Jay-Z took out full-page advertisements on behalf of Roc Nation, celebrating the life of George Floyd after he was ruthlessly killed by Derek Chauvin, a fired police officer. The legend is known to be a social activist and, although his moves may not please everybody all the time, he is making sure that we all have the right playlist in our ears as we head out to protest peacefully.

The 50-year-old has shared a brand new playlist, filled with songs that will get you thinking, as the protests continue. Titled "Songs For Survival 2," the rap icon has included records by himself, Jay Electronica, Nina Symone, James Brown, and more. He's also got Syl Johnson's "Is It Because I'm Black," 2Pac's "Keep Ya Head Up," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," and more tracks that could be used to describe the current social climate.

The uplifting playlist is available exclusively TIDAL, featuring seventeen songs.

Jay-Z previously made his voice heard by speaking with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz about the death of George Floyd, pushing them to take this moment seriously and do the right thing in terms of prosecuting Derek Chauvin and the three other officers responsible for his death.

Check out the playlist below.

Getting a co-sign from Jay-Z probably feels surreal for an artist that has been hustling to make it for years. Known globally as one of the best rappers of all time, the Roc Nation head honcho is respected as one of the premier faces in the music industry. His ideas surpass music though, heading over into all aspects of sports and entertainment.

As we near the midway point of the year (already!?). Jay-Z gathered together a list of his personal favorite songs of 2020 so far, showing love to some of the usual characters, and also taking notice of some younger talents.

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The list starts off with Lil Baby and "Emotionally Scarred," before the Atlanta rapper appears again with "Sum 2 Prove" and "Grace" with 42 Dugg. Jay-Z is also clearly a big fan of what Polo G has been bringing to the table, shouting out the rising star for "Heartless" with Mustard. At #3, his wife makes an appearance on the remix of Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage." Elsewhere on the 20-song gathering, Jay Electronica makes several appearances, which makes total sense given Hov's involvement in the release of his debut album.

Jay-Z was also busy listening to some of the newer releases, including Future's High Off Life, of which he included "Hard To Choose One." Drake and The Weeknd earn their spots before Westside Gunn, Boldy James, Benny The Butcher, and Conway of Griselda impress the legend.

Check out the full playlist below.

It’s already May, and the Griselda trifecta has wasted little time in establishing their presence in 2020. In March, Conway The Machine delivered his Lulu EP, produced entirely by The Alchemist. A little later, Westside Gunn dropped off his absolutely stacked album Pray For Paris. Now, Benny The Butcher is getting ready to drop off some new music of his own, confirming to Complex that he’s got a project with Hit-Boy and another with Harry Fraud on the horizon — though neither are given a date, he affirms that the year will be his before long.

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As for his listening habits, Benny reveals that his playlist has been consisting of music from Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Jay Electronica‘s A Written Testimony, and a re-listen of Jay-Z’s debut album Reasonable Doubt. As for his watching habits, The Butcher admits to watch ESPN reruns, putting forth an interesting theory. “Men, we addicted to sports,” he laughs. “They still showing games from 96, 88. I’m still watching those. My daughter watching All-American so I might come in the room and watch it a bit. I might stay for an episode or two.”

The Butcher also issues a challenge to any PS4 gamers who think they stand a chance against him. “Anybody out there who think they can get with The Butcher,” he boasts. “I’m playing UFC 3, I’m playing Madden 20, I’m playing 2K20. If you think you can get with the Butcher, my tag line is Tana_Talk_4.” 

Be sure to keep an eye out for another big year from The Butcher, and should you feel up to the challenge, load up the PlayStation and see how it plays out. Keep your heady up, Benny — the quarantine won’t last forever. 

After Jay Electronica released his long-awaited debut album A Written Testimony, an album co-piloted by the legendary Jay-Z, Joe Budden wasted little time voicing his displeasure with the final product. It didn’t take long for Jay Electronica to get wind of Budden’s incendiary critique, and he proceeded to set off a heated Twitter exchange. Now, having had the weekend to reflect on the fallout, Budden addressed Electronica’s words on The Joe Budden Podcast. 

