Mysterious "4:44" ad leads fans to speculate that a new Jay Z album is on the way

Is a new Jay Z album on the way? We believe so, and actually listed some of the reasons why. But this morning (June 6), that question popped up once again after mysterious ads appeared online and around New York City.

Will Jay Z drop a new album this year?

Speculation surrounding a new Hovito SZN was fueled by several things this year, including a cryptic post by Swizz Beatz and several headlining gigs he has set for the summer, including Made In America, Meadows Music & Arts Festival, and Austin City Limits. Recently, the buzz was turned up a couple notches after when ads featuring the number 4:44 were posted on several music sites and later around the Big Apple.

What does “4:44” have to do with Jigga? Well, as several fans documented on Twitter, the ad happens to be sourced by Tidal — Jay’s online streaming service. In another interesting note, fans noted how the code for the image address featured the words “Tidal” and “superhero.” Add this to the well-documented significance of the number four in the Book of Hov — it’s the date he was born (December 4), along with his wife Beyoncé (September 4), and also the date of their marriage (April 4) — and you have a running faucet of speculation.

While the possibilities of an album release are evident, the question in the air now is what exactly is this promo hinting at? Is it a new song or project from Jay or, considering the number four association, is it his long-rumored joint album with Beyoncé? The timing of all of this is pretty interesting. After all, it was around this time almost four years ago when Hov added his name into NBA lore after debuting the commercial for his album Magna Carta… Holy Grail during halftime of Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat.

Then last year, after blessing DJ Khaled with his “last” Roc-A-Fella chain, he also let off an early preview of “I Got the Keys.”

Beyond Jay, the “4:44” hint could also be associated with other artists under the Tidal umbrella who are working on new albums. Among those stars include Kanye West, Rihanna, and… wait for it… Jay Electronica. Whether or not a release from the aforementioned stars comes into fruition, we’ll leave you with this point we discovered online after a quick search for the meaning of “444”:

“When you see 444, it’s a sign to let you know that you’re on the path of spiritual awakening. You have become more aware of the spirit within you as you are feeling the subtle energies from the Universe.“

With all of these signs popping up, the truth will soon come to light.