Jay Z says 'My presence is charity', compares self to Obama in response to Harry Belafonte's critici

[keko jones]

LOL wait are people insinuating that Jay-z couldn't have raped without selling drugs? I'm confused as to what the argument here is. He sold drugs, the drugs aren't the reason why he's wealthy. Afterall 99.9 percent of rappers, rap about selling crack. Jay-z is this wealthy because he's a smart boy. Jay-z is not Pablo Escobar.

No - is the stigma of him being a drug dealer that is now rich. Yes, his rapping talents and entrepreneurship is what actually made him filthy rich, but I believe some people still see him as someone that did bad in the past and it's giving a pass and idolized for his wealth not his character.

 

[knowledgebones72]

It's fine to not see Jay Z like I see him.

But don't tell me I'm wrong, or you're deeper than me or more aware of things because you feel this way.

There's no big i's or little u's bruh.

 

[gllahone84]

It's fine to not see Jay Z like I see him.

But don't tell me I'm wrong, or you're deeper than me or more aware of things because you feel this way.

There's no big i's or little u's bruh.

Point out a post where I said that?

 

[knowledgebones72]

LOL wait are people insinuating that Jay-z couldn't have raped without selling drugs? I'm confused as to what the argument here is. He sold drugs, the drugs aren't the reason why he's wealthy. Afterall 99.9 percent of rappers, rap about selling crack. Jay-z is this wealthy because he's a smart boy. Jay-z is not Pablo Escobar.

No - is the stigma of him being a drug dealer that is now rich. Yes, his rapping talents and entrepreneurship is what actually made him filthy rich, but I believe some people still see him as someone that did bad in the past and it's giving a pass and idolized for his wealth not his character.

And this view is about as hypocritical as it gets. I lee on repeating this point, but all great American wealth and family lines were and are based on crime. Not just things we don't do now, but things that were illegal when the founders of these lines were doing them.

 

[Magic33]

We just have to agree to disagree on this one.

For the record, I'm not hating on Jay man, the comparisons being made are just absurd that's all. And his comment about charity was asinine.

I don't see Jay like you all see him. 

And charity should be far reaching if you're bread is that long, and what is the real, measurable effect of his charity?

This isn't far reaching?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/03/arts/music/03arts-RAPPERCREATE_BRF.html?_r=0

 

[gllahone84]

A trust fund? 

Come on man. 

Ya'll carry on with this one. 

Nicole Paultre Bell also made an appearance in several advertising campaigns for Rocawear...

 

[knowledgebones72]

It's fine to not see Jay Z like I see him.

But don't tell me I'm wrong, or you're deeper than me or more aware of things because you feel this way.


There's no big i's or little u's bruh.

Point out a post where I said that?

Here you go, brah:

Like I told you sell drugs; No Hov did that
So hopefully you wouldnt have to go through that

Its not Jay Zs fault that people are choosing the means that they are to obtain success. Jay Z has inspired me to be great throughout my entire life, but I've never moved weight. I went to school, read my books, got a degree, and now I'm working trying to get to the top that way. The guy motivated people to be successful, he never said sell drugs to do it, matter of fact he pushes going the corporate route as a way to true success more than the drug dealing. He just wants people to do better for themselves
 

Yeah man hes just pushing drug dealing on the masses with this one, telling people to believe in themselves, ignore the naysayers dont let them diminish their accomplishments, and that they have the potential to change the word. What a vile human being Jay Z is.

He pushes that image of a hustler down our throats...pause. But he does it almost every album. 

The dude was finished, but he finds a lane in American Gangster where he makes it autobiographical so to speak, and does an album that is has a fictional narrative, but we're suppose to treat it like it's not really fictional...

We need to bring this back to the thread topic and I find it hard to believe that ya'll dudes were inspired by Jay to go out and be successful. 

Ya'll are given Jay too much credit for your own drive in life, because a fear of failure is something we're all aware of whether Jay tells you to be great or not. 

Like sleazzy said earlier...you have fans calling him Hova so what do you expect?

You said this after dudes started talking about how we were inspired by Jay to go out and be successful. That is the definition of talking down.

 

[shoelyesses]

No - is the stigma of him being a drug dealer that is now rich. Yes, his rapping talents and entrepreneurship is what actually made him filthy rich, but I believe some people still see him as someone that did bad in the past and it's giving a pass and idolized for his wealth not his character.

But we don't know his character...all of you guys are making ASSumptions based on a image and lyrics. And like I stated before many AA didn't take Malcolm serious and discredited him because of his criminal past (one that is far more checkered then most of these rappers) And couldn't overlook it and see the positives he was doing.

