Michael Eric Dyson is taking a moment to “fess up” after breaking a long-standing code of privacy with one of hip-hop’s biggest icons.
The renowned author and professor took to Instagram this week to publicly apologize to Jay-Z after revealing the details of a private conversation regarding the explosive Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef. Dyson had previously compared Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” to the political identity of Donald Trump, a take that Hov reportedly did not agree with.
Reflecting on his mistake before attending the funeral of the late Reverend Jesse Jackson, Dyson drew parallels to a past experience with Ye. “I remember once when Kanye [West] posted publicly a text exchange between us,” Dyson noted. “It was private. And I was hurt by that. I’m thinking about that because I’ve done the same thing to Jay-Z. No, I didn’t publicly post a text. But I talked about a private exchange between us that should’ve remained between us, as it has for the last 20-some-odd years.”
Dyson explained that while he and the Roc Nation mogul usually exchange texts about The Godfather and global politics, their recent back and forth centered on the Kendrick-Drake saga.
According to Dyson, Jay-Z’s primary issue was the comparison between a rapper and a politician. The mogul argued that the impact and intent behind lyrics can’t be conflated with political rhetoric. He said this is what rappers do,” Dyson shared, noting that Jay-Z referenced his own legendary battle with Nas as proof of how the game works.
The author admitted he may have blown the disagreement out of proportion in his initial retelling. “I mischaracterized him,” Dyson admitted. “He said it ain’t that serious. He wasn’t vigorously disagreeing with me… So I want to apologize to him. And the reason I clarified my position in the first place is because he made the distinction between Trump and Kendrick that I wanted to make clear that I completely understood and did not intend.”
Ending his message on a somber but respectful note, Dyson closed with a tribute to both his friend and the late civil rights leader. “So God bless you all on this morning. Rest in peace Reverend Jesse Jackson. Jay-Z, my sincerest apologies. Much love to you, my dear brother.”
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