Jay Z brings us something new with his visuals for the 4:44 track ‘ Moonlight ‘. Directed by Alan Yang (director of Master of None)

Jay recreates a scene from the hit show ‘Friends’ with an all black cast. As the scene comes to a point of stasis the hook repeats “We stuck in La La Land / Even when we win we gon’ lose…We stuck in La La Land / Ya’ll got the same fuckin’ moves”.

Jay plays on many themes but one that stands out is the contrast of white mediocrity and black excellence. The lacklustre jokes which are repeated line for line by the new black cast do not even warrant a giggle. In Moonlight La La Land goes beyond its reference to the 2016 motion picture. It represents a place where black culture is exploited but black excellence isn’t valued. A world where innovation is sought by re-presenting the same images of society, where money is power and power is familiarity, a Hollywood.

Moonlight offers a different perspective on black experience than the visuals for  ‘The Story of OJ’ and the title track ‘4:44’. Its message is less clear perhaps but its ambiguity makes it more interesting.

What do you make of it?