Nearly every song on Jay-Z‘s latest album, 4:44, generated buzz when the project dropped in June, but one track in particular stood out to many listeners: “Smile,” on which the rapper revealed that his mother, Gloria Carter, is a lesbian.
Gay Celebrities’ Coming Out Stories “Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian / Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian,” Jay-Z, 47, raps. “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.” The end of the song features a spoken word poem recited and written by Gloria herself: “Living in the shadow feels like the safe place to be / No harm for them, no harm for me / But life is short, and it’s time to be free / Love who you love, because life isn’t guaranteed.”
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