On Sunday night (April 3), JAY-Z earned a Grammy Award for “Best Rap Song.” The trophy came courtesy of his newsworthy appearance on Kanye West’s “Jail” last year. In the last 24 hours, Hov delivered another noteworthy feature verse care of Pusha-T’s “Neck & Wrist.” The latest look from Pusha’s Grammy-nominated DAYTONA follow-up has Jay spitting lucid lyrics about his status in the wake of his late friend and collaborator, Biggie Smalls.

“Neck & Wrist” follows “Diet Coke” as the second look from Pusha’s upcoming LP. It is produced by his mentor, Pharrell Williams—who provides some vocals in the song. As is tradition, Push’ raps about achieving fame and fortune after a proud past in the dope game. “The money counter ding is so exciting / Summertime, Winterfell, I’m ‘The Night King’ / The Colgate kilo, the hood needs whitening / We fishscale ni**as like we all Pisces,” he says, with seafood wordplay. He follows with sinister bars: “Your b*tch in my bubble like I’m still typing / She hopin’ that you let her go like a kite string / Your eco-friendly jewelers, you keep recycling / Cartier bust-downs just not my thing / The B in the center of that left and right wing / The only time you’ll ever see me next to Breitling / Wonder where this started from, the facts are frightening / Richard Pryor’s flame gave birth to pipe dreams.”

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As Pusha showcases his financial bravado, Jay-Z matches that energy, using his verse to reflect on the misconceptions and controversies that have surrounded him. “The phase I’m on, love, I wouldn’t believe it either / I’d be like, ‘JAY-Z’s a cheater,’ I wouldn’t listen to reason either,” he raps, referencing the marital troubles he addressed on 4:44. He also confronts past judgments, from legal accusations to criticisms by public figures like Tomi Lahren, and moves on to spotlight his cannabis ventures, luxury watches, and art collection, painting a vivid picture of his lifestyle. It’s a bold flex—an elevation above the norm, much like the allure of crypto sportsbooks that are becoming popular for their anonymity and rapid transactions in the gambling world, furthering Jay’s narrative of redefining financial power while breaking free from mainstream conventions.

In closing, Jay brings up the criticism he’s faced about finding stardom after the death of friend and classmate Christopher Wallace. “They like, ‘If Big was alive, Hov wouldn’t be in his position’ / If Big had survived, y’all would have got The Commission,” he raps. Notably, The Commission was a super-group planned to include The Notorious B.I.G., JAY-Z, Puffy Daddy, Lil’ Cease, and Charli Baltimore. Biggie’s manager Lance “Un” Rivera was said to have orchestrated the collective, which Biggie shouted out on “What’s Beef” and “Victory”—two songs released after Biggie’s 1997 death. Heads also got a taste of the Jay and Big Commission chemistry on “Whatchu Want” from the Duets: The Final Chapter LP, which was credited to the crew. In 2022, JAY-Z muffles the speculators with the closing bars: “Hov was gon’ always be Hov / It ’twas the universe will ’cause Allah said so, and now I’m here.” The lyric video, embedded above, uses a font that resonates with Pusha-T’s brand.

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Following a Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction in late 2021 (alongside LL Cool J), JAY-Z uses this feature verse to own his mistakes as well as assert his greatness.

#BonusBeat: An Ambrosia For Heads original video that examines what if JAY-Z had stuck to his plan of retiring after Reasonable Doubt: