Jay Z has added to the list of people backing comedian Dave Chappelle. Chappelle has been under scrutiny since the release of his standup, The Closer. Consequently, his comments were deemed illicit to the LGBTQ community.
A new dawn
Most recently, Jay Z weighed in on the backlash the comedian received. Jay-Z and Netflix’s Strong Black Lead on Twitter Spaces hosted the greatest event in Black culture of the year. In audio captured from the Twitter Space segment, Chappelle is seemingly able to survive cancel culture.
Jay Z’s interview during the promotion of The Harder They Fall comes after his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The star-studded ceremony featured tributes by former President, Barack Obama and comedian Dave Chappelle. Jay Z has remained one of the most influential figures in hip-hop culture.
Jay Z’s loyalty
Notably, he refers to Chappelle as “brilliant.”
“If you spend time with him, he’s brilliant,” Jay-Z said. He expressed that he found the special challenging to watch at times.
“But I think that what happens with true art is it has to cause conversation,” Jay said. “And, you know, sometimes it’s gonna be abrasive and sometimes it’s gonna be off-putting to folks. But it opens up an opportunity to have a dialogue about, you know, whatever the issue is.”
Specifically, Jay referred to Chappelle as making “true art.” He elaborated, “…I think that what happens with true art is it has to cause conversation,” Jay said. “And, you know, sometimes it’s gonna be abrasive and sometimes it’s gonna be off-putting to folks. But it opens up an opportunity to have a dialogue about, you know, whatever the issue is.”
Jay’s close association with the LGBTQ community is sure to bring speculation of his loyalty to the group. He has received two honorary awards from the LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD, alongside his mother, Gloria Carter, and wife Beyoncé.
It seems he was carefully articulate when sharing his message of support. Some may categorize his comments as politically correct, but all in all, he has been direct about the matter.
Written by Antoinette Ford
