Jay Z Praises Kanye West

Jay-Z has spent much of this year reflecting on his career, and one of the biggest platforms for that has been his HBO docuseries JAŸ-Z In 8 with Rick Rubin. In the sixth episode, the two revisit “Jail,” Jay and Kanye West’s 2021 collaboration from Donda, leading to a surprisingly heartfelt reflection on Ye.

Rubin discussed how Kanye’s controversial views and public behavior had isolated him, but Jay-Z still described him as “one of the most brilliant creatives we’re ever going to see.” Hov also acknowledged the brotherly bond they’ve shared, saying Kanye has always maintained a certain reverence for him despite everything that has happened.

Jay reportedly went on to break down his “Jail” verse, including the line, “Told him, ‘Stop all of that red cap, we going home,’” a reference to Kanye’s support for Donald Trump that has taken on new meaning over the years.

Unfortunately, their relationship today is far removed from the days of Watch the Throne. Jay-Z appeared to take shots at Kanye during his Roots Picnic freestyle, seemingly responding to comments Ye had made about his children with Beyoncé. Kanye later appeared to show support for Jay’s Yankee Stadium shows, although it’s unclear whether the gesture was directed at Jay or the show’s visual direction by Gabriel Moses.

Whatever their current relationship looks like, the history between Jay-Z and Kanye is impossible to ignore. From The Blueprint and “Never Let Me Down” to Watch the Throne and “Jail,” the two created too much together to simply erase their legacy.

And despite years of tension, fans still hold onto the possibility that the two could one day put everything aside and make music together again.