Jay Z to Harry Belafonte: ‘My Presence is Charity’

Is that enough?

By Jamilah King Jul 26, 2013

Jay Z had this to say in response to Harry Belafone’s recent criticism that today’s celebrities ignore social responsibility. (Skip ahead to 6:58 in the video above.)

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. Just being who he is. You’re the first black president. If he speaks on any issue or anything he should be left alone…I felt Belafonte he just went about it wrong. Like the way he did it in the media, and then he big’d up 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’d up 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.

Jay Z made his comments during a wide-ranging and really interesting interview with Rap Radar’s Elliot Wilson.

(H/T Life + Times)