Kanye West has decided to shed light on the rift that, according to him, has developed between him and Jay-Z, attributing it to their differing political stances. In a tweet, now deleted, posted on Sunday, April 20th, the 47-year-old controversial rapper revealed that the friction originated from their collaborative effort on the song "Jail," featured on West's 2021 album, Donda.
"Why did Jay Z insist on saying 'no red hat' in 'Jail?'" West tweeted via X. "That line tore me apart to my very core. We argued over it, and he gave me an ultimatum: either keep the line or remove my verse. My wearing the red hat stood as a bold defiance against 'the program.' Do you think he was prompted to say that?"
In Jay-Z's verse on the track, he rhymed, "Told him, 'Stop all of that red cap, we goin' home' / Not me with all of these sins, castin' stones / This might be the return of The Throne / Hova and Yeezus, like Moses and Jesus." These lyrics referenced West's support for President Donald Trump, often symbolized by the rapper donning a red "Make America Great Again" baseball cap. "Jail" marked the first collaboration between West and Jay-Z after their 2011 joint album, Watch the Throne. While fans harbored hopes that "Jail" signaled a musical reunion for the duo, they have not collaborated again since.
Last month, West made headlines with a series of tweets about Jay-Z, 55, and his wife, Beyoncé. Following an X rant that targeted the couple's twins, Rumi and Sir, aged 7, Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, stepped in to defend her family. (Jay-Z and Beyoncé, 43, also share a daughter, Blue Ivy, 13.)
"Corny joke, time! It's challenging to stay positive and elegant when confronted with ignorance and malice," Knowles, 71, captioned a March Instagram video where she shared a joke. "But I am assured that no weapon forged against me or my family will succeed. This battle doesn't belong to me; it belongs to the Lord. I know God's got this."
In the video, Knowles lightened the mood by sharing one of her signature "corny" jokes with her followers. "What happens when a snowman throws a tantrum? He has a meltdown," she joked. "You know that's funny!"
Shortly after his tweets about Jay-Z's children, West apologized in subsequent X posts, writing, "I LOVE JAY Z AND I TRULY FEEL BAD." He also expressed hurt over Jay-Z's absence at his wedding to Kim Kardashian, whom he married in 2014.
"I FELT LIKE BOTH HIM AND HIS WIFE COULD HAVE HELPED ME GAIN MORE INFLUENCE OVER MY KIDS," West continued, referring to his recent claims of being denied access to his four children with Kardashian, 44. "THEY COULD HAVE UTILIZED THEIR CULTURAL POSITION TO NOT JUST WATCH THE KARDASHIANS RUN OVER ME. THIS HURTS... SO I'M UPSET WITH BOTH OF THEM BECAUSE WHEN I NEEDED THEM, THEY LET ME DOWN."
