https://youtu.be/chG9Aq9qqLA
Jay-Z may have squashed one long-standing beef last night in Chicago, but he used his massive platform to prove that he’s still the king of subtle, subliminal shade. After having the DJ play Kanye West’s hit “Can’t Tell Me Nothin’,” Jay cuts the audio just after West’s “I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny / And what’d I do?” line, letting the audience finish the bar, “…act more stupidly!” He then shouts out Kanye, before telling the crowd, “This is for you, Chi-Town.” He also shouts out Chance The Rapper among other famous Second City residents before proceeding with his set.
The “Can’t Tell Me Nothin'” mention could be Jay’s sneaky reference to Kanye’s tendency to run off at the mouth, especially last winter during what would end up being the final stop of West’s Saint Pablo Tour, where Kanye went on a long-winded rant that rankled the reigning Roc Nation boss.
You may recall that he aired a bit of family business regarding their kids’ play dates; Jay, of course, didn’t take too kindly to that dirty laundry being made public and responded on the 4:44 album opener, “Kill Jay-Z,” pointing out that he “did cool by ‘Ye,” only to receive “20 minutes on stage” as compensation. Jay capped that bemused observation by wondering, “f*ck was he thinkin’?”
Of course, their current disagreement runs a bit deeper than wounded feelings over loose lips; the pair is also embroiled in a monetary dispute involving Jay-Z’s Tidal streaming service which has yet to be resolved. All that aside, Kanye claims that he still views Jay as his “big brother” and the duo seems to be edging toward a peaceful reconciliation — even if the same can’t be said for their equally famous spouses.
