4:44

A third one followed on June 28 titled, "MaNyfaCedGod", featuring Lupita Nyong'o crying hysterically on the floor. No I.D. says Jay-Z approached him about working together, and initially declined. He cited feeling "uninspired" and "didn't think had anything at the time" but talks about researching Quincy Jones as inspiration to begin work with Jay-Z. It is the first time Jay-Z has worked with one producer for an album. No I.D. states he "began to play the samples like I would play an instrument." To get inspiration for 4:44, No I.D. pointed to albums such as, What's Going On by Marvin Gaye, Confessions by Usher, The Blueprint by Jay-Z, Illmatic by Nas, and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West, saying he "analyzed the mistakes and tried not to make those mistakes." "4:44" was written when Jay-Z woke up one morning at 4:44 AM, and recorded at his house using Beyoncé's mic. Stereogum writer Tom Breihan calls the track, "one long, tearful, soul-ripped-open apology. In April 2016, Beyoncé, Jay-Z's wife, released her sixth studio album, Lemonade. Lyrically, it alleged that Jay-Z was unfaithful. Many critics have noted that 4:44 is a response to Lemonade, with Jay-Z referencing lines from Lemonade, such as the "You better call Becky with the good hair" line on Beyoncé's "Sorry", with Jay-Z retorting, "Leave me alone, Becky" in "Family Feud". Rolling Stone writes, "Jay-Z takes a pro-black stance, addresses intergenerational conflicts in hip-hop and talks about marital troubles after many had interpreted lines for his wife Beyoncé's 2016 album Lemonade as alluding to infidelity". The album contains samples such as, Stevie Wonder's "Love's in Need of Love Today", Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free", and Nina Simone's "Four Women" and "Baltimore". Elia Leight of Rolling Stone notes 4:44 is "sample-heavy at a time when so much of rap has moved away from that sound". Lyrically, Jay-Z touches on an array of topics such as his friendship with Kanye West, his infidelity, his mother being a lesbian, and the people in charge of Prince's estate, among others.