Jay Z Addresses Controversial Business Partnership With Barneys

Jay Z took criticism for continuing his business partnership with Barneys after at least four black shoppers accused the store of detaining them for buying expensive designer items, but now the rapper is ready to give his side of the story.

In a new collaboration with Rick Ross called “The Devil is a Lie,” Jay Z said his decision to move forward with a holiday-themed display at the chain of stores was a strategic choice.

In the song, he raps: “See what I did to the stop and frisk?/Brooklyn on the Barneys like we own the b**ch/Give the money to the hood, now we all win/Got that Barneys floor looking like a VIM.”

VIM refers to a line of sneakers and designer jeans based out of Brooklyn.

In the immediate wake of the controversy, Jay Z was a bit more defensive, calling out those who wanted him to come out against the store.

In a statement on his website, Jay-Z wrote:

“Why am I being demonised, denounced and thrown on the cover of a newspaper for not speaking immediately? The negligent, erroneous reports and attacks on my character, intentions, and the spirit of this collaboration have forced me into a statement I didn’t want to make without the full facts.”

Jay Z offered fans a more detailed explanation, writing an open letter on his website giving his reasoning for continuing the Barneys partnership.

“The easy position would have been to walk away and leave policy making to others hoping that someone addresses the problem,” he said. “I will not leave the outcome to others. I will take this into my own hands with full power to recommend, review and revise policies and guidelines moving forward. I am choosing to take this head-on.”

Before the accusations against Barneys surfaced, Jay Z had pledged to give one-quarter of all the profits of his clothing line to scholarships for young people facing economic hardship. After the allegations surfaced, he upped that pledge to 100 percent.