Remember That Time Jay-Z Destroyed Robert De Niro?

The Kings of New York Chose Violence

Jay-Z and actor Robert De Niro have had a famously odd beef for years. According to most sources, they are all good now.

But, things were incredibly icy at one point. Like something out of a movie. A mob movie.

Check out Jay-Z’s verse on this Magna Carta album where he basically calls De Niro out by name through his classic double-entendre rhyme scheme. Novice rhyme readers should consult Genius.com for a basic breakdown of each sentence.

Hov just landed in Rome/ all hail, Caesar’s home/ cent’anni, ciao bella/ come money dance with the good fellas/ Hov keep getting that Dinero/ Got it?/ Even if a n**** gotta Rob it/ Get it?/ Black Jack in a casino/ a n**** got unlimited credit/ a n**** got a lot of vendettas/ But we the Black mob, we gon’ set it/

- Jay-Z, F**kWitMeYouKnowIGotIt, Magna Carta

Need I say more?

Honestly,

Ed.

I am a poet, essayist, and civic strategist celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop in Birmingham, Alabama. Get to know me better here.