rell826
Banned
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- Apr 25, 2013
Can someone explain to him what charity is? If it weren't for efforts like that of Belafonte's during the Civil Rights movement, who knows what would have happened? We'd probably still be drinking from colored only fountains. For those who don't know, he used his celebrity to help fund MLKs campaigns. Jay's fanbase is primarily made up of younger people so they won't care as to whether or not he actually gives back, but he is not above criticism. Whether you disagree with Belafonte or not, black celebrities do have a duty to give back whether it be standing up for a cause or financially. Its something that this generation of celebrity doesn't grasp or chooses to flat out ignore. The Paul Roberson's, Ossie Davis', Jim Brown's, Muhammad Ali's, Ray Charles', Lena Horne's and Sammy Davis Jr's passed the torch to this generation to continue what they built and they dropped it. Is he obligated? No, but it's a shame that he and people with his status and influence don't do more for the community. Showing up at a Trayvon Martin rally because your PR person told you it would be a good publicity op isn't going to cut it. Shouldn't be surprised though. Throughout his catalog he's never had an undertone of social responsibility in his music, but would shill Tom Ford, Cristal or Dusse real quick. #NewRules #FactsOnly[h1]Jay-Z Declares ‘My Presence is Charity’[/h1]
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[h3]By Lyneka Little[/h3]
Jay-Z’s Life + TimesJay-Z giving a video interview.
Jay-Z has responded to criticism from legendary actor and activist Harry Belafonte that the rapper has failed to use his celebrity in a social responsibly way. Last year, Belafonte reportedly said “I think one of the great abuses of this modern time is that we should have had such high-profile artists, powerful celebrities. But they have turned their back on social responsibility. That goes for Jay-Z and Beyonce, for example. Give me Bruce Springsteen, and now you’re talking. I really think he is black.” During a recent interview with Rap Radar’s Elliott Wilson (carried on Jay-Z’s Life+Times YouTube channel), Jay-Z said,“I’m offended by that because first of all, and this is going to sound arrogant, but my presence is charity. Just who I am. Just like Obama’s is. Obama provides hope. Whether he does anything, the hope that he provides for a nation, and outside of America is enough.” He continued, “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 him to do better. I felt Belafonte he just went about it wrong. Like the way he did it in the media, and then he big upped Bruce Springsteen or somebody. And it was like, ‘whoa,’ you just sent the wrong message all the way around…Bruce Springsteen is a great guy. You’re this Civil Rights activist and you just big upped the white guy against me in the white media. And I’m not saying that in a racial way. I’m just saying what it is. The fact of what it was. And that was just the wrong way to go about it.”
A representative for Jay Z declined to comment.
This isn’t the first time Jay Z has addressed his conflict with Belafonte. The rapper made the activist a line in the song “Nickles and Dimes” from his most recent album “Magna Carta Holy Grail.”
Since the back and forth, Belafonte has requested a sit down, telling MSNBC, “I would hope with all my heart, that Jay-Z not take personally what was said because it was not said to him personally. …I would like to take this opportunity to say to Jay Z and Beyonce: I’m wide open, my heart is filled with nothing but hope and the promise that we can sit and have a one-on-one to understand each other rather than trying to answer this question and answer these nuisances in a public place. I think it is not the right place for us to be having our exchanges.”
In the video interview with Wilson, Jay-Z said he decided to get into the business of sport representation in part because of all the reports he saw about multimillionaire professional athletes going bankrupt. “Then just watching these guys go broke in four years, it was like you guys don’t even care about their well being,” he said. “This is egregious.”
Jay-Z shouldn't be allowed to speak. Great businessman? Sure. Street smarts? Sure. Outside of that, he offers nothing to society. If the world was ending and we could only send a thousand people into space to preserve the human race, Jay-Z would be at the bottom of the list. Comparing himself to Obama is a damn joke. 
