hunting-season

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Jadakiss Reveals "Ignatius" Tracklist Feat. Pusha T, Ty Dolla $ign, 2 Chainz & More


After a one-week delay, Jadakiss’ star-studded “Ignatius” album arrives this Friday.

Jadakiss planned to drop his album, Ignatius, on February 28, but then he was rocked by the death of Pop Smoke and decided to delay its release out of respect. One of the album’s singles, “Hunting Season”, which features Pusha T, was pulled from streaming services in the wake of Pop’s passing. The song’s creators were unsettled by the thought of it circulating at that time given its “hypothetical ideas of killing rappers.”

Jadakiss Reveals "Ignatius" Tracklist Feat. Pusha T, Ty Dolla $ign, 2 Chainz & MoreSean Zanni/Getty Images

While appearing on Genius’ “For The Record” series, Jadakiss explained that he then decided to push the entire project’s release back by a week in order to not detract from the mourning process for the late Brooklyn rapper. “It’s just senseless, we’re losing too many young artists,” The Lox rapper said of Pop’s passing. “I spoke to him a few times on the phone. I was gon’ have him rock at my daughter’s Sweet 16, but he was overseas. He was very… He showed wild love.”

After the delay, Ignatius is set to drop this Friday, March 6. Jada just unveiled its thirteen-song tracklist, which calls in features from Pusha T, 2 Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign, Rick Ross, Dej Loaf, John Legend and more. “Hunting Season” is on there. The Rick Ross collab, “Kisses To The Sky“, has already been made available for your listening. 

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Jadakiss Talks Delaying "Ignatius" Out Of Respect To Pop Smoke


Jadakiss’s forthcoming album was slated to be released on Feb. 28, but the rapper decided to push the drop date back one week.

The hype surrounding Jadakiss‘s forthcoming album Ignatius has been a well-crafted rollout. The New York rapper has been making the media rounds to discuss his upcoming record that was initially slated for release on Friday, February 28. There was even a song, “Hunting Season” with Jadakiss featuring Pusha T that made its way to TIDAL, but almost immediately it was taken down. Pusha T would later come forward and say that they decided not to move forward with the track’s release at this time because of Pop Smoke’s murder, and since the song talks about hunting fellow rappers, it didn’t seem appropriate.

Jadakiss Talks Delaying "Ignatius" Out Of Respect To Pop Smoke
Mike Coppola / Staff / Getty Images

During a chat with For The Record, Jadakiss explained that both he and Pusha didn’t even talk about taking down the song but they were on the same page about its removal. In fact, Jadakiss delayed the release date of his album altogether. “Yeah, we held back to pay respect for Pop Smoke, the untimely passing and demise of Pop Smoke,” said Jadakiss. “We actually pulled that song back and we pulled the project back as well [by] a week. Instead of February 28, the album is gon’ come out March 6. The song, the video is very artsy but it’s a little crazy so, just to pay respect and shed light on that whole…you know.”

“Even with Kobe and his daughter and the memorial and all that, it just didn’t seem like the right time to release the song or the visual,” Jadakiss added. “Or the project, so we just pulled it back for a week. The song will be on the album…just after stuff dies down a little we’ll let the visual out.” Watch Jadakiss chop it up with For The Record below.

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Pusha T & Jadakiss Pull "Hunting Season" Out Of Respect For Pop Smoke

In wake of Pop Smoke's death, Pusha T suggests in an Instagram post that he and Jadakiss don't feel comfortable having that song out while mourning.

Pusha T and Jadakiss' "Hunting Season" has been removed from TIDAL and it appears to be out of respect for Pop Smoke. The record, slated to appear on Jada's next project Ignatius, was on the Jay-Z-owned streaming platform at the early hours of the day before fans noticed it was no longer available. 

Pusha T & Jadakiss Pull "Hunting Season" Out Of Respect For Pop Smoke
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

"'Hunting Season' was a request that IcePick Jay (RIP) always had and in light of his death me and Kiss mad an incredible song," he explained on his Instagram page. "With that being said, the whole concept of hunting season and the hypothetical ideas of 'killing rappers' isn't setting well with me while mourning the recent death of Pop Smoke. Rest In Peace POP and condolences to his family."

Karen Civil appeared to confirm the news that the song has, indeed, been removed from streaming platforms in wake of Pop Smoke's death. 

The death of Pop Smoke, of course, hits home for a lot of rappers but Pusha T was one of the first to show him love. Push's manager, Steven Victor, was also the person who signed Pop to his label. Pusha T even brought Pop Smoke out at his set at Brooklyn's Greatest Day Ever Music Festival in July 2019 where he performed his then-bubbling anthem, "Welcome To The Party," which Push referred to as "my shit." Of course, the song would later blow up and kick start the young rapper's career.