Jay-Z Fought for Lesser-Known Singer Fridayy to Feature on His Song with DJ Khaled

In August 2022, DJ Khaled released his thirteenth studio album, GOD DID. For the album’s title track, which landed at No. 2 on the track list, Khaled recruited a group of hip-hop icons, including Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and John Legend. Additionally, he uplifted an up-and-coming artist for the song’s chorus.

Philadelphia-raised Fridayy’s gorgeously sung I know God did hook set the stage for each of the aforementioned rappers to fire off impressive verses on “God Did,” helping it peak at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. Months later at the 2023 Grammys, everyone involved came together again for an epic performance of the track, which Jay-Z later explained, in an interview with Tidal, felt necessary for him to participate in.

“I thought about it, I was in my head and I just broke down and said, ‘You know, it’s a four-minute verse.’ Again, for the culture, for hip-hop, we got to do that,” he said. “This ain’t your traditional song… It’s not your traditional structure of what you think a song that would be nominated for Song of the Year would sound like. It’s not what you expect. And for the culture and for hip-hop, we got to do that.”

Along with this, Hov also was incredibly important in bringing all the song’s artists together in the first place. In a new interview that Fridayy did with the Way Up show with Angela Yee, he explained how Jay-Z vouched for him to stay on the final version of “God Did,” even though others in Khaled’s corner did not agree.

“I remember during the (Grammy) performance, we’re taking a picture and he’s like, ‘You know I fought for you right?’” Fridayy said. “I’m like, ‘What you mean?’ He’s like, ‘They was trying to take you off the record.’ Dead-a** serious. But Khaled been told me Jay-Z fought for you. But hearing it from him, he was like, ‘Bro, when I heard your voice it just sounded hungry.’”

Before “God Did” was released, Fridayy only had a few placements with mainstream artists, as he was mostly working as a songwriter instead of an actual artist. But, as he explained in an interview in 2022 with Our Generation Music, Jay-Z looking out for him changed his whole career trajectory.

“I never heard (‘God Did’) until it came out,” he said. “I can’t (explain) how it feels… there’s people that have been in the industry for 30 years waiting on a Jay-Z verse, and I came in with a Jay-Z verse. I’ve been doing this for like 10 years, though. I never skipped a day… God had a plan for me.”

Photo by Kevin Kane/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame