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American rapper and record producer Kanye West recently revealed what caused his infamous rift with former collaborator Jay-Z. According to US Magazine, the artist claimed that politics caused the fallout between him and the Empire State of Mind singer when they collaborated on the song Jail.
Kanye West released Jail as a part of his 10th studio album, titled Donda, in the year 2021. The song also featured vocals from his fellow American rapper and mentor Jay-Z, who raps on the song:
“Told him, ‘Stop all of that red cap, we goin’ home’ / Not me with all of these sins, castin’ stones / This might be the return of The Throne (Throne) / Hova and Yeezus, like Moses and Jesus.”
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Kanye West claims politics ignited his beef with Jay-Z
On April 20, 2025, the 47-year-old rapper gave fans some insight into his alleged feud with Jay-Z, born Shawn Corey Carter. Ye wrote on X:
“Why did Jay Z have to say ‘no red hat’ on Jail. That s*** tore me to my soul. We fought about it and he told me either leave that line on there or take my verse off.”
Referring to the song Jail, the collaboration between him and Jay-Z that appeared on his 2021 album, Donda, Kanye continued in a now-deleted tweet that he posted to X on Sunday:
“Me wearing the red hat was the most stand out example of me going against ‘the program.’ Do you guys think he was instructed to say that?”
Notably, Jay-Z’s lines in the song were a reference to Kanye West’s support of the American President Donald Trump. The rapper was often seen wearing a red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap, which dates back to the American politician’s first Presidency.
Meanwhile, last month, Ye reportedly made headlines for posting more tweets about Jay-Z and his wife, Beyoncé. As per US Magazine, the couple’s seven-year-old twins Rumi and Sir were the subject of his tweets.
However, the rapper later apologized on X. His apology post read (via US Magazine):
“I LOVE JAY Z AND I DO FEEL BAD.”
Kanye West and Jay-Z collaborations
Ye and Jay-Z’s working relationship dates back to the 2000s. According to Page Six, the duo released their joint album, Watch the Throne, in 2011. Notably, the project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and also broke iTunes’ one-week sales record at that time.
The 2011 album featured some hits, including Otis, N–s in Paris, Lift Off, and No Church In the Wild. Meanwhile, Jail was their first collaboration in years after they topped the charts with their collaborative album, Watch the Throne.
While fans hoped that the two would reunite to release more music in the future, Kanye West and Jay-Z have not collaborated again since the release of Jail.
