4:44 is the thirteenth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released on June 30, 2017, through Roc Nation as an exclusive to Sprint and Tidal customers.

It features guest appearances from Frank Ocean, Damian Marley, Jay-Z's wife Beyoncé, and his mother, Gloria Carter.

It also has additional vocal contributions from his daughter Blue Ivy Carter, James Fauntleroy, Kim Burrell and The-Dream.

It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 262,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, making it Jay-Z's 14th album to top the chart.

[2] The album spawned three singles, the title track "4:44", "Bam" and "Family Feud", as well as several music videos, directed by a variety of high-profile collaborators.

On July 5, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), in recognition of one million copies purchased by Sprint and offered to consumers as free downloads.

[4] In June 2017, 4:44 posters in New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami, as well as internet banner ads, teased the release of the album.

[5][6][7] A one-minute teaser ad was aired during the NBA Finals on June 7 featuring actors Mahershala Ali, Lupita Nyong'o, and Danny Glover, ending with "4:44 – 6.30.17, Exclusively on Tidal".

[10] A second teaser trailer was released on June 27 titled "Kill Jay Z", which featured a young man with a "Stay Black" T-shirt.

[25] On the album, Jay-Z touches on a wide array of topics, such as the ongoing hip hop culture, his family life, his relationships, stereotypes and racism.

[34] The "reggae-tinged" song "Bam" features Damian Marley's vocals, with a four-piece horn section and guitar.

[48] The video was directed by Mark Romanek and Jay-Z and shows a character named Jaybo, based on The Story of Little Black Sambo.

[56] On December 29, an all-star video for "Family Feud" was released (featuring actors Jessica Chastain, Michael B. Jordan, Janet Mock, and David Oyelowo among many others), directed by Ava DuVernay and scored by Flying Lotus,[57] followed on January 7, 2018, by "Blue's Freestyle", directed by Maurice Taylor of Artlife Studios.

[60][61] The song "Family Feud" was released to British contemporary hit radio on January 26, 2018, as the album's third single.

[62] On July 10, Jay-Z announced the 32-date North American 4:44 Tour beginning on October 27 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

[67][74][75] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph gave the album a perfect score, stating "It's a highly personal work bravely opening up the artist's very human flaws as an example to others, locating in his own suffering a path towards forgiveness, redemption and, ultimately, a better world.

"[67] Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone called the album "a stunning, raw and mature apology that's as much an ode to partnership and family as it is an example of how vulnerability can make for truly excellent art."

[76] 4:44 was named "Best New Music" by Pitchfork, with reviewer Sheldon Pearce writing, "The most crafty and evasive MC lays bare his complicated life.

[29] 4:44 debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 262,000 album-equivalent units, (of which 174,000 copies were pure album sales) in its first week, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

On July 5, 2017, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over a million units.

[87] During this period, it was reported that mobile company Sprint, a major share-holder in Tidal,[88] had bought a million copies of 4:44 and provided subscribers free downloads of the album.