Jay Electronica first reported the completion of his debut(!) album way back in 2011. It never materialized, and fans eventually gave up hope of ever hearing a full-length release from the mysterious New Orleans rapper as he seemingly moved on to other endeavors. So when he popped up on Twitter again for the first time after deleting all his previous tweets (again) to tell the world “album done,” his announcement wasn’t met with as much excitement as he was perhaps expecting. Instead, fans took the opportunity to roast him for constantly pump-faking about the album for nearly a decade when even Dr. Dre eventually gave up on Detox.
Album done .
— J A Y E L E C T R O N I C A (@JayElectronica) February 7, 2020
Was this not you? Are we a joke to you? https://t.co/PnHFyqJOH5
— Kʰᵃʸᵃ Mᵃˡᵒⁿᵉʸ 🍥 (@KhayaMaloney) February 7, 2020
— JSOUL Neutronic Suite Everywhere Nov. 8th (@JSOULSOUNDS) February 7, 2020
Jay gave further details about the album as well. He noted that it was “Recorded over 40 days and 40 nights, starting from Dec 26,” and that he would be releasing it in “40 days.” He also cryptically added, “A Written Testimony,” which could be a title, or just more mysticism from the fan of esoteric wisdom and theology.
Releasing in 40 days
— J A Y E L E C T R O N I C A (@JayElectronica) February 7, 2020
A Written Testimony
— J A Y E L E C T R O N I C A (@JayElectronica) February 7, 2020
For what it’s worth, though, Jay’s longtime production partner Just Blaze chimed in with a retweet quoting the 2006 Christian Bale period thriller The Prestige, which avid Jay Electronica fans will remember was the titling gimmick for the original debut album. Roc Nation engineer Young Guru also popped up to affirm that the “album done” tweet was “Facts!!!!” and indeed “not a drill.” Finally, some astute fans happened to notice that the usually Twitter averse Jay-Z, who signed Jay Electronica to Roc Nation a decade ago, seemed to have logged back into his account to like Elec’s last handful of tweets.
Are you watching closely? https://t.co/fS2tRqgDhI
— Crime Rhyme Houdini (@JustBlaze) February 7, 2020
Facts!!!!!! This is not a drill https://t.co/1yl5f40Lz2
— Young Guru (@Young_Guru) February 7, 2020
Jay Z’s 5 likes ever are all Jay Electronica and the album he dropping 😳 pic.twitter.com/Onn95mknzK
— I’m 6’4 😐 (@bampbellbung) February 7, 2020
All of which could add up to the moment we’ve all been waiting (and waiting… and waiting…) for, but fans seem to remain skeptical. Check out more tweets showing the muted enthusiasm for Jay Electonica’s long-awaited debut below.
This tweet has been in the drafts for a decade 🤣 https://t.co/MJVKHwQgfJ
— Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive) February 7, 2020
I've been hurt so many times before https://t.co/m2xsQYnu3G
— Micah Peters (@micahpeters_) February 7, 2020
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL! https://t.co/oWh4eVUi2k
— Wosny Lambre (@BigWos) February 7, 2020
https://t.co/YMQh1EBMBE pic.twitter.com/ip9F8ph3x8
— Rob Lopez (@r0bato) February 7, 2020
All Of The Lies https://t.co/5CIKfOPkXH
— White Gold (@Blancogold) February 7, 2020
After all these years, Jay Electronica is finally ready to disappoint us.
— Thee Anthony Fantano (@theneedledrop) February 7, 2020
Can’t wait for the new Jay Electronica album. pic.twitter.com/qKsEjgNSkJ
— Ahmed/It’s easier being an incel (@big_business_) February 7, 2020
Jay Electronica been pump faking us like DWade for 12 years and y'all still trust him? pic.twitter.com/aJjWRyBtCZ
— Placebo Bryson (@JonConstructs) February 7, 2020
Jay Elect just gon have to drop and show us. His word aint had a lotta weight for some years now
— Lawrence Burney (@TrueLaurels) February 7, 2020