"C U B A, hope to see you free one day" – Pitbull's done his own version of Jay Z's Open Letter.
— Nadeem (@OiNadeem) April 14, 2013
Politically tone-deaf rap mogul Jay-Z and wife Beyonce’s sight-seeing traipse through oppressed Cuba still has Americans exercising their free speech here in the Land of the Free. Cuban-American rapper Pitbull weighed in with his own freestyle rap opus in response to Jay-Z’s “open letter” to critics.
Some saw it as a “smackdown” of Mr. and Mrs. Carter:
Smackdown! @Pitbull releases song, an "open letter" to Jay Z about the suffering in #Cuba http://t.co/Y4aKzwmiXc @foxnewslatino
— Elizabeth Llorente (@Liz_Llorente) April 14, 2013
Others were confused:
So is he supporting Jay-Z or not? I'm confused!? PITBULL – OPEN LETTER TO JAY-Z CUBA VISIT by The305 via #soundcloud http://t.co/WkVWlwv736
— Ted Henken (@ElYuma) April 14, 2013
Most were just grateful to Pitbull for underscoring the desire of many Cuban-Americans to see their native land free from Communist rule.
Here’s the freedom we ride for, here’s the freedom we die for
C-u-b-a hope to see you free one day
As one rap music site put it: “No real heavy lyrical disses, but more of a knowledge drop type track.”
Love that Pitbull made that Open Letter freestyle ! I too hope to see my country free one day !! #Cuba
— Fashionably Weight (@Fashionlyweight) April 14, 2013
https://twitter.com/Awsome305/status/323475065943490561
Recommended
.@Pitbull’s doing his part to educate everyone on the controversy surrounding Cuba/Jay Z/Beyonce! http://t.co/17p6fcFPYf #Dale
— Froggy ? (@froggyradio) April 14, 2013
U.S. – Cuba policy debated via hip hop. Thanks Jay Z and @Pitbull. http://t.co/xZGxaiX54z
— Rick Rodriguez (@islanddreamer) April 14, 2013
https://twitter.com/iHateDiice/status/323584964694265856
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted out Pitbull’s rap.
@Pitbull responds to Jay Z with open letter. http://t.co/q6uh9IxQvL”
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) April 14, 2013
Marco wants to be hip so bad. RT @marcorubio: @Pitbull responds to Jay Z with open letter. http://t.co/0OYGFvQriO
— April (@ReignOfApril) April 15, 2013
https://twitter.com/IXChicharitoXI/status/323511428684345345
But did he actually listen or read the lyrics?
.@marcorubio @Pitbull @jaketapper Wow! Props to Rubio RTing Pitbull SUPPORTING JayZ, contrary to Rubio's own view. Or did Rubio not read it?
— ???? Only4RM ???? (@Only4RM) April 15, 2013
Rough transcription of passage in question (emphasis added):
Politicians love to hate you
But then they run away when it’s time to debate you
Question of the night, would they have mess with Mr. Carter if he was white?
Hm, rhyme with treasury
One way another in Cuba is where they’ll bury me
Happy 5th year anniversary, Jay and B don’t worry it’s on me
Hm, indeed. So, what does Sen. Rubio think of Pitbull’s race-card play and apparent cover for Jay-Z and Beyonce?
https://twitter.com/Coatesvillain/status/323604596993953793
@Pitbull responds to M. Rubio "Question of the night, would they have messed with Mr.Carter(Jay-Z) if he was white?" https://t.co/B6f9cKrLA9
— The Lovely Plains (@DaRiverZkind) April 15, 2013
Pitbull's new single hitting back at Jay-Z on Cuba also slams Marco Rubio for ineffectively repping Cuba http://t.co/DaDbiUd5LW
— Keystone Politics (@keystonepol) April 14, 2013
Hey @marcorubio what's your take on the new #Pitbull Open Letter response re: #Cubahttp://t.co/ewVYIN2JpX
— SoVo (@mysovo) April 14, 2013
Another knowledge drop: The “rhyme with treasury” lyric is a reference to White House press secretary Jay Carney’s denial that the White House approved of Jay-Z and Beyonce’s Cuban vacay.
Full lyrics here.
What do you make of them?
Related:
The Pitbull vs. Rubio beef predates Jay and Bey’s trip.
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