Rapper Jay-Z said that he could never support Occupy Wall Street because the protests never had a clear meaning.
“What’s the thing on the wall, what are you fighting for?” the rapper told the New York Times in an interview published Sunday.
Last year, Jay-Z’s clothing company Rocawear made T-shirts that read “Occupy Every Street,” which many interpreted to be a message in support of Occupy Wall Street. But the company issued a statement disputing that.
“‘Occupy All Streets’ is our way of reminding people that there is change to be made everywhere, not just on Wall Street,” Rocawear said at the time. “At this time we have not made an official commitment to monetarily support the movement.”
Jay-Z criticized the movement’s negative characterization of the wealthy and said that America was built on the free enterprise system.
“I think [protestors] need to really declare themselves a bit more clearly because when you just say that ‘the 1 percent is that,’ that’s not true,” Jay-Z said.
He continued: “Yeah, the 1 percent that’s robbing people, and deceiving people, these fixed mortgages and all these things, and then taking their home away from them, that’s criminal, that’s bad. Not being an entrepreneur. This is free enterprise. This is what America is built on.”
Hova himself is reportedly worth $460 million. He and his wife Beyonce have been longtime supporters of President Barack Obama.