterrupted, which aired on May 31 and also features Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny and WNBA player Nneka Ogwumike, Jigga spoke on his Grammy Award-nominated 4:44 album and the impact it had on other rhymers.
"The things that I've been through and all the like, healing… To be vulnerable in that space after you've done all this work and you don't have to," Jay explained. "Right? Your ego will tell you, 'I don't gotta do that.' But then no one else heals. So many super gangster rappers coming up to me like, 'Yo, thank you for that.' You know, they can tell me on the side, 'Yo, you saved my relationship.' It was needed."
In true Hov fashion, he didn't disclose which artists' relationships his album helped, but the offering was certainly appreciated by more than just his peers. A week after 4:44 arrived, the LP was certified platinum. The feat marked Jay-Z's 13th album that moved at least 1 million units.
When 4:44 was first released on June 30, 2017, it was offered exclusively to TIDAL and Sprint customers. Shortly after, it was made available via a free download followed by the LP being accessible on iTunes, Apple Music and in physical album form.
Although Jay hasn't dropped an album in nearly four years, he's still been delivering bars on various tracks. Most recently, he appeared on the late DMX's posthumous album, Exodus, with Nas. The former rap rivals-turned-collaborators also appear on DJ Khaled's Khaled Khaled album.
Check out Jay-Z speak on his 4:44 album during his appearance on LeBron James' The Shop: Uninterrupted below.