GLAAD will honor Jay-Z’s 4:44 track "Smile" at the organization’s upcoming Award Show.
The song reveals and celebrates the sexuality of Jay-Z’s mother Gloria Carter, who recently announced that she had been living as a lesbian to the rapper. “Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian/Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian. Had to hide in the closet so she medicate/Society shame and the pain was too much to take. Cried tears of joy when you fell in love/Don’t matter to me if it’s a him or her,” raps Jay in the song. The track will receive what is called a Special Recognition honor alongside Esteban Bravo and Beth David’s animated short film heartbeat at the GLAAD Media Awards.
Jay previously admitted in an interview with T Magazine that he didn’t have his mother’s permission to speak about her sexuality on the record. He also revealed that he found out about her sexuality through what he described as “beautiful conversations” between the two that had only occurred recently.
“We never spoke about [her being gay],” said Jay. “Until, like, recently, now we start having these beautiful conversations, and just really getting to know each other. We were always good friends but now we’re really great friends. You know. And we were just talking as friends. And then she was sharing that she was in love. She can be herself [now].”
Source: complex.com
