The short-lived reunion between Kanye West and JAY-Z on Donda’s “Jail” might have felt iconic to fans, but behind the scenes, it was anything but smooth.
In a new post on X (formerly Twitter), Kanye opened up about the behind-the-scenes tension during the making of the track — specifically calling out Hov’s lyric that subtly criticizes Ye’s political choices.
“Why did Jay Z have to say ‘no red hat’ on ‘Jail.’ That shit tore me to my soul,” Kanye wrote. “We fought about it and he told me either leave that line on there or take my verse off.”
The line in question — “Told him, ‘Stop all of that red cap, we goin’ home’” — was a reference to Kanye’s infamous support for Donald Trump and his MAGA hat moments that divided both fans and peers.
Kanye didn’t just take issue with the line. He went on to suggest it was part of a larger agenda:
“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?”
This isn’t the first time Ye has aired grievances with JAY-Z. Just weeks ago, he came under fire for an inflammatory social media tirade where he shockingly insulted Hov and Beyoncé’s children, calling them “retarded.” The backlash was swift, with industry figures like Suge Knight denouncing him. Kanye eventually apologized.
But the apology didn’t stop him from continuing to vent.
“I ALWAYS FELT LIKE THE BLACK SHEEP,” he wrote in all caps. “LIKE I WANTED FAMILY IN THIS MUSIC SHIT.”
He continued, citing moments where he felt abandoned by JAY-Z — from not attending his first wedding, to favoring Kendrick Lamar for the Super Bowl performance, to “never being invited to shit.”
Perhaps most painfully, Ye claimed that JAY-Z and Beyoncé — arguably two of the most powerful figures in culture — chose not to support him during his tumultuous custody battle with Kim Kardashian.
“THEY COULD HAVE USED THEIR CULTURAL POSITION TO NOT JUST WATCH THE KARDASHIANS RUN ME OVER,” Kanye lamented. “SHIT HURTS SO FUCK BOTH OF THEM CAUSE WHEN I NEEDED THEM IT WAS FUCK ME.”
Neither JAY-Z nor Beyoncé have publicly responded to the latest outburst, although reports suggest they are considering legal action following