JAY-Z Clarifies Kanye West Line on 'What's Free'

By Devin

/ 11.30.2018

JAY-Z is setting the record straight.

On “What’s Free,” his collaboration with Rick Ross and Meek Mill off the latter’s new album Championships, Hov makes reference to Kanye West and his red Make America Again hat.

“No red hat, don’t Michael and Prince me and Ye / They separate you when you got Michael and Prince’s DNA,” he raps on The Notorious B.I.G.-inspired track. “I ain’t one of these house ni**as you bought / My house like a resort, my house bigger than yours / My spou—c’mon, man—my route better, of course.”

Upon first hearing the lyrics, many interpreted them as a shot at Ye, who has been an outspoken Trump supporter. However, JAY-Z took to Twitter to clarify that it was not a diss. Instead, it appears the line was aimed at President Trump. While he may disagree with Ye politically, JAY doesn’t want to be pitted against his “brother.”

“The line clearly meant don’t pit me against my brothers no matter what our differences are (red hat),” he tweeted, before plugging Meek’s album, “now go pick up Meek album. Drake and Meek on there together.”

The line clearly meant don’t pit me against my brothers no matter what our differences are (red hat) now go pick up Meek album . Drake and Meek on there together .

— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) November 30, 2018

JAY-Z and Kanye have had a tumultuous relationship throughout the years. During an April interview with David Letterman’s “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” JAY spoke about his relationship with Ye. “That’s my brother,” he said. “We’re beyond friends. Really, like literally, my little brother is Kanye, and like your little brother, things happen sometimes.”

In September, Kanye announced that a sequel to Watch the Throne was in the works, but he didn’t specify if JAY would be involved.

Meek has also questioned Kanye’s political motives following his White House meeting with Trump. “I don’t think [Kanye] addressed anything that had to do with what was tough on justice reform. He wasn’t prepared for it, and he shouldn’t have done it,” he told Vulture. “I had phone calls with Kanye for hours. He was trying to get me to go to things like that.”

He also had a conversation with Kim Kardashian, but that too didn’t yield any results. “She knew a lot more information than I thought she would know,” said Meek, adding, “I just couldn’t reason with them.”

UPDATE: Kanye has responded to JAY-Z’s tweet by reigniting talks of a Watch the Throne sequel. He seemed to ask if he was down to record a follow-up to their 2011 collaborative album.

“Throne 2 🤷🏿‍♂️” he wrote with the shrugging man emoji.