Jay-Z Responds to MC Hammer Diss

MC Hammer fired shots at Jay-Z earlier this week with the release of a diss song and video for “Better Run Run,” but Hov claims it’s all a misunderstanding. Speaking with BBC 1Xtra’s DJ Semtex, Jay explained that he had no idea that Hammer’s money woes were off-limits in rhyme.

“I didn’t know that wasn’t on the table for discussion. I didn’t know I was the first person to ever say that. Am I? I’m not, am I? I know I’ve heard that before, I didn’t think I was the first one to say it,” he said. “He took it the wrong way. And I didn’t know that I said anything wrong!”

Jay chalked up Hammer’s interpretation of his lyrics on Kanye West’s “So Appalled” as twisting his intentions. “I think that when I say things, people believe me so much that they take it a different way. It’s not rap anymore at that point. Now, it’s a personal attack,” he explained.

And surprisingly, Hov claims that he has nothing but goodwill towards the “U Can’t Touch This” MC, especially in his upcoming book Decoded. “He’s going to be embarrassed,” said Jay. “I said some really great things about him in the book and about people’s perception of him and how he’s from East Oakland.”