“I’m not steaming over this Jay Elec thing,” laughs Joe. “Jay Elec can diss me for the next five weeks on a fucking Hov collab mixtape again. I wouldn’t feel bad.” Eventually, he reiterates on a position he’s taken for a minute now. “I’m not trying to know you n***as,” he maintains. “I want to make my position clear. Very early on for me, I realized it was more valuable to be able to speak about you than to speak to you. I’m not trying to have Thanksgiving dinner with some of these n***as.”
 

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When he asked whether his critique was unfair, Mal reasons that it was not the words, but the delivery that left Jay rankled. “When you’re yelling and you’re cursing, what the fuck is that, what is this bullshit, that’s when it takes away from what you’re really saying,” he says. Joe states that he expected Jay Electronica to be “holier” than resorting to back and forth tweeting, which prompts Mal to explain how many artists have a hard time separating “media Joe” from the rapper he once was. 

“I don’t think I should be attacked for saying you not starting your own debut is off-putting to me,” says Joe. “If you’re going to produce and deliver and execute one of the greatest rap bodies of work ever published, Joe Budden is shutting the fuck up. There is nothing for Joe Budden to say because you have exhibited greatness…The disappointment here comes from expecting greatness, waiting for greatness, waiting for some shit for ten years and being underwhelmed.”

Check out the full discussion below — do you think expectation is the death of enjoyment? 

Not only did it take a self-imposed deadline to coax Jay Electronica out of his creative exile, but it was a deadline derived from scripture. Chronicled in the Gospels of Matthew, the notoriously guarded artist that first set the world ablaze with his dizzying penmanship 13 years ago decided to spend the same window that Jesus endured the taunting of the devil to craft his own songs of praise. After a decade in limbo, a whirlwind 40 days and 40 nights birthed the arrival of his first official studio album. A day some thought would never arrive, the man that’d once been “trying to find the meaning of life in a corona” is now providing both solace and stimuli at a time of uncertainty with A Written Testimony. 

The very embodiment of a non-conformist, it’s over four minutes until we hear a solitary syllable from Jay himself. Handing over the introductory duties to none other than Minister Louis Farrakhan, The Nation Of Islam leader’s call-to-arms sets the tone for a project that gives a great deal of thought to religion, philosophy and the elusive nature of our reality. Make no mistake, this is not the mythical debut album in which Jay Elec would forego the cloak-and-dagger approach in favor of showing us the sum total of his abilities. Instead, the New Orleans-born rapper opts to retain the air of mystery as opposed to unraveling it.

As the warped, accordion-inflected boom-bap of “Ghost Of Soulja Slim” emerges in its unorthodoxy, we see a different Jay leading the charge. An ardent supporter of Electronica since he signed with Roc Nation in late 2009, Sean Carter is so embedded into this project that it could’ve been billed as a collaborative album. Rather than being a ploy to entice the non-believers, Jay has treated this responsibility with the gravity it deserves and is rapping with the ferocity of a man still trying to make it out of Bed-Stuy. From the moment that he puffs his chest out to warn would-be enemies that if “you mouth off for the cameras, I make a silent movie,” it’s clear that he isn’t here to play.

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Then, as you’re reeling from hearing that Hov verse in 2020, Jay Electronica responds in kind and reminds the faithful why they’d spent hours scouring the internet for every last morsel of his music. Declaring that “if it comes from me and Hov, consider it Quran, if it comes from any of those, consider it haram,” this opening verse sounds as if he’s picking up exactly from the moment that he was unveiled as a Roc Nation signee at The Box in New York. Granted, it’s apparent that he’s kept at least one foot in the contemporary world, dabbling in beat switches and recurring, faintly Griselda-esque ad-libs.

Speaking of mixing the old-school with the new-age, “The Blinding” begins with a classically lumbering beat from Swizz Beatz before its abruptly usurped by a co-creation between Hit-Boy and MPC mastermind Araabmuzik. Occupied by both Jays, hearing the two lyrical assassins trade bars in quick succession really emphasizes that not only can Hov reconjure the tenacity of his early years, but that Jay Elec is a worthy sparring partner. Although the news that Travis Scott was appearing on a Jay Electronica project sent alarm bells ringing — a cynical attempt to attract younger listeners, perhaps– his affected hook adds to the overall effect rather than sounding like a marketing-oriented compromise.  