Thing is ppl are comparing a person of the now, in which you are apart and witnessing first hand a particular person from all angles and perspectives vs. ppl you only have a one-sided bias view and interpretation of.

Plus not to mention due to social media and change of time it is really unfair to compare the life, the person, and what all they encompassed of yesteryear with a person of today. The access to who they are/were, is limited to the opinions and views of others as oppose to you having a much closer first hand view of a person today in your current generation, with todays social media/access.

I wouldn't compare Michael Jordans influence and impact on the youth of AA... and the one Joe Louis or a Jackie Robinson had because I had a first hand view/witness/experience for one and the others all I know is based on others and the perception and opinion of those before me.

 

[knowledgebones72]

A trust fund? 

Come on man. 

Ya'll carry on with this one. 

Nicole Paultre Bell also made an appearance in several advertising campaigns for Rocawear...

what is the problem with this?

Sounds like Hov set up a trust fund for the kid AND paid the wife for the child appearing in his ads.

 

[d nice]

I disagree heavily with Jay on his stance. But in reality Jay doesn't have to give back anything if he doesn't want to.

People seem to forget that this country is built on materialism and Individualism. And at the end of the day Jay doesn't owe anyone anything he isn't willing to give.

Sometimes it baffles me how the black community can look to people like Jay for leadership one second and not even look to men like Reginald Lewis for inspiration.

But it is what it is.

 

[Magic33]

A trust fund? 

Come on man. 

Ya'll carry on with this one. 

Jay-Z mentioning stop and frisk isn't enough. He needs to be out on the streets protesting and meeting with Bloomberg?

How many average people in New York protest stop and frisk and write their representatives? But Jay-Z is supposed to do it?

He can't just give a million dollars to Katrina. He has to be down there handing out water bottles?

I'm just wondering what is enough and what is expected?.

Do we expect all of this from Denzel, Will Smith, Kobe, Lebron, RG3............too?

Because frankly I don't think anything Jay-Z does will be deemed enough.

 

[gllahone84]

Here you go, brah:
You said this after dudes started talking about how we were inspired by Jay to go out and be successful. That is the definition of talking down.

Man you Stretch Armstrong with the reach...how am I talking down because I said I find it hard to believe dudes were inspired by Jay to go out and be successful?

Anyone else feel I was talking down?

Come on man. You failed miserably with that one. 

 

[gllahone84]

Jay-Z mentioning stop and frisk isn't enough. He needs to be out on the streets protesting and meeting with Bloomberg?

How many average people in New York protest stop and frisk and write their representatives? But Jay-Z is supposed to do it?

He can't just give a million dollars to Katrina. He has to be down there handing out water bottles?

I'm just wondering what is enough and what is expected?.

Do we expect all of this from Denzel, Will Smith, Kobe, Lebron, RG3............too?

Because frankly I don't think anything Jay-Z does will be deemed enough.

I also edited my post which showed the fiancee was appearing in several ad campaigns for Rocawear.

None of those dudes exploited the hood the way Jay has throughout his career. 

 

[knowledgebones72]

Bruh....dudes are talking about how Jay inspired them personally and you're sitting there like, "Really? Nah that can't be."

That's a d head move.

And your complaining about how Jay set up a trust fund for Sean Bell's daughter and GAVE HIS FIANCÉ MONEY!!!

This is getting ridiculous.

 

[peteweezy]

I dont understand why anyone is expecting better out of a Ex Drug Dealer who has done next to no charity work in the past.

this

By "next to no charity work," do you mean "all the charity work he has done"?

Yeah that's probably what they mean but I just don't get why people even care that much about what Jay or any celebrity does in their spare time if its not illegal. I look at these cats for what they are but it's like once you get money you have to save everybody or your some bad person. I really wish when these discussions are had the cats complaining would see how much better there message would sound if they were living what they speak instead of telling you how they would do it if they were in the same situation. It's only so much if it was me talk people wanna hear before you get called out. Get Jay money and donate start all these charities show us then you can have a better case IMO. I've heard many people say what they would do in certain situations and then get the chance only to do the complete opposite.

 

[gllahone84]

Bruh....dudes are talking about how Jay inspired them personally and you're sitting there like, "Really? Nah that can't be."

That's a d head move.

I said I find it hard to believe. 

So **** how you feeling about at the end of the day, and it can be a d head move in your eyes, but to me I credit the person's inner drive more so than any hope provided by a man's mere presence. 

