Jay-Z and Beyoncé go to Cuba: the exiled plantocracy reacts, Jay-Z raps, 4/2013

Worth a staggering $760 million, the power couple are a new phenomenon for the exiled plantocracy to deal with. From all appearances, they not only had a great time in Cuba, they really connected with Cuban life-- see Beyoncé y Jay-Z en Cuba (+ Fotos). The two members of Congress leading the charge against them, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, are charter members of this plantocracy - the Diaz Balart family had strong ties to United Fruit, whose concern for black people was well known in the Americas.

The Reaction

Beyonce discusses Cuba trip on 'GMA,' says she wants more kids 5/6/2013 LA Times: "You know, it was such a beautiful trip," the singer said. "I met some incredible children. I visited some incredible entrepreneurs. And it was really, it was really educational for me. I learned so much about so many people and the country, and it was actually quite shocking."

Jay-Z – Open Letter Lyrics 4/18/2013 Rap Genius|: "I'm in Cuba, I love Cubans. This communist talk is so confusing. When it's from China, the very mic that I'm using."

Beyonce and Jay Z Are Race Traitors for Going to Cuba !?!? 4/15/2013 Huffington Post: by Mark Sawyer, UCLA - "In the early 2000's the Cuban members of Congress funded projects located at HBCU's for scholars under to contract to produce articles on racism in Cuba. Scholars visited Cuba but did no original research and largely summarized the works of scholars like myself without any of the necessary context and caveats. We were then invited to a conference at Howard University hosted by Ileana Ross-Lehtinen so they could report their "findings" on racism in Cuba and have the validation of top scholars in the field. As the conservative Miami Cubans have struggled to connect with blacks on the island they have seen talking about racism on the island as a possible entrée to Afro-Cubans."

Cuban American National Foundation on Jay Z and Beyonce Visiting Cuba Cuban American National Foundation on Jay Z and Beyonce Visiting Cuba 4/11/2013 South Florida Caribbean News: "Unfortunately, the opportunities we are given as Americans do not hold true for people on the island they are visiting. The sad fact is that if Jay Z and Beyonce lived in Cuba, they could not have become Jay Z and Beyonce - not just because of the regime's oppressive laws, but also because of the reality of their racial bigotry against Afro-Cubans and people of color. Ask Roberto Zurbano, an Afro-Cuban who was recently removed from his job by Cuban government officials for his March 23rd op-ed in the New York Times titled "For Blacks in Cuba, the Revolution Hasn't Begun." Though different in political ideology and historic timing, one wonders if Jay Z and Beyonce would have visited Nelson Mandela in apartheid South Africa? If so, why not visit the dozens of Mandelas in Cuba being discriminated for the color of their skin?"

An Open Letter To Jay-Z And Beyonce About That Cuba Trip... from Michael Skolnik 4/11/2013 Global Grind: "After a long day shoot on New Year's Eve day, one of the only hip-hop DJ's on the island invited me to his house for dinner. I happily accepted and in just a few hours I found myself around his family dining room table, with his mom, dad, sister and elderly grandmother. When the New Year's Eve dinner came out of the oven, I spotted just five pieces of pork. I was the sixth. My man never told his parents that I was coming over. As they put the pork chop on my plate, I looked over at grandma and her plate was empty. Nada. Just some beans and rice and some sweet plantains. Not really sure what to do, I kept offering my piece of pork to grandma relentlessly, but she would not have it. In maybe the few words she knew of English, she looked at me and said, "my casa is your casa."

Jay-Z Mocks Republicans’ Fury Over Cuba Trip In New Track 4/11/2013 ThinkProgress: "“I done turned Havana into Atlanta,” Jay-Z raps in “Open Letter,” which he released Thursday. “[…] Boy from the hood, I got White House clearance… Politicians never did s—- for me except lie to me, distort history… They wanna give me jail time and a fine. Fine, let me commit a real crime.”"

Jay-Z Responds To Cuban Trip Controversy With New ‘Open Letter’ Song 4/11/2013 Mediaite: "“I’m in Cuba, I love Cubans / This communist talk is so confusing / When it’s from China, the very mic that I’m using.”

Jay Carney Denies Jay-Z's 'White House Clearance' Claim For Cuba Trip (VIDEO) 4/11/2013 Huff Post: "Boy from the hood but got White House clearance," quoted the reporter. "Obama said chill you're going to get me impeached."

JAY Z "Open Letter" 4/11/2013 Sound Cloud: Jay-Z answers the Miami Plantocracy.

