Key Takeaways
- The three-song remix pack includes a version with a new JAY-Z verse, an “ACOUSTIC 4:44” edition, and a bass-driven “DONK MIX.”
- The JAY-Z-assisted remix includes a sample of Sheck Wes' “Mo Bamba."
- Fans reacted on X shortly after the early-morning release, weighing in on the beat switches and JAY-Z’s guest appearance.
The lead-up to B’Day’s 20th anniversary somehow keeps getting better. In the wee hours of Wednesday (Aug. 5), Beyoncé surprise-dropped a remix pack for “MORNING DEW (DONK),” a long-circulating fan favorite she reportedly recorded for her self-titled album.
Of the three new renditions of the Pharrell-produced track, we were pleasantly surprised to hear JAY-Z (or should we say JAŸ-Z, as he’s now credited on streaming services) indulging in some characteristically grandiose flexing over The Isley Brothers’ “Between the Sheets” — the oft-sampled slow jam that powered The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa” — and, somehow even more unexpectedly, Sheck Wes’ “Mo Bamba.”
“If you ain't ridin' for the gang, shut the f**k up / I don't know what you n**gas say, you know you love us too / Come rep us on the set, they only hate us on the 'net,” he raps in the latter half of the record. “Pop it on the piles, but you ain't doin' s**t / We just makin' love, we just gettin' rich / Y'all keep doin' that, we keep doin' this.” Take a listen below, then scroll for some of our favorite reactions.
How fans reacted to Beyoncé and JAY-Z’s “MORNING DEW (DONK)” remix
Taking to X around 3 a.m. ET, one user hilariously wrote, “I woke up in the middle of the night cuz my spirit just [knew] Beyoncé dropped.” Another person shared a GIF of Queen Bey with the words, “THE BEAT SWITCHESSS.”
Others, on the other hand, were a little iffy about Jigga jumping on the record since he already appears on three songs from B’Day — “Welcome to Hollywood,” “Upgrade U,” and “Déjà Vu” — if we’re counting the deluxe edition. However, as one person pointed out, “His verse is actually good. It's her song, and JAY-Z is her husband. What's your problem with JAY-Z? Y'all complain about him for no reason,” a sentiment many fans appear to share.
Another said, “Never thought I’d hear ‘Mo Bamba’ and ‘Between the Sheets’ sampled in the same song??????” See more ahead.
What to know about Beyoncé’s full “MORNING DEW (DONK)” remix pack
While the BeyHive may largely be focused on JAY-Z jumping on “MORNING DEW (DONK)” and what it could mean for ACT III, which we still know very little about, Beyoncé also dropped two other versions. “MORNING DEW (DONK) ACOUSTIC 4:44” strips back the instrumental while seemingly paying homage to Hov’s 13th studio album in its title, whereas “MORNING DEW (DONK) MIX” turns the bass all the way up.
With three new takes on “MORNING DEW (DONK)” now in rotation ahead of B’Day’s 20th anniversary, the remix pack adds another chapter to the song’s history. For now, listeners can sit with the alternate versions and JAY-Z’s verse as the date quickly approaches.