It's not often that reports of new music from Jay-Z surface -- in fact, it's one of the rarer developments in the 2021 hip-hop landscape. Seeing as his last release dropped all the way back in 2017, with the personal and reflective 4:44, many have deemed it high time for the Jigga Man to head back into the booth. Of course, the man has nothing to prove on a musical level, given that he's already granted the game a GOAT-tier catalog. Still, as fans of the legendary emcee's music, we can only hope that he'll give us at least one more project before bowing out for his second and final retirement.
Swizz Beatz Reunion Sparks New Music Requests">Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images
While it remains uncertain as to whether or not a new Jay-Z album is actually in the works, it should be noted that he and Swizz Beatz recently took a moment to chop it up over a cigar or two, with the Verzuz producer sharing a few pictures from their luxurious meeting of the minds. We must celebrate each other more just because," captions Swizz, a frequent collaborator of Hov since first connecting on the 1998 album Vol 2...Hard Knock Life. "The fact that we woke up today is a plus. Blessings. HOV SB since 98."
Of course, this is hardly confirmation of anything even remotely music related. Still, Swizzy's celebratory picture certainly sparked hope that the pair were, at minimum, plotting on a return to the booth. Given everything both men have experienced since their last collaboration, you already know there's plenty of ground to cover. And besides -- we absolutely need one more Jay-Z album, especially if it comes with a few classic Swizzy bangers.