Apparently, the Freemasons have recruited another minion to the Grand Masonic Lodge — this time, it’s Jay-Z.
The dull-witted fodder that Jay-Z is a Freemason, or even worse, a devil worshipper, is making its rounds through the Internet ether.
Sites like Vigilant Citizen (you can thank me for the plug) post a consortium of inane rants about whether Jay-Z consorts with occultists and Freemasons.
The site serves as a conspiracy theorist’s delight, posturing as a place readers can congregate to read exposés on occult symbolism in everything ranging from Pinocchio to Jay-Z.
It’s these uneducated and dangerous suppositions that float around unfiltered, polluting the quality of Internet content.
By choosing to aimlessly speculate on the matter, the site has perpetuated a misinformation campaign, drastically misconstruing the essence of Jay-Z’s music video “Run This Town” off his album The Blueprint 3.
The site has this to say about the video and lyrics: “Jay-Z is asking you to “Pledge your allegiance” to the new ruler and to wear black everything to honor him. Jay’s lyrics contain hints to Freemasonry, which are hidden in the double meaning of some lines. “I gave Doug a grip” means he gave Doug a stack of money, but the double meaning to that line would refer to the Masons’ secret handshakes, which are called “grips.” And who is Doug? Might be Doug Morris.
A bit of research would indicate the so-called references are relatively innocuous. When Jay-Z says he “gave Doug a grip,” he’s referencing his well-documented $5 million contract buyout of Def Jam, which happens to be owned by Universal Music Group. And guess who the chief executive officer of Universal is? Doug Morris.
Aside from the music, Vigilant Citizen preoccupied itself with the attire Jay-Z wore in an interview to explain the making of “Run This Town.”
Jay-Z wears a black sweater with the phrase “Do What Thou Wilt” bannered across the front in white letters — a direct reference to Aleister Crowley, who was denounced by the press at the time as the “wickedest man in the world.”
It comes as no surprise.
Crowley was a hard-core libertarian. Essentially, rap is a rudimentary form of libertarianism, aimed at emancipating expressiveness to the fullest degree.
Still, these contentions touched off a firestorm of raging debate on other Web sites.
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NPR.com went as far as to consult Mitch Horowitz, the author of Occult America, for an article that appears on the Web site.
Horowitz doesn’t explain why Jay-Z chooses to incorporate such symbols in his videos, other than to say that the rap legend is “shrewd”
— the insinuation being that it’s simply a genius marketing ploy intended to stir controversy and conversation.
Further fueling this nonsensical debate is Jay-Z’s latest video, “On to The Next One.” The video, which shows a montage of loosely associated Masonic symbols, is believed to be propagating occult and Masonic propaganda.
But thinking rationally about the likelihood that Jay-Z is a part of the Mason fraternity leads me to be dismissive. Why? Simply, the relationship is entirely dichotomous: a high-profile celebrity as a member in a clandestine organization, which prides itself on secrecy and exclusivity.
You’d think someone would dime Jay-Z out. Furthermore, if he was a member, would he profanely plaster his affiliation with the group in mass-distributed music videos?
For the record, there is a reason Jay-Z implements the use of these symbols, but it’s neither because he is a Freemason, nor is it strictly a business ploy aimed at generating revenue and hype.
Jay-Z is making a definite statement about the nature of his music.
Since the installment of his latest CD, The Blueprint 3, Jay-Z has talked extensively about imprinting his influence on the music industry. The Blueprint 3 is Jay-Z’s manifesto, a Magna Carta of sorts.
In popular culture, the Freemasons are thought to be covertly
running America; that they are behind-the-scenes puppet masters pulling strings and working toward the arrival of the New World Order.
Thus, the tie in with Jay-Z’s music is simple.
Given his countless boasts of supremacy, Jay-Z is clearly a snooty elitist. Appropriately, he’s consolidated his own record label, Roc Nation, and has signed an exclusive number of artists — eight, including Jay-Z. Together, these artists are ushering in rap’s New World Order, a fundamental restructuring of rap music.
Or they’re secretly planning a global takeover. Oh, my god — one of Jay’s most famous songs. The signs are there.
