Beyoncé and Jay Z cancel all your faves with a surprise joint-album
Hear ye, hear ye! Hip-hop’s royal family, The Carters, have finally surprise-dropped their long rumoured joint-album, EVERYTHING IS LOVE.
Announced at the London Stadium with a simple “Album Out Now” the album is streaming exclusively on Tidal. EVERYTHING IS LOVE gets up close and personal about life in the public eye, but mostly it’s about weathering marital strife. With a nod to Meek Mill, a Spotify diss, and Yoncé making her official rap debut, listeners will definitely have to hold on to the edge of their seats for this one.
The album has been an urban legend with rumours swirling for years, but The Carters have finally brought our dreams to fruition — and not a moment too soon either. Arriving just a few dates into their On the Run II tour, the release will do well combat rumours of poor ticket sales and to silence fans who were unenthusiastic about what they believed to be a recycled tour.
After a couple of promising flopped unions, the pair seems to have finally found their stride as a duo. The album acts as the culmination of a trilogy. In 2017 Beyoncé released Lemonade, revealing the pain of her husband’s infidelity. Last year, Jay Z released the grovelling 4:44 and now — we finally have a happy ending. After having made it through the highs and the lows, the two have finally found their way back to each other. Everything about the album showcases a shared musical union, letting the world know that they’re not just okay, they’re better than ever. With cameos from their daughter Blue Ivy and the twins, Rumi and Sir, the album paints a picture of a strong and equal marriage. The last and probably the most revealing track on the album, LOVEHAPPY, shows a touching back and forth as the husband and wife trade bars:
Yeah, you fucked up the first stone, we had to get remarried
Yo, chill man
Apart from SUMMER, the album sounds a lot more modern than we’re used to hearing from Beyoncé. It’s packed with club bangers and potential chart-toppers, but the tracks also have staying power. Across nine tracks, Beyoncé seamlessly transitions from angelic songstress to trap. While Bey is no stranger to rapping, this latest offering sees her fully embracing the role as she delivers punchy bars with her smooth southern drawl — at times even overshadowing her husband.
Jay Z performs well on the album. After pouring his heart into 4:44 just last year, I wouldn’t have blamed him for taking a back seat this time around, but his bars have power. His flow is hard and his delivery is as smooth as his storytelling, however, at times, I couldn’t help but feel that this was a Beyoncé album, with Jay Z features. In APESHIT, the only track to receive visual treatment so far, Jay seems perfectly happy being Beyoncé’s hype man.
Overall, the album shows a strong united front for a couple that have been through it and back. It’s an ode to love lost and rekindled, proving an anthem for perfectly imperfect unions everywhere.