JAY Z "Open Letter" 4/11/2013 YouTube

Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Cuba trip licensed by US Treasury, say sources 4/9/2013 Guardian: "Beyoncé and Jay-Z's recent visit to Havana was fully licensed and authorised by the US Treasury department, sources said on Monday. Officials are reportedly preparing a statement on the musicians' Cuban holiday, after complaints by Republican lawmakers. The stars' controversial trip was legal, a source confirmed to Reuters. Beyoncé and Jay-Z were apparently carrying licences provided by the Treasury's office of foreign assets control, which oversees US citizens' visits to Cuba. The terms of these permits are not clear: Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, called it "a Treasury matter", while the Treasury's spokesman, John Sullivan, told the Associated Press he could not comment on particular licences."

Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Cuba Getaway Offends Diaspora Bloggers 4/9/2013 Global Voices: a round up of Miami Plantocracy lackeys

Beyonce y Jay-Z bailaron la clave cubana con La Colmenita 4/8/2013 Jiribilla: "La compañía cubana de teatro infantil La Colmenita regaló un concierto exclusivo a la estrella estadounidense Beyonce, quien apenas contuvo su emoción. "Gracias, fue hermoso", comentó la artista tras la presentación de La Cenicienta según los Beatles, una de las obras más exitosas del colectivo dirigido por Carlos Alberto Cremata. Acompañada por su esposo, el rapero y productor musical Jay-Z, la cantante asistió la víspera al regalo que le prepararon los niños cubanos, cuyo talento impresionó visiblemente a la famosa pareja. "Fue un espectáculo impresionante", aseguró escuetamente Jay-Z a Prensa Latina ya de salida, para continuar con esta visita privada con la cual ambos celebran su quinto aniversario de matrimonio."

What bothers me the most about Beyonce and Jay-Z vacationing in Cuba 4/7/2013 Babalu: "While Beyonce is dazzling you with her dance moves, you are not thinking about Sonia Garro, a black woman and dissident who has been unjustly imprisoned for over a year."

Beyonce, Jay-Z Cuba trip questioned 4/6/2013 Politico: "Two members of Congress from Florida are looking into how hip hop royals Beyonce and Jay-Z ended in Cuba this week. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart sent a letter to Adam Szubin, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the Treasury Department, on Friday asking for more information about the celebrity couple’s trip, which coincided with their fifth wedding anniversary." Two charter members of the exiled plantocracy imposing their views again.

The Trip

Beyonce y Jay-Z bailaron la clave cubana con La Colmenita 4/8/2013 Jiribilla: "La compañía cubana de teatro infantil La Colmenita regaló un concierto exclusivo a la estrella estadounidense Beyonce, quien apenas contuvo su emoción. "Gracias, fue hermoso", comentó la artista tras la presentación de La Cenicienta según los Beatles, una de las obras más exitosas del colectivo dirigido por Carlos Alberto Cremata. Acompañada por su esposo, el rapero y productor musical Jay-Z, la cantante asistió la víspera al regalo que le prepararon los niños cubanos, cuyo talento impresionó visiblemente a la famosa pareja. "Fue un espectáculo impresionante", aseguró escuetamente Jay-Z a Prensa Latina ya de salida, para continuar con esta visita privada con la cual ambos celebran su quinto aniversario de matrimonio."

Beyoncé y Jay-Z visitaron a Cuba 4/6/2013 Juventud Rebelde: "Aunque la estancia de ambos músicos en la Isla tuvo un carácter privado, el suceso tampoco escapó a la mirada de los capitalinos, quienes acompañaron a la pareja en sus paseos por La Habana Vieja, en su contacto con estudiantes y trabajadores de la Universidad de las Artes, en la presentación que La Colmenita les hiciera de La Cenicienta según los Beatles, o en sus encuentros con la cantante Haila María Mompié y con Danza Contemporánea de Cuba."

Beyoncé y los fans bajo la lluvia 4/5/2013 CubaNet: "La pareja, ante el reclamo de un público todavía incrédulo que permanecía a pie de calle, salió dos veces al balcón a saludar, en el segundo piso. Un rato más tarde, todo estaba dispuesto -fuertes cercos de seguridad- para que Beyoncé y su marido cenaran en la paladar San Cristóbal, en las calles San Rafael entre Lealtad y Campanario, en esa misma zona."

Beyoncé y Jay-Z en Cuba (+ Fotos) 4/5/2013 CubaDebate

Haila María Mompié canta 'en privado' para Beyoncé y Jay-Z 4/5/2013 Diario de Cuba: "Nunca imaginé que yo sería quien le cantaría a las grandes estrellas norteamericanas y del mundo Beyoncé y Jay-Z", escribió la cantante, sin precisar los detalles ni el lugar del concierto."