This isn’t hip-hop as assembled for modern sensibilities. This is freeform expression; deconstructivism down to the core elements before being reassembled to meet a new self-prescribed template.  Where many of the beats boil down to simple loops, this minimalism accentuates the power of the verses and ensures that lyrical content takes center-stage. Foreign as this concept may seem to some ears, it’s beautifully realized on “The Neverending Story.” The wish-fulfillment of hearing Hov on a delicate Alchemist instrumental aside, Jay Electronica adds new facets to his pre-existing mythology with one of his most revelatory and layered verses.

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Spiritual to its roots but not in a heavy-handed way, Jay Electronica uses his theological compass to guide his own life rather than dictate yours, before segueing to pop culture-laced bars like “spread love like Kermit the frog, that permeate the fog, I’m at war like the dukes of hazard against the bosses of the hogs” at a moments’ notice. In a brief moment of respite from Hov spitting with Jaz-O era enthusiasm, the soulful, No I.D-helmed “Fruits of the Spirit” sees Jay Electronica broach his circular path to this moment where fans and detractors finally have something substantial to pour-over. Amid a nod to Vince Staples, he talks of taking “the underground railroad like Harriet” where others would’ve adhered to the industry’s standards and deceived themselves along the way.

A familiar offering to long-time fans, the ten-year-aged “Shiny Suit Theory” feels like it’s there just illustrate that the seeds of this project’s sonic direction were sown long ago before “Universal Soldier” veers away from archival samples to explore the world of ambient. As both Jay and Hov exercise the full breadth of their vocabulary, it’s Mr. Carter that emerges victorious on this occasion as he laments those who’d begrudge his wealth but “ain’t keep the same energy for the du Pont’s and Carnegie’s.”

Although rhyming alongside a GOAT-contender can be something of a double-edged sword when it comes to self-spotlighting, it can help keep things on track when there’s a mishap. Case in point, “Flux Capacitator”, on which one of Jay’s most insightful verses in years manages to rescue what was otherwise a garbled execution. Complete with a sample of “Higher” by Rihanna and Jay-Z mimicking the refrain of Big Elt’s “Get The Gat,” his stern warning to opportunistic mourners and fairweather friends prevents it from being a complete miss.

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Taking cues from the more abstract side of electronic music, “Ezekiel’s Dream” is a 6-minute odyssey in itself. Dealing with his own duality and the setbacks that he’s suffered over the years, Jay acknowledges the leeway he’s been afforded as he jests that “my debut album featurin’ Hov, man, this is highway robbery.” Filled with mesmerizing bars and a tasteful hook from his Roc Nation mentor, its ethereal sound blends neatly into the more agonizing subject matter of “A.P.I.D.T.A.” Using the permanence of our cell records to look at death from a fresh perspective, Jay and Hov ruminate on loss while acknowledging that it’s an inadmissible clause in the contract that allows us to experience the wonders of life. A touching crescendo to an album that demands dissection and further study, it’s only fitting that Jay Elec should pay homage to those he lost along the way in a chapter that many thought wouldn’t arrive.

Judged solely on the merits of these engrossing 40 minutes, this long-awaited “debut” corroborates Jay Electronica’s skills and keeps the romanticized idea of him as a hip-hop high priest afloat. That said, the scene-stealing presence of Hov means that it’s not quite the standalone tome of “ancient mathematics” and existential street-corner poetry that he’s always threatened to deliver. However, among A Written Testimony’s greatest attributes is that it leaves no room for impartiality. It’s impossible to be ambivalent about this project and no two people will interpret it the same way. Instead of being universally agreed upon, it’s sparking widespread, cross-demographical discussion and that’s what meaningful art should do. Let’s just hope that we don’t need to wait a whole decade for a follow-up.

