Rapper/Business Mogul Jay Z has always been cocky and had an ego. However, in a recent interview he was asked about comments that Actor Harry Belafonte made about him – blasting him for not “giving back’ to Black people.
Here is Jay Z’s response:
“I’m offended by that because first of all, this is going to sound arrogant, but my presence is charity. Just who I am, [is charity], just like Obama is.
Obama provides hope. Whether he does anything, that hope that he provides for a nation and outside of America is enough. Just being who he is. You’re the first black president. If he speaks on any issue or anything, he should be left alone. [...]
Of course we want to challenge [Obama] to do better, but I felt like Belafonte just went about it wrong. The way he did it, within the media, and then he bigged up Bruce Springsteen. It was like, ‘Whoa, you just sent the wrong message all around. You just bigged up the white guy against me in the white media.’ I’m not saying that in a racial way. I’m saying what it was just the wrong way to go about it. [...]
My presence is charity! Just this guy who came from Marcy projects apartment 530C, to these places of me playing in Yankee stadium tonight.”
@JeroslynDiva: BYE Jay-Z!!!! You are right, you do come from Marcy Projects. So you know first hand what can help inspire and motivate a young Black man to make better of themselves and it’s when someone who’s got out of the hood successfully (like yourself) takes physical action to come and talk to him or uplift him in a way. Just because you help sign deals for the Barclays Center, or because you hold expensive charitable auctions at the 40/40 to help Obama get re-elected it can still be seen as “when do you ever actually go back into the low-income neighborhoods and really talk to the youth and help mentor them?”.
We hate to say it, but it seems like some of Jay-Z’s charitable moves are more like business moves. So you can’t be surprised when some don’t see it as true charity work. It’s nice that you and Beyonce “showed up” to the Trayvon Martin rally, but didn’t speak at all, however, it takes more than just “showing up”. And no you are not like President Obama!!! That man is really taking risks everyday for ALL of America. Don’t compare yourself to that man.
Source: Mediatakeout