 

[deuce king]

Instead of asking Jay Z to do more, what exactly are some of you dudes that are complaining about him doing to improve matters??

 

[Magic33]

Even though I disagree with Jay on his stance, but in reality Jay doesn't have to give back anything if he doesn't want to.

People seem to forget that this country is built on materialism and Individualism. And at the end of the day Jay doesn't owe anyone anything he isn't willing to give.

Sometimes it baffles me how the black community can look to people like Jay for leadership one second and not even look to men like Reginald Lewis for inspiration.

But it is what it is.

I think at times we worship and idolize the wrong things, but then again that's who we see most. At least on TV.

Reginald Lewis gave millions to Harvard, but not Virginia State. Think of how many Virginia State students he could have inspired in life and death, because he's certainly not inspiring Harvard students.

But I guess at least he went to Harvard unlike Dr Dre. [shrug]

I read his book a minute ago, but I never got the impression he wanted to be an inspiration per say. He was doing him and had his own motivation and goals.

 

[knowledgebones72]

Bruh....dudes are talking about how Jay inspired them personally and you're sitting there like, "Really? Nah that can't be."


That's a d head move.

I said I find it hard to believe. 

So **** how you feeling about at the end of the day, and it can be a d head move in your eyes, but to me I credit the person's inner drive more so than any hope provided by a man's mere presence. 

Once again, you can credit a persons inner drive all you want.

But you somehow want to deny or decide for them what went into building that inner drive.

For me, personally, a lot of my inner drive growing up was inspired by Jay Z. Just like it is now greatly inspired by Thomas-Alexander Dumas.

 

[Magic33]

I also edited my post which showed the fiancee was appearing in several ad campaigns for Rocawear.

None of those dudes exploited the hood the way Jay has throughout his career. 

So just that means he's not an activist then, along with 99.9% of the public.

The Kennedy's exploited their communities.

And are we talking about when he was a drug dealer, or the music he puts out?

Malcolm X had to do more because of his prior life and trying to live that down?

 

[gllahone84]

Instead of asking Jay Z to do more, what exactly are some of you dudes that are complaining about him doing to improve matters??

To whom much is given. If I had the financial wherewithal like Jay I promise I would be doing less bragging in my music, but the social issues would be addressed through my music. You can enlighten people through music. Bob Marley did it, John Lenin did it, a ton of artist bring light through the music. 

Facilities, foundations, community centers would be established nation wide like a food franchise to uplift the youth. I would establish something to compete with the likes of the YMCA, and other private organizations to provide inspiration.

What do I do?

I volunteer weekly at the crisis unit in town to help those who are not financially able to pay for utility bills to get assistance to do so. That's when I'm not working full time, and going to school full time. That's a job in itself. But I do volunteer at the Helping Ministries.

That's only done twice a week a week because my schedule prevents me from doing more. I also donate to charity through my school. But if I had the bread like Jay has, I honestly would be trying to establish more for positive causes. 

 

[shoelyesses]

I also edited my post which showed the fiancee was appearing in several ad campaigns for Rocawear.

None of those dudes exploited the hood the way Jay has throughout his career. 

lol really. all them dudes (at least the athletes) are oddly enough sponsored and endorse a company that has exploited the hood faaaaaaaaaar more then any rapper/entertainer has ever had.

 

[d nice]

I think at times we worship and idolize the wrong things, but then again that's who we see most. At least on TV.

Reginald Lewis gave millions to Harvard, but not Virginia State.

But I guess at least he went to Harvard unlike Dr Dre. [shrug]

I read his book a minute ago, but I never got the impression he wanted to be an inspiration per say. He was doing him and had his own motivation and goals.

Actually, Lewis gave millions to Harvard to pave the way for more black students to attend Harvard just as he gave to Virginia State to do the same. He set up his own scholarship fund at Virginia State to give students the opportunity to go to college. I know this for a fact because my ex was awarded his scholarship.

 

[gllahone84]

Ya'll keep bringing up the Kennedy's and Jay, but were the Kennedy's from the same situation as Jay?

I mean Jay exploited the hood his whole career, and now it's wrong for someone to expect more from a dude who made it out, and says his presence is charity?

These dudes out here need more than hope. I'm confronted with it on a daily basis. 

 

[acemaster193]

You can thank the fans for this one whether they're serious about it or not. They elevate these artists to immaculate levels, and call them "Hova," "Yeezus." Sooner or later they're gonna believe that they are Gods.


However, it is possible to use artists' success stories and music and use that energy to transform it to personal success. Theses artists aren't the specific reason people accomplish what they want in life.