Footnotes of "Adnis": Jay-Z Talks About his Father

As we get a new visual from Jay-Z every week, we also get footnotes further explaining the message. This time, it’s for the “4:44” track “Adnis,” which sees Hov speaking candidly on the strained relationship with his father, Adnis Reeves:

All my songs up until this point have been about anger with my dad… As an adult looking back, now I have a different perspective of it. I started thinking, ‘Man, my dad married my mother at a time when everybody was leaving.’ He tried.

My mom had two kids before him. She had four kids by 20. I was the youngest child. They were young. That don’t check the box of what I thought. That don’t check the box of somebody who wasn’t shit. You married this woman with four kids and they was together for 11 years. Now the story gets different.

In addition, viewers also get to hear interviews from Chris Rock, Mack Wilds, DJ Khaled, Kevin Hart and Mahershala Ali — the latter of whom starred in the actual music video alongside Danny Glover.

Enjoy “Footnotes of ‘Adnis'” above and — if you haven’t already — enjoy 4:44 here. The track itself only appears on physical copies (along with two other tracks).

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Jon Powell

Currently working as Senior Editor of RESPECT. Magazine, I (Jon Powell) have 10 years experience in digital and print media -- this includes writing, photography and video editing production. I have worked extensively in Washington, D.C. and London, England and specialise in urban music and culture.