At times, it feels like Jay-Z and Beyoncé talk to each other through their songs. In Lemonade, Beyoncé overcame the pain and insecurity caused by infidelity. And Jay-Z’s 4:44 operates almost as an apology to Queen Bey, ruminating on commitment, fatherhood, and making up for the past. So it comes as no surprise that the power couple recorded a joint album during their much discussed rocky patch. But where is it?
While Beyoncé hasn’t given an interview in eons, Jay-Z has been remarkably forthcoming lately. In a new interview with The New York Times, the rapper discusses how he and Bey used musical collaborations as “therapy sessions.”
Most couples would probably prefer not to record Grammy-nominated albums about their relationship struggles, but Jay-Z says the process happened organically for them. “We were using our art almost like a therapy session,” he says. “And we started making music together.”
At the time, though, Lemonade was closer to completion than Bey and Jay’s shared record, and so it beat out the joint album to a release date because, of course, Beyoncé waits for no man. “We still have a lot of that music,” Jay-Z reveals.
Unfortunately, the most important question remains unanswered: Will we ever get to hear the album?!
From the outside looking in, it seems like Beyoncé and Jay-Z have always used their collaborations to provide glimpses into their relationship. “‘03 Bonnie and Clyde” hinted at a burgeoning romance, “Crazy in Love” captured infatuation, and “On the Run,” released over ten years after their first duet, was a soundtrack for undying devotion.
Even if this particular joint album never sees the light of day, we’re pretty confident Jay and Bey will be collaborating long into the future. Here’s hoping we have a track about being gangsta grandparents to look forward to in 2040.