Months after the release of his 4:44 album, Jay-Z dropped the star-studded video for "Family
Feud," and the Brooklyn-born rapper did not disappoint.
With Selma director Ava DuVernay at the helm, the song's visuals foreshadow a future government
while displaying striking sets and jaw-dropping wardrobes, but there's more to Jay-Z's video
than its complex storyline.
Here are some of the small details you may have missed in the rap legend's music video.
The color blue
In the opening scenes of "Family Feud," actor Michael B. Jordan walks in on his character's
sister, played by Westworld's Thandie Newton, in bed with a man, played by Moonlight star
Trevante Rhodes.
And before you know it, Newton is the only one left standing.
While viewers were likely distracted by the characters' fighting, there's a pretty big
Easter egg hiding in plain sight — the blue color scheme.
Blue is a particularly important color to Jay-Z and his wife, Beyoncé — after all,
they did name their first-born daughter Blue Ivy.
In 2012, Beyoncé shared a passage from the 2005 novel A Field Guide to Getting Lost on
her Tumblr page, explaining the significance of blue, which says,
"The world is blue at its edges and in its depths.
This blue is the light that got lost."
References to 4:44
Jay-Z's thirteenth studio release is arguably the most personal record he's ever released
— so it seems fitting that he drops references to the album's title throughout the video.
The first instance comes within seconds of the video's start, when the year 2444 is stamped
over the frame.
Later, Mister President, played by Omari Hardwick, states that revisions to the constitution
occurred "over 444 years ago."
So what's up with this number?
First off, the track "4:44," which hints at his infidelity, is what Jay-Z calls, quote,
"the crux of the album."
He told iHeartRadio that he...
"...woke up, literally, at 4:44 in the morning, 4:44 a.m. to write this song."
The number four also carries some weight for Jay-Z's family.
In 2011, Beyoncé told Good Morning America the number means something special to her.
"My birthday is on the fourth.
My mother's birthday is on the fourth.
My husband's birthday is on the fourth.
I got married on the fourth.
It's just a number that keeps coming around."
Girl Power
In the imagined world of "Family Feud," women are placed in positions of power.
When we see leaders gather to amend the constitution, every seat in the hall is filled by a female.
Perhaps Jay-Z and DuVernay were inspired to show a change in the typical male-to-female
ratio because of the #MeToo movement, or maybe they're simply projecting their desires to
place more women in positions of power.
Regardless, it's a welcome scene that's filled with star power, featuring actresses Brie
Larson, Rosario Dawson, Rashida Jones, and more, all seated around one long table.
Mindy Kaling's pregnancy
As if a scene featuring eight powerful women wasn't impactful enough, The Mindy Project's
Kaling was pregnant during filming.
Having a mother-to-be help determine the future of the country she'll soon bring her child
into makes a pretty big statement.
Plus, it's pretty darn cool that her baby Katherine, born in December 2017, can grow
up to say she starred in a Jay-Z video...well, kind of.
13th Amendment
After arguing about potential governmental changes, the women make a reference to the
13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States in 1865.
In addition to the conversation being about a push toward racial equality, it may also
be referring to the core message of DuVernay's 2016 Netflix documentary, 13th, in which she
suggests that the government still oppresses people of color who are serving time in prison
— some of whom may have been victims to "...a mythology of black criminality."
President Blue Ivy?
Susan Kelechi Watson's character sits at the head of the table and may very well portray
the president of the United States.
Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy, wearing a similar white feathery gown, is clearly supposed to
be the young version of Watson's character.
Is Jay-Z suggesting that his eldest daughter could have a career in politics?
Maybe, maybe not — but we wouldn't put anything past that kiddo.
Confessing to Beyoncé
Since "Family Feud" mentions Jay-Z's cheating, it makes perfect sense that Beyonce appears
to portray some sort of cleric, donning a tall headdress and long veil while standing
behind a church's ornate pulpit.
She listens to Jay-Z in a confessional as he confesses his sins.
In an interview with The New York Times, Jay-Z admitted his infidelity, noting that it all
stemmed from him having previously, quote, "shut down all emotions."
Meaning of family
Throughout the video, it's clear Jay-Z understands that nothing good can come from family members
fighting, but "Family Feud" proves that it's not only people of the same blood that need
to get along.
Through various scenes portraying the future of the United States, it's obvious he and
DuVernay want Americans to start seeing eye-to-eye — otherwise, true progress will never be
anything but difficult.
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