Jay-Z's return to the music scene was highly anticipated after his temporary hiatus from rap. Dubbed 'retirement' by some fans and critics alike, it turned out that this break provided Jay with ample time to focus on other ventures rather than completely hanging up his mic for good.

During his absence from the studio, Jay threw himself into running Def Jam Records - a label he co-founded back in 1993 under Roc-A-Fella's umbrella. As an executive at one of hip-hop's most influential labels, Jay undoubtedly had access to top talent and was likely privy to many unreleased gems waiting to see light.

Fast forward several months later; on June 15th via his official Instagram account, news broke that Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter - aka the legendary MC/CEO himself - would indeed be returning with a brand-new solo offering. Titled '4:44', this highly-anticipated LP marked Jay's thirteenth studio effort overall.

The title itself holds significance; '444' can also be interpreted as 'four forty-four', which coincidentally aligns perfectly with the release date of June 30th - just over two weeks after his initial announcement. Some might argue that even in retirement, Mr. Carter still knows how to throw subtle yet effective marketing moves.

'4:44', set for exclusive streaming only on Jay's very own Tidal platform (a move sure to further fuel ongoing debates surrounding music ownership and distribution), promises much given its predecessor 'The Black Album'. With both critically acclaimed upon release ('The Black Album' debuted at number one in nine countries including the US) expectations will undoubtedly be sky-high once again.

With production duties likely handled by an A-list roster of producers - Jay has never been afraid to collaborate with some of hip-hop's biggest names over the years (think Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and even his own son Juelz Santana), '4:44' shapes up as one not-to-missed listening experience come June 30th.

Jay-Z's return from retirement couldn't have come at a better time; following an eventful few months in both personal life (his highly publicized divorce from Beyoncé) and global politics alike, there may never be more pressing need for words of wisdom - or simply just pure unadulterated boom-bap hip-hop. Whatever direction '4:44' ultimately takes us down on its release date remains to be seen; one thing however is certain - after a long wait, the King Of New York has finally returned home.

Jay z 444 album list