Lupe Fiasco (Eva Rinaldi/Flickr)
Rapper Lupe Fiasco announced he will no longer release music after a slew of Twitter users criticized him over a lyric calling out Jewish music executives. The MC shared a new freestyle called “N.E.R.D.” Monday, Dec. 12, before fending off accusations of anti-Semitism for the lyrics, “Artists gettin’ robbed for their publishing/By dirty Jewish execs who think that it’s alms from the covenant.”
After the song’s release, many Twitter users blew up Fiasco’s mentions, detailing why they had issues with the description.
Susan Felicity used history to explain why she had a problem with the lyric.
@DJBooth @LupeFiasco “Dirty Jews” is old-school European, two thousand year old, fire and brimstone, Christian driven anti-semitism.
— Susan Felicity (@sultanofsnooze) December 13, 2016
Netherlord Sam wondered why the adjective could not have been omitted.
@LupeFiasco Idk man, you could’ve just said “dirty execs” and gotten your point across.
— Netherlord Sam (@YesterdawgLoL) December 13, 2016
Drummer Boy Duncan compared it to a racist description of Black people.
@DJBooth the same way criticising "dirty black thugs" would be. It reinforces negative stereotypes.
— duncan (@duncdonahue) December 13, 2016
But Fiasco stood by the lyric.
All day…dirty as hell. What's the problem? https://t.co/aMnoyz62GN
— DROGAS WAVE NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) December 13, 2016
Its some upright moral Jewish execs in this biz and some low down dirty awful motherfuckers that would sell they mother into slavery. Shrug
— DROGAS WAVE NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) December 13, 2016
The rapper cited his own immersion in Jewish culture in defense of the description.
I've walked inside the ovens of Auschwitz. I've Been inside the dorms where workers starved to death to frail to move. https://t.co/iPReFV4DXB
— DROGAS WAVE NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) December 13, 2016
Fiasco said he heeded the warnings his Jewish friends to not be a sucker.
All my Jewish friends warn me in business or in life to never ever to be the "Freier" by any means. Anti-Semite my ass. 🙄@YesterdawgLoL
— DROGAS WAVE NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) December 13, 2016
On Tuesday, Dec. 13, Fiasco said SoundCloud had removed “N.E.R.D.” but a glimpse on the page on Wednesday revealed it had been reposted on the 13th.
Sooooo @SoundCloud took the NERD freestyle down because of "Hate Speech"??? I'm done.
— DROGAS WAVE NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) December 13, 2016
The rapper announced he was done putting out music, deeming the poor reaction a hint from a higher power. That means the three albums slated for release this year won’t come. However, Pitchfork reported the MC has quit music before, in 2012, but later released another album and an EP in 2015.
I get the hint God.
Yo Lupe fans it's been fun and I hope you've had fun.
I'm officially not releasing anymore music.
Albums cancelled
— DROGAS WAVE NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) December 13, 2016
Afterward, Fiasco gave love to fans who thanked him for his music. However, he refused to explain himself or apologize to Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League, who questioned why he was promoting anti-Semitism.
Im not an anti-Semite & I'll never be a Freier, EVER! So u can take your little condemnation & it shove up ur ass sideways @JGreenblattADL
— DROGAS WAVE NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) December 14, 2016
The Chicago artist’s lyric and subsequent online statements refer to Jewish business moguls who control the music industry and have a heavy hand in the careers of many hip-hop acts, like Island/Def Jam’s Lyor Cohen and the late Jerry Heller, who helped launch N.W.A. However, Fiasco is not the only hip-hop artist to have voiced concern over the matter. In 2013, rapper Scarface lamented the changing content of the genre and blamed white label heads for it.
“There’s no f—— way that you can tell me it’s not a conspiracy against the Blacks in hip-hop,” he told Hardknocks TV. “You put out f——- records that make us look stupid. You make us look dumb.”
Stream N.E.R.D. below.
