Jay-Z and Nipsey Hussle’s lyrical prowess can now be appreciated in a song.
On Friday (12/02), soundtrack of the film Judas and the Black Messiah arrived called Judas and the Black Messiah: the inspired album. The effort produced by Hit-Boy, Dash Sherrod, Ryan Coogler and Archie Davis features a number of tracks, including “What It Feels Like” with Jay-Z and Nipsey Hussle – track # 4 on the LP.
Nip’s posthumous lyrics start the first verse: “Look, the only reason I survived because a brother is special, first / You are successful, then it gets stressful, thirsty / Niggas will test you, see how much yours is worth texture / Diamonds and tubes, I ask when the pressure has burst. “
At the end of the second verse, Hov addresses one of the film’s main characters, Fred Hampton. Hampton was the president of the Chicago section of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s and was assassinated on December 4, 1969 – the day Jay-Z was born – during an FBI operation. Hampton was betrayed by former associate William O’Neal, a federal informant.
Jay rhymes about the bar produced by Mike & Keys, Larrance Dopson, MyGuyMars and Terrace Martin: “I arrived the day Fred Hampton was killed – hol ‘up / Murdered, just to clarify further / What did you give birth to is the president mixed with Jeff Fort / Big stepper on that jet with my legs crossed (Uh, uh) / Black stones around my neck, you can’t kill Christ (Uh) / Black messiah is what I feel (Woo) / The shit won’t stop because you have spilled blood / We will show up even more, since you kill, cousin. “
The film stars Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton, while Lakeith Stanfield plays the role of William O’Neal. As for the soundtrack, there are other tracks from Nas, 2020 XXL Freshman Polo G, Rapsody, G Herbo, Lil Durk, A $ AP Rocky, Pooh Shiesty, JID, Black Thought and more.
See the tracklist below.
Judas and the Black Messiah: the inspired album Tracklist
1. “Cointelpro / December 4th” – President Fred Hampton Jr.
2. “Fight for you” – SHE
3. “EPMD” – Nas
4. “Welcome to America” - Black Thought
5. “What It Feels Like” – Nipsey Hussle and Jay-Z
6. “Broad Day” – Hit-Boy
7. “Plead for the .45º” – Smino & Saba
8. “Somethin Ain’t Right” – Masego featuring IADB and Rapsody
9. “Letter 2 U” – BJ The Chicago Kid
10. “On Your Mind” – Lil Durk
11. “Appraise” – White Dave
12. “All Black” – G Herbo
13. “I Declare War” – Nardo Wick
14. “No bad words” – Pooh Shiesty
15. “Last Man Standing” – Polo G
16. “Respect my mind” – Dom Kennedy
17. “Revolutionary” – G Herbo featuring Bump J
18. “Teach me” – Lord
19. “Contagious” – Safe & Kiana Ledé
20. “Problems with Nigga Rico” – A $ AP Rocky
21. “Other”
22. Bonus: “Black Messiah” – Rakim
Check out “What It Feels Like” by Jay-Z and Nipsey Hussle below.
See 22 hip-hop-related police raids