he's washed to an extent

I liked it on 4:44 tbh

But itbwas kinda weird at first

is this implying that he didn't adopt a new approach across the majority of that album or what? i can't tell

there were obviously joints like Marcy Me where he was still flowing like we were used to from him.

old ppl lose rhythm

i swear he always used to rap like that?

Its true that the hearing goes with age lol, but I assure you Jay aint need no hearing aids, the listeners do.

This is where I disagree. I think it's very much purposeful, but I wouldn't call it "genius" lol. The approach had to grow on me for 4:44 but I appreciate more on that album now.

The first couple bars reminds me of I Love The Dough

bEliEve it Either
I'd bE like, "jay-Z's a chEater," I wouldn't listen to rEason Either
All I know is hE’s a felon, how is hE sellin'?
WEEd, the CalEva brothers, dEEp down, I bElieve you love us, huh
FEast your eyes, the pIEce unique, it's sapphire

Those are all rhyming with the long E sound

Then hes switches it up

Feast your eyes, the piece unique, it's sapphIRE
Rappers lIARs, I don't do satIRE

Three words that end in the same rhyme.

Then switches it up again to rhyme words with a short I sound in it.

Neither I nor my wrist move mockIngly
Y'all spend real money on fake watches, shockIngly
They put me on lIsts with these niggas inexplIcably
I put your mansIon on my wall, are you s***tIn' me?
I blew bird money, y'all talkin' TwItter feed
We got dIfferent Saab stories, save your solIloquies
They like, "If bIg was alive, Hov wouldn't be In hIs posItIon"
If bIg had survived, y'all would have got The CommIssIon
Hov was gon' always be Hov
It 'twas the unIverse wIll 'cause Allah said so, and now I'm here

4:44 was still the best he’s sounded since American Gangster lol.
But yea Jay flow before he retired was on a WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL compared to where he is now

Nigga old

He only uses these features to talk to his audience so the actual flow is probably secondary.

a lot of songs here he flowed accordingly but frequently he doesn’t like you said and i agree it’s kind of annoying

Conversational flows

Horrendous flow man. 4:44 unplayable to me other than Marcy Me

Classic

He more abstract now, like a poet. I f*** with it

He still on time tho, y’all just think it’s only one way you can rap on a beat

Its all refined craft. His skill level is just making it look easy

I love 4:44, but you gotta admit he wasn’t really riding the beats

Yeah it fit for 4:44, but I don’t need that on every song he does now