The Neptunes

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Lore & Background

The Neptunes produced "Glory," a song that opens with Blue's first heartbeat and includes a sample of Blue's cries towards the end. The song received positive reviews from professional music critics, who complimented the production from the Neptunes. Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone awarded the song three-and-a-half out of five stars, praising its "lilting Neptunes beat" and comparing the song to Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely?" (1976). The song debuted at number 74 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at number 23 on the US Rap Songs chart, making Blue the youngest person to be credited on a charting song in any Billboard chart. The music video for "Glory" was released exclusively to Tidal on April 16, 2015, featuring rehearsal footage of Jay-Z performing before his Carnegie Hall charity performance in New York on February 7, 2012.

In Their Own Story

In the studio, the Neptunes crafted the beat for "Glory," a track that would become an emotional homage to Jay-Z's newborn daughter Blue Ivy Carter and wife Beyoncé. The song opens with Blue's first heartbeat, and towards the end, Blue's cries can be heard. Lyrically, Jay-Z details the experience and happiness of becoming a father for the first time, while also detailing the heartbreak the couple suffered over a previous miscarriage. The Neptunes' production provided the backdrop for Jay-Z's most personal thoughts, as Rob Markman of MTV News noted, recording his "most personal thoughts... and then tops things off by adding the crying and cooing bundle of joy to the track."

Reader's Guide

The Neptunes produced "Glory," a song released on January 9, 2012, on Jay-Z's official website LifeandTimes.com. The song was later released to US urban contemporary radio on January 17, 2012. On July 11, 2026, Jay-Z released "Glory" to all streaming platforms, following his performance at Yankee Stadium the previous night. The song features Blue Ivy Carter as a credited artist, making her the youngest person in history to have a charting song on any Billboard chart. The Neptunes' production was praised by critics, with Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone highlighting the "lilting Neptunes beat." The song debuted at number 74 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number 63, and debuted at number 23 on the US Rap Songs chart.

Did You Know?

• The Neptunes produced "Glory," which opens with Blue Ivy Carter's first heartbeat and includes her cries towards the end.
• The song made Blue Ivy Carter the youngest person in history to be credited on a charting song on any Billboard chart.
• Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone compared the Neptunes' beat on "Glory" to Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely?" (1976).
• The music video for "Glory" was released exclusively to Tidal on April 16, 2015, featuring rehearsal footage from Jay-Z's Carnegie Hall performance.
• Jay-Z first performed "Glory" at a Carnegie Hall charity performance in New York on February 7, 2012, with a 40-piece orchestra and the Illadelphonics.