Getty Images
Superstar rapper Jay-Z has confirmed his mother, Gloria Carter, is a lesbian on a new track from his latest album 4:44.
Lyrics to the soulful rap “Smile” confront long-silenced rumours which have surrounded his mother’s sexuality.
“Mama had four kids but she’s a lesbian / Had to pretend so long, that she’s a thespian.”
“Smile” also shines a light on Carter’s substance abuse which the rapper says she turned to in an effort to cope with the stigma.
“Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate / Society shame and the pain was too much to take.”
The track opens with a sample from Stevie Wonder’s “Love’s in Need of Love Today” and is a celebration of his mother finding love again, as well as offering his support.
“Cried tears of joy when you fell in love / Don’t matter to me if it’s a him or her / I just wanna see you smile through all the hate / Marie Antoinette, baby, let ‘em eat cake.”
Gloria Carter closes the song with an emotional poem offering insight into her journey to self-acceptance.
“Living in the shadows. Can you imagine what kind of life it is to live? In the shadows people see you as happy and free. Because that’s what you want them to see. Living two lives, happy but not free.
“You live in the shadows for fear of someone hurting your family or the person you love. The world is changing and they say it’s time to be free.
“But you live with the fear of just being me.”
Although Jay-Z has employed homophobic slurs in the past, he was also one of the first major voices in hip-hop to actively support gay rights.
