Say It’s So: Is Jay Z Really Giving Up the B Word?

January 13th, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

There’s a letter floating around online that’s said to be a poem Jay Z wrote to his darling daughter Blue Ivy. In it, Jay has supposedly vowed to never use the B word again out of love and respect for his little girl, but something seems a little suspect about this. Here are the lines:

Before I got in the game, made a change, and got rich,

I didn’t think hard about using the word B—-

I rapped, I flipped it, I sold it, I lived it

now with my daughter in this world

I curse those that give it.

I never realized while on the fast track

that I’d give riddance to the word Itchbay, to leave her innocence in tact.

No man will degrade her, or call her out her name

the women won’t despise her and call her the same.

I know it’s gonna miss me

cuz we been together like Nike Airs and crisp tees

when we all used to hang out front

singing 99 problems but a lady ain’t one.

Excuse me miss, can I be your mister

cuz I can tell the difference from a little girl and a sister,

She never grew up, her father left her alone

I promise not to talk like we used to

until Kingdom Come.

I’m so focused on your future,

The degradation has passed

I wish you wealth, health, and insight

forever young you may pass.

Blue Ivy Carter, my angel.

If this letter is in fact true, great! Someone of Jay Z’s rap caliber standing up against the use of a derogatory term to describe women is monumental, but the question is why now? I mean, we know why now—obviously, Blue Ivy—but why now after you just referred to your wife of nearly four years as a B— on your last album (and countless others), plus you have a mama and sisters. It’s kind of messed up none of these  women in his life were important enough to make him hang up the word.

Hopefully this letter is the real deal, and just like Jay ushered in button-ups back in 2008, his lyrical examples will encourage more men to put down the B word and pick up their parenting skills. But so far, the jury is still out on whether this is a commitment he really vowed to make. And I already know what you’re thinking, hopefully the N word will be next.

Do you think it’s likely Jay Z would really give up the B word in his lyrics? If it’s true, what do you think about the fact that his daughter is the only reason he decided to?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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  • aqquippless

    Hey madame noire.Anytime the blackman makes a comment that is too intelligent,that is critical of blackwomen you censor the comment. So since my constitutional right to freedom of speech is not respected,(the blackwoman can say whatever she wants and the world HAS to respect that right.)I will no longer comment or care about what`s going on with blackwomen.So long.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3EHQVSA365QAAO7CZUYW33EF5M Jonna

    quit hating ……….it is better late than never. However he got there lets be glad he finally made it!!! Maybe he can set a positive example for the rest of the rapers out there. Cursing is soooooo unimaginative. 

  • Txmsladytx

    So it was ok to call other people’s daughter the B word but now that he has one it’s not ok!? Shawn, please go somewhere. That word was NEVER ok to refer to anyone. Your child is not better than the next persons.

  • Msjennjackson121

    How much more attention does he want from just reproducing…………… I’m already over the entire situation. You marrying the love of  your life should have been enough reason to cut that s*** out he should have seen that it was not okay a long time ago he too old for that foolishness.

  • MixedUpInVegas

    If he hadn’t been able to make a fortune maligning women, he’d be just another broke joke wanna be.  Evidentely, his vulgar disrespect for women was approved by millions of people’s dollars.  That’s the really disgusting part–that he got rich by disrespecting 50% of the population, and in the most obscene possible way.  Pfffffft to him!

  • Kashbmaryd

    I guess this is the beginning of the Black Album II. Good luck with those sales big pimpin’. Lol

  • aqquippless

    All of you ladies appear to be upset over the fact that many blackmen use the b-word.You need to consider where blackmen first heard this word.From the mouths of there “mothers,aunts,grandmothers”.If you say things around your male-child that are negative,don`t be surprised if it comes back to haunt you.

    • devildog808

      What? Whose mother, grandmother or aunt do you know that use the word b**** to describe themselves or other women? Black males have heard that term from black males. My only concern is that black women did not put their foot down years ago about males using that term to describe them!

      • Mszena3

        I’ve heard them say it especially nowadays

      • aqquippless

        Anytime blackwomen have an issue with another b/w,ESPECIALLY one she is jealous of,the word B***th comes out with unprecedented authority and venom.Social class notwithstanding.That`s something b/w have that is universal.Deal with it,the blackman does.

        • Vltbyrd

          I beg to differ on this Aqquippless. The black man does NOT deal with it. He actually RUNS like hell from it 70% of the time and usually straight to the arms of a WW. Who, by the way, slangs that word around as well as amy BW. So, once again, it is ok for the WW but not for the BW to be….

    • cleva

      lol….what is YOUR family situation like?  My mother, aunts, and grandmothers NEVER  used the word to one another, on other women, etc. 

      Check your mirror.

  • Dcarter910

    As my mama would say, “boy go sit ya behind down sum where wit dat bull@hit” “trying to sell eggs to a chicken”. 

  • Suthernhummingbyrd

    Jayz, please sit down and be quiet. Your own mother should have been reason enough for you not to use and encourage usage of this word. And your wife should have been the second reason why-smdh.

  • devildog808

    And Jay, could you also issue an apology for luring and ”sexing” Nas’ baby’s mother for the sole purpose of telling the world about it in a rap song? It’s equvallent to luring a person into a sex act, filming it, and post it online for the sole purpose of telling the world about it. It was disgusting, hurtful, and left a lasting impression on her. I mean, since you’re turning over a new leaf and all! *side-eye*

  • devildog808

    Jayz is disgusting! Now that he has a daughter, the many “terms of endearment” he used to describe women including his daughter’s mother, “I got the hottest b**** in the game wearing my chain” are inapprorpaite? Before he had a daughter everyone else’s daughters, mothers, sisters, female friends, aunts & grandmothers were all just b****es! Humm, I’ll say it again, Jayz is disgusting!

  • http://twitter.com/jacquetta jacquetta

    I try to ignore what comes out of his pie hole.

  • Msmykimoto2u

    Its going to be in his next song….-_-

  • Vhollanddavis

    What makes it so unbelievable and disrespectful is he didn’t see the need to abandon the use of the word out of respect for his wife. Did Beyonce condone this?

    • brian k

      Co-sign.  Also you know what annoys me, Jay Z will get respected for this, but good brothers who never used the word to begin with will never get any kudos.

  • Jus Sayin’

    i hope its true – any reason to give up the use of that word is a good one