Jay-Z’s ‘Open Letter’ Fires Back At Cuba Critics
Jay-Z’s “Open Letter” is the new song that he posted to SoundCloud today to vent to the world about all of his troubles this week. Poor Jay-Z. What a life.
In “Open Letter,” the always modest and unassuming rapper compared himself to Bob Dylan, mentioning “Idiot Wind” by name just in case you didn’t get it yet.
This week’s troubles began when, for reasons best known to Jay-Z and wife Beyoncé, the happy couple decided to celebrate five years of wedded bliss by traveling to Havana, Cuba, which has been under travel restriction for United States citizens for decades. Upon their return a few days ago, outraged Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) played to his Cuban emigré voters by demanding an investigation of the trip, which he called illegal.
Conservative actress Stacey Dash even weighed in on Rubio’s side, setting off a Twitter war.
Despite the brouhaha, the US Treasury Department spoke up to assure the public that the Jay-Z and Beyoncé anniversary trip was legal as an educational outreach, since they took time from chillin’ on the beach to meet locals at museums and schools.
Despite the help of the Treasury Department in calling off the conservative dogs, Jay-Z didn’t seem particularly grateful. In Open Letter, he raps, “Politicians never did sh*t for me/Except lie to me” and later suggests that Obama told him that he was in danger of being impeached over the trip.
I say, don’t let it go to your head, honey. You’re not that important.
However, he might feel a bit put-upon because the hassle comes the same week that Jay-Z was informed that if he wants to go ahead with his plans to become a National Basketball Association (NBA) agent, then he needs to sell his share of the Brooklyn Nets. Owning a piece of a team is a clear conflict of interest if you want to represent players.
His percentage is reportedly a tiny one percent, so it wouldn’t seem like a terrific sacrifice, but apparently he’s bitter about that too. In the new song, he alleges that he could have brought the Nets to Brooklyn for free, presumably with his pretty face and charming personality.
Billboard has posted Jay-Z’s NSFW rap, “Open Letter” here.
Do you care that The Jay Z”s have taken the capital you have given them and funded a communist oppressive regime?
— Stacey Dash (@REALStaceyDash) April 9, 2013
I just replayed Jay-Z “Open Letter” like 10 times already. Legendary bars man. SMH.
— Bdell1014 (@Bdell1014) April 11, 2013
Whether you’re a fan or a hater, you have to admit that Jay-Z’s trip to Cuba and the resulting publicity will get plenty of ears for “Open Letter.”
UPDATE: Jay Carney, President Obama’s press secretary, has responded to Jay-Z’s ‘Open Letter’ by saying, “I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury. The White House, from the president on down, had nothing to do with anybody’s…travel to Cuba. It’s a song.”
[Beyonce and Jay-Z photo by Featureflash / Shutterstock.com]
