Jay Z and D’Angelo have joined forces with Jeymes Samuel on I Want You Forever, which is the lead single from the soundtrack of Samuel’s latest movie, The Book Of Clarence.
In the track which was composed by Samuel, D’Angelo delivers sultry vocals in nuance with Jay Z turning in a brief yet effective stanza midway in the song.
In a portion of the song, D’Angelo croons: “All I wanna say is that I love you so much/ I don’t wanna be without you / I want you forever,” as Samuel delivers good instrumentation in the background.
The song is the first musical release for both D’Angelo and Jay Z, after their respective hiatuses from music.
The last time D’Angelo appeared on a song was in 2019 when he released his single, Unshaken, which was written and recorded for the original soundtrack to the video game Red Dead Redemption 2. His last studio album, Black Messiah, was released in 2014 and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.
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Until now, the last time Jay Z appeared on a track was in 2022 on DJ Khaled’s epic posse cut God Did, which earned three Grammy nominations, and featured Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Friday.
His last solo album, 4:44, was released in 2017, and he has since worked with Jay Electronica on the collaborative album, A Written Testimony, in the year 2020.
Before the song’s release, Samuel, who initially worked with Jay Z on the 2021 Netflix film, The Harder They Fall, spoke on Jay Z’s relentless work ethic and boundless creativity.
According to him, Jay Z wakes up at about 5 am, and soon gets creative. He added that the Empire State Of Mind crooner can also compose rhymes even when he is on a treadmill.
The Book of Clarence, which stars award-winning actor Lakeith Stanfield in the leading role, hit theatres on January 12, 2024.