With so much uncertainty in the world right now, it's important to remain calm. One of the things that has been helping us in the office is the constant influx of new music. Every day, we're bombarded with new releases, and it has recently become one of the only constants in our lives. As we move to a remote work environment to promote social distancing, our talented team has mulled over all the drops to put together the first-ever quarantine edition of the TIDAL Wave playlist.

Commencing with a couple of bops selected straight off of Jay Electronica's long-awaited debut album, before we truly begin the party vibes. Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, Don Toliver, Megan Thee Stallion, and more bring the vibes elsewhere, with a healthy mix of old and new school for this week's display. 

If you're not signed up for your free 30-day trial with TIDAL, you can change that here. Let us know who has your favorite picks of the week and stay safe out there! What are you listening to during your self-quarantine?

Alex Zidel (Editorial)

Lil Uzi Vert - POP
Lil Tecca - All Star (feat. Lil Tjay)
Lil Yachty & DaBaby - Oprah's Bank Account (feat. Drake)
Don Toliver - Cardigan
Don Toliver - Spaceship (feat. Sheck Wes)
Gunna - SKYBOX

Alex Cole (Editorial)

Lil Uzi Vert - Moon Relate
Lil Uzi Vert - Strawberry Peels (feat. Young Thug & Gunna)
Don Toliver - Candy
Don Toliver - After Party
Don Toliver - No Photos

Mitch Findlay (Editorial)

Guapdad 4000 - Greedy
Jadakiss & Pusha T - Huntin Season
Jay Electronica  - A.P.I.D.T.A
Rich The Kid - I Want Mo (feat. London On Da Track)
Megan Thee Stallion - Captain Hook

Paul Pirotta (Sales)

Jay Electronica - The Blinding (feat. Travis Scott)
Jay Electronica - Flux Capacitor
Jay Electronica - Ghost Of Soulja Slim
Jay Electronica - Universal Solider
Jay Electronica  - A.P.I.D.T.A

Bhaven Moorthy (Editorial)

Lil Uzi Vert - Yessirskiii (feat. 21 Savage)
Blueface - Obama (feat. DaBaby)
Don Toliver - Wasted
Rich The Kid - Depend On Me (feat. Lil Tjay)
Rich The Kid - Racks On (feat. Youngboy Never Broke Again)

Keenan Higgins (Editorial)

bbno$ - mememe (feat. Lentra)
THEY. - Red Light Green Light
Jay Electronica - Ghost Of Soulja Slim
Kiana Ledé - Forfeit (feat. Lucky Daye)
070 Phi - The Deep End (feat. 070 Shake)

Lynn S (Editorial)

Jay Electronica  - A.P.I.D.T.A
Don Toliver - After Party
Don Toliver - Wasted
Lil Uzi Vert - Yessirskiii (feat. 21 Savage)
Lil Uzi Vert - Wassup (feat. Future)

Cole Blake (Editorial)

Lil Uzi Vert - Myron
Lil Uzi Vert - Leaders (feat. NAV)
Lil Tecca - All Star (feat. Lil Tjay)
Jay Electronica - The Blinding (feat. Travis Scott)
Jay Electronica - Ghost of Soulja Slim

Aron A (Editorial)

Octan & Skepta - Papi Chulo 
Masego - King's Rant
Smiley_61st - Organization
Jay Electronica - The Blinding
Lil Yachty & DaBaby - Oprah's Bank Account (feat. Drake)

Jay Electronica's debut album A Written Testament finally arrived after over a decade of waiting last Friday. It was generally met with pretty good praise from most people, although his inclusion of Louis Farrakhan and bars about the "Synagogue of Satan" rubbed a few people the wrong way. Nonetheless, the project, which was essentially a joint effort with Jay-Z, was praised by those who waited over a decade for the album but it wasn't immune to criticism from those same individuals.

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Joe Budden shared his thoughts on Jay's new project and claimed that Jay-Z washed Jay Electronica. That evolved into a little back-and-forth between the two rappers with Jay Elec saying he's never heard a Joe Budden album before and then wishing the Joe Budden Podcast host a successful career as a journalist. However, it seems like Jay might not have been speaking the truth entirely. 

