By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Rapper and businessman Jay Z has managed to achieve so many of his dreams that even his close friend Kanye West somewhat hinted he’s a little jealous, but it’s clear by the things Jay Z says in his interviews that his success didn’t come easy. Despite having a rough past, he has gone on to become one of the most successful rappers of all time and he’s built a solid empire based off his entrepreneurial ambitions. Jay’s latest business venture Roc Nation Sports is already thriving with deals with some of the top athletes in the country and the company just opened its doors earlier this year. Although Jay Z has managed to become successful, it’s not always easy to make some people forget about his past. This rings true when it comes to parents who are complaining that their kids who happen to be in the sixth grade are taking courses on Jay Z.
According to Fox News, sixth graders at Desoto Central Middle in Mississippi spent three days learning about some of Hip Hop’s most successful artists and entrepreneurs in the country, and they even had to take a test on Jay Z’s resilience. One of the parents reached out to Fox News and said they were outraged their child was learning about Jay Z because they consider him a thug. She was also upset that one of the songs the kids studied was “Big Pimpin'” and some other song she says talked about his “thug life.” The parent who wishes to remain anonymous tells Fox News:
“They made it sound like it was no big deal. They said the point of the assignment was because Jay-Z is successful.
“I asked him what that had to do with anything. Let’s talk about somebody that is a success that has done good things – not thug life things.”
The anonymous mom’s husband also had some comments on the situation and said the paper they read which broke down the lesson on the rapper was extremely offensive. He also referred to Jay Z as a thug:
“The facts are this page represented this thug in a positive way and calls him successful. Success to me doesn’t mean demeaning women, glorifying drugs and violence and flaunting money. Success should be about living decent and having respect for themselves and others.”
The school hasn’t released an official statement on the matter as of yet.
White conservatives think every black man is a thug. Nothing new.
Meanwhile the real thugs run the banks and politics. Smh.
Wasn’t Chris Brown just saying Jay Z gets a pass? LOL.
LOL exactly.
It’s messed up that a black man can’t come from the hood and try to make something out of himself without idiots like these two people refusing to see they’ve changed. I bet they are Republicans too.
Exactly! But these same people won’t report The game’s robin hood project donating a million dollars to needy families or Jay-z helping college students with their tuition.
Did the kids really need to listen to Big Pimpin tho? -__-
I admire Jay Z’s story and he’s actually a very intelligent man. If people actually listened to him speak, they would no he isn’t the same person he used to be when he was younger.
*know
Idiots.
I’d rather my child study President Obama honestly.
Bigotry at its best. If these people actually relied on real news and not FAUX News, then they would know that numerous business publications have conducted studies and write ups on Jay Z’s success. I just read a list on I think it was Forbes or WSJ about 10 things a business can learn from Jay Z. People are so ignorant.
Well this is Mississippi…IJS
This man is married, wealthy and owns businesses but he’s still just a thug to these bigots.
Sounds like a course I need to sign up for. #shrugs
Why is everyone brainwashed by Jay-Z and Beyonce…… smh
@Tonya ikr…weird
“Why is everyone brainwashed by Jay-Z and Beyonce…… smh” <<<< You mean why do some people like Jay Z and Beyonce and you don't? It's call personal preference. Worry about yourself. I mean, it is a free country and people can like and not like who they choose.