Jay‑Z’s surprise appearances during Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter Tour” elated fans of the Carter family. In Paris on June 22, 2025, he reunited with Beyoncé onstage for the first time since 2018, performing their timeless anthem “Crazy in Love.” Then, in Atlanta on July 13–14, he made another surprise appearance at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium, slipping on stage in a sleek black leather jacket alongside Beyoncé before commanding the stage solo with “Public Service Announcement.” So, is this just the beginning of a serious comeback for Jay-Z?

Memphis Bleek gave a clue that Jay-Z is creating new music

Jay‑Z released his most recent solo studio album, 4:44, on June 30, 2017, through Roc Nation. This deeply personal record, produced primarily by No I.D., features just 10 tracks and includes contributions from Frank Ocean, Beyoncé, his mother Gloria Carter, and even his daughter, Blue Ivy, earning widespread critical acclaim for its emotional honesty and reflections on legacy. Since then, fans have been waiting for Jay-Z to release more music, as it’s been nearly a decade since 4:44.

Jay-Z’s friend, Memphis Bleek, recently commented on Jay-Z’s appearance during the “Cowboy Carter Tour.”

“I just was with him in Vegas,” Bleek noted. “He just came out on the show, like, yo, my n****, they went stupid.”

So, is Jay-Z cooking up new tracks? Bleek might’ve let on that the rapper has upcoming plans for new music.

“I said, ‘Listen, I know you working. Save me a verse,’” he continued. “He’s like, ‘Alright, I got you.’ So if it happens, it happens.”

Jay-Z explained what it would take for him to release new music

Jay-Z’s past with releasing music is a story of persistence, innovation, and influence that reshaped hip-hop. After struggling to land a record deal in the early ’90s, he famously co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records. And he independently released his debut album Reasonable Doubt in 1996, which has since become a classic. From there, he built momentum with a string of successful projects, including Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, which catapulted him into mainstream stardom.

Known for his consistency, Jay-Z dropped an album almost every year throughout the late ’90s and early 2000s, balancing street-driven storytelling with commercial hits. Even after announcing his “retirement” in 2003 with The Black Album, he continued to return with impactful releases like American Gangster and 4:44.

In 2021, Jay-Z talked on CBS Mornings about what a return to releasing albums would look like moving forward.

“I already [used the word ‘retirement’], I can’t do that ever again,” he said, according to 105.1 The Bounce. “I’ll say I wanna make music, but it has to be something important.”

He noted that he wants his next project to “mean something to a larger society.”

“4:44, for example, was a personal story, but the amount of vulnerability in there allowed for a lot of people to explore the space,” Jay-Z noted.

The rapper explained the burnout he experienced in the early 2000s

In 2022, Kevin Hart spoke to Jay-Z about Jay-Z’s alleged “retirement” in 2003.

“I really thought, you know, I was really burned out that time,” Jay-Z said, according to Revolt TV. “I was releasing an album every year … and in between that, soundtracks, other people’s albums, Roc-a-Fella, touring, back-to-back. I just looked up one day and was tired.”

“I’m not actively making music or making an album or have plans to make an album, but I never want to say that I’m retired,” Jay-Z continued. “It’s a gift, so who am I to shut it off? And it may have a different form or interpretation. Maybe it’s not an album, maybe it is. I have no idea, but I’m just going to leave it open.”

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