'4:44' will be the sternest test of Jay-Z's relevance to date

A little over 21 years ago Shawn Carter, better know as Jay-Z or Hov, kicked off what would become the greatest career in hip-hop history.

Over the course of 12 solo albums, all have which have sold one million plus copies, Carter's lyrical abilities and overall magnetism pulled hip-hop culture in whatever direction he wanted.

Whether it was smoking fat Cuban cigars on yachts, wearing collared shirts in a Maybach or boasting about buying art, what Hov has done, others followed.

In an era dominated by dreadlocked rappers in their teens and early 20s who stage-dive, June 30's release of Jay-Z's latest album 4:44 may be just the sternest test of his relevance to date.

One the of the most oft-cited critiques of Jay-Z has been that as his success mushroomed his recent persona had become detached from the young ex-drug dealer who told vivid stories about his days on the streets and money spent on yachts, girls and cars.

On 1997's Imaginary Player off the album In My Lifetime, Vol 1 he rapped: "I was popping that Cristal when all y'all nig**s thought it was beer and shit/You know, wearing that platinum shit/when all y'all chicks thought it was silver and shit."

He was flashy and cocky but still attainable.

If you saved a bit of money you too could go to the club and pretend to be Hov.

At the time he was also still connected to the streets, often rapping about the problems associated with being a famous rapper who still had a strong link to the murkier side of rap.

Post-2006 Jay-Z had begun to soften. Music and other business pursuits meant he had been one of the richest people in hip-hop for nearly a decade.

LISTEN to a snippet of 'Adnis' from Jay-Z's new album 4:44

In 2008 he married Beyonce and his music began, in a sense, to reflect his new circumstances.

New cars and expensive champagne were old hat for him; instead he was rapping about buying multimillion dollar Basquiat paintings, his family and moving into rich Jewish neighbourhoods.

A lot of fans were not comfortable with the evolution, even accusing the rapper of not being as good as he used to be.

His response was wonderfully captured on Blueprint 3 when in the track On To The Next One: "Nig**s want my old shit, buy my old albums."

His sales have shown that everyone is still interested in his new shit.

Despite complaints not one of his solo albums has failed to go platinum and the hype around his latest project suggests that 4:44 will be no different.

• '4:44' is available exclusively on Tidal.

• This article was originally published in The Times.