Yvette Carnell: Jay-Z Trashes Occupy Wall Street, Even After Having Tried to Make Money From It
by Yvette Carnell
In a new interview with the New York Times, Jay-Z trashes Occupy Wall Street, saying “What’s the thing on the wall, what are you fighting for?”
The rapper, mogul, and former crack dealer says he told OWS supporter Russell Simmons that he did not share Simmons’ view of the movement.
“I’m not going to a park and picnic — I have no idea what to do,” Jay-Z said, recalling a conversation with Simmons about being a part of the movement.
Occupy Wall St. was, at that time, about non-violently sitting in on Wall St. to protest government corruption, especially the corruption of those on Wall St. who engineered the recession, but then got bailed out with American tax dollars. But Jay-Z, who can easily wrap his head around multi-million dollar deals, can’t understand what it means to be a part of a protest movement?
Those who follow the Occupy Wall St. Movement will also remember that Jay-Z tried to capitalize off the energy of the movement by selling Occupy All Streets t-shirts. This enraged some in the OWS movement because Jay-Z was was co-opting the theme of the movement without donating any money to the cause.
Back then, Jay-Z’s clothing company, Rocawear, said it was selling the shirts to support OWS:
The ‘Occupy All Streets’ T shirt was created in support of the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement. Rocawear strongly encourages all forms of constructive expression, whether it be artistic, political or social. ‘Occupy All Streets’ is our way of reminding people that there is change to be made everywhere, not just on Wall Street. At this time we have not made an official commitment to monetarily support the movement.
Now, however, Jay-Z is changing his tune, and saying he was never in support of OWS. It was just another hustle, I guess.
This sort of indifference to the suffering of people is what caused Harry Belafonte to recently call out both Jay-Z and Beyonce, saying in an interview, “It is sad. And 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 Beyoncé, for example. Give me Bruce Springsteen, and now you’re talking. I really think he is black.”
Jay-Z has gone from trying to hawk OWS themed t-shirts to saying it’s wrong to blame all one percenters (which OWS never did, by the way). Jay-Z either doesn’t know what he believes, or he doesn’t believe anything. Take your pick.
Yvette Carnell is a former Capitol Hill and campaign staffer turned writer. She is currently an editor and contributor to Yourblackworld. You can reach Yvette via Twitter @YvetteDC or on Facebook.
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Jay Z is not an intellectual person. So he is out of his league in answering questions about social or political issues. He is exactly what he is. He is nothing more than that. He is successful in what he does. That’s it.
Dear Ms.Carnell, as always you really hit the mark here. Thank you for trying to raise the conscience of our people.
With him its all about the hustle & nothing more. Once a crack dealer, always a crack dealer. He was never socially conscious & his millions have only made him even less so.
Wow, it’s so sad. I personally never understood the hype about JayZ and now I have less interest. I knew Mr. Belafonte wasn’t just calling them out just because and Beyonce response made both of them look negligence.
Glad I never paid a pennie for his phony,watered down,safe negrowish type music and never will either.
Sounds like Jay’s massa got in his ear to tell him to do what he must to pacify his legions of followers because soon there will be changes and so many of us in the black community will look up and wonder what happened. Google QE3, research/study Obama’s cabinet members. And no I’m not Republican nor am I Democrat. I supported Obama until my eyes were opened and I did my own research. There is no difference between Romney and Obama (as it relates to Policy). Forget Jay Z our issues are bigger than a dude that sold drugs/destruction/death to his own community to ensure self-prosperity. HE COULD CARE LESS ABOUT YOU just as he cared less about those he sold drugs to.
“Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience.”
–John Locke
Wall Street has a single purpose and that’s to facilitate activity in the rest of the economy that benefits them. They can rake in vast profits even with the rest of the economy crashing. Jay-Z understood the salient points well enough mainly because he was a crack dealer: the game is rigged and rules are for suckers. That was the way it was then and is the same way it is now. If Jay-Z couldn’t cash-in, why get in involved? Poor thing, obviously, doesn’t have a RUSH card…
Here it is time and time again. A devil/deamon comes dressed in money and surrounded by “ho(r)ney” BEings. Little black boys and girls are hypnotized! The greatest business on planet Earth is SOUL selling, and has been since WE came here. The experience is supposed to be that we work for GOD, yet so many, too many, end(ed) up slaving for the world.
Still, there are no victims. We are ALL accountable for our BEings at the end of our experience. AND I must tell you GOD will show up! It may seem he isn’t paying attention to the going-ons down here, it may be that you will what you KNOW in your heart is wrong, under the notion that “you only live once”; but you’re wrong and you know it.
It isn’t your life to abuse, confuse, refuse and delude yourSelf from the instruction of the almighty GOD! The lord is upset! You who can’t see beyond the veil, KNOW that you reap what you sow and harvest is soon upon us!
Wipe the world out your eyes, and wakeup! The coming of the Lord is at hand! If you haven’t saved yourSelves, DO IT RIGHT NOW! My dear brother isn’t coming to SAVE anyone, he and his army of Heaven are coming to rescue his brothers and sisters in Christ. BE STILL! He’s attempting to reach you, give him your time!
You CAN have the righteous life you desire!
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
(Matthew 6:33)
Sharing:
2 Corinthians 3:1-8
Psalm 43:1-5
Proverbs 22:8-9
Job 34:1-36:33
2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Psalm 44:1-8
Proverbs 22:10-12
In that order. Bless
These Rap Slaves are Everywhere but the Library lol I would not ask them about anything of intelligence! To all you ignorant Negroes these are the Real Terrorists! These Crackers who wearing a 4,000 dollar suit & look you right in your face & won’t speak I don’t speak either! I don’t think a Cracker is good enough to shake my Hand! I am a Blackman & understand my Importance! Jay-z is a mental Miget go talk about sneaking on the Bus or Train or some other NiggaShit & stay off of subjects you can’t understand! Jay-z is a go along to get along type Negro, I stand up and check Crackers because I am a Man! Wall Street Demons thieves and Greedy Crackers the Real Terrorists!