A video surfaced of Jay Electronica and Joe Budden posted up backstage at a concert with the former singing praises of the latter. "I always knew who Joe Budden was, but the first time I ever met him was with Santos. He had good energy but I fucks with him as an MC because he's not on no pretend shit," Jay Elec told Angela Yee. "He a real n***a and he don't give a f*ck so I like that.

Peep the clip below. 

After making the fans wait for approximately two years, Lil Uzi Vert finally released Eternal Atake, which debuted at the Number One spot on the Billboard 200. With the arrival of the deluxe edition (which was packed alongside LUV Vs. The World 2), the Philadelphia rapper is looking set to enjoy another week at the top spot.

In the latest tally of sales projections, Lil Uzi Vert looks to have no legitimate competition as he is eyeing a second week at the pole position of the charts. With an estimated 255,000 equivalent album units moved on the deluxe, Baby Pluto will have the strongest debut of the week for a second straight campaign.

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Following him up directly is Lil Baby, who is still experiencing a surge from his My Turn album. The Atlanta star will move an additional 90,000 copies of the project.

As for the full-fledged debuts on this week’s sales projection report, Don Toliver and Jay Electronica find themselves lower on the list. Houston-bred Don Toliver is set to debut at approximately the seventh position on the charts, enjoying a whopping 47,000 equivalent album units moved. Jay Electronica’s first-ever studio album, a collaboration with Jay-Z, arrives at the sixteenth spot with 28,000 sales.

Elsewhere on the list, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Youngboy Never Broke Again, Post Malone, and others are still performing well from their recent releases. 

Which album were you jamming to this weekend?

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Following the release of his long-awaited debut album A Written Testimony, Jay Electronica found himself ruffling feathers for a variety of different reasons. While Joe Budden was displeased in a perceived lack of effort from the acclaimed lyricist, Hot 97 host Peter Rosenberg wasn’t entirely thrilled about some of Jay’s bars on “Ghost Of Soulja Slim,” which he felt were antisemitic in nature. 

A few days ago, Rosenberg hit Twitter to voice his concerns with Electronica’s “Synagogue Of Satan” line, admitting that he felt offended as a Jewish hip-hop head. Electronica seemed unfazed by Rosenberg’s offense, going so far as to invite him to stage a public discourse about the topic. And while that particular tete-a-tete has yet to manifest, Rosenberg did make time to address the tense Twitter exchange during Ebro In The Morning. 

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Explaining that he felt compelled to speak up in the face of an increasingly vocal anti-Jewish sentiment, Rosenberg reveals that many Jewish fans had reached out about the lyric. Following the exchange, however, he felt that few were willing to stand in his corner; instead he found himself accused of “selective outrage.” Ebro interjects with his take on “the Synagogue of Satan,” explaining that the term derives from those “faking” Jewishness and using it for nefarious means. Rosenberg claps back, stating that “to act like that is a significant portion of Jews is crazy.”

Circling back to the lyrics, Rosenberg doubles down that they were “dangerous, especially in today’s climate.” He also implores anyone attempting to gatekeep his feelings to fall back. “Please don’t tell me as a Jew whose mother was born in a displaced person’s camp after the holocaust, don’t tell me what I should be offended about,” he says. “This isn’t about my place in hip-hop…If Jay wants to speak about it, he said you want to have a forum? We have a forum every day, my G. Anytime. I’m not saying I hate the guy and we can’t have a conversation, of course we can. But I have the right to express that those words are hurtful.”

It feels incredibly surreal but, after waiting all this time for Jay Electronica to release his highly-anticipated debut studio album, it has officially arrived. The oftentimes mythically absent rapper unleashed A Written Testimony last week, collaborating with Jay-Z on the majority of songs and also enlisting vocals from Travis Scott and others. As we digested the project, some people, like Joe Budden, were underwhelmed by Electronica's contributions to the album after waiting decades to receive the body of work. In Budden's words, Jay Elec was "washed" by his colleague. That did not sit well with the unicorn of hip-hop.

After hearing Joe Budden's critique of the album, Jay Electronica chimed in by claiming the retired rapper has never made a classic.