Jay-Z Profits from Slave Trade

Cara Harrington @ Gone Hollywood | Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Poor Jigga just can’t keep his nose clean. After some questionable employment practices at 40/40 Club in Vegas, Jay-Z hit’s the press again. A $5 billion lawsuit has been brought to the doorstep of the rapper turned enterpriser. This time the allegation that he is profiting from slave trade.

Campaigner Clive Campbell and Brooklyn-based organization Da Black Defense League claim Ratner’s $4 billion project in the Atlantic Yards area - the construction of a new Barclays-sponsored arena for the New Jersey Nets basketball team, of which both Ratner and Carter are shareholders - is directly profiting from the slave trade.

Barclays Bank seems to be the source of the trouble. The financial institution has been at the center of slave trade issues for quite some time. While the finger pointing at profits from slavery has surrounded Barclays, not one claim has actually been proven.

The Atlantic Yards project has had shading dealings for some time. Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s budget revealed that was a doubling of the city subsidy for the project. The city’s direct contribution is already at $205 million. That is over 5% of New York’s overall budget surplus.

No comments have been made by Jigga’s camp, but you can guess that someone is getting a tongue lashing.

Source: Jay-Z Named In Lawsuit For Slave Reparations [Starpulse]