Jay-Z re-releases ‘Imaginary Players’ music video on YouTube following sampling on Cardi B’s new track 

Jay-Z has re-released the music video for Imaginary Players on his YouTube channel. This comes after Cardi B released a new version of the song on August 15 this year.

Cardi B is set to release her new album, Am I the Drama?, on September 19. She has released multiple songs from it, including a revamped version of Imaginary Players. Originally, it is a song by Jay-Z, which was part of his album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, released on November 4, 1997.

The iconic rapper took advantage of the buzz around the song released by Cardi B and re-released the music video on his YouTube channel on Saturday, August 30. The song was allegedly a diss track against rapper Ma$e. Moreover, it sampled Rene & Angela's 1981 track, Imaginary Playmates.

Moreover, Cardi B's revamped version of the track led to a 100% increase in streams of the original Imaginary Players, as per MSN.

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When Ma$e spoke about Jay-Z allegedly dissing him in Imaginary Players

Shawn Carter Foundation 20th Anniversary Black Tie Gala - Red Carpet (Image Source: Getty)

When Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter, released Imaginary Players in 1997, there was speculation that it took digs at Ma$e. Part of the song's lyrics stated:

"Those ain’t Rolex diamonds, what the f*ck you done to that?"

In an appearance on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast in August 2022, Ma$e, whose real name is Mason Durell Betha, spoke about the song. He said:

"I think I said something on a record and people kind of put it towards Hov, when really I was just trying to be the best. Cause me and Hov and Busta, we all dropped on the same day. And after my joint sold, I was just talking crazy everywhere, so I might’ve got out of pocket. I was 19, 20, I’m feeling it!"

Betha also revealed that he had a Rolex watch with diamonds on it, and hence, Carter's lyrics were certainly aimed at him. Ma$e said:

"Jacob had did a watch for Big where it had diamonds in the middle and I told Jacob, ‘Yo Jacob, I wanna do diamonds on the whole watch. Once I got the Rolex, I was like, ‘Yo this is crazy.’ When he said, ‘Those are Rolex diamonds,’ they were still real diamonds; they just wasn’t factory. [JAY-Z] was talking about me because, at that time, I don’t think nobody saw nobody get that flamboyant with the Rollie."

Meanwhile, Imaginary Players became a classic, and lyricists like Mickey Factz, Big K.R.I.T., and Styles P have also used it to freestyle. Moreover, Carter approved Cardi B's use of the song for her new album as well.

Meanwhile, Jay-Z is working on new music as well. In an episode of Drink Champs, published on August 16, Memphis Bleek said that the rapper is working on a new project, saying:

“I just was with him in Vegas. He just came out on the show, and my n***a, they went stupid. I said, ‘Listen, I know you workin’. Save me a verse.’

The rapper's last album was 4:44, which was released June 30, 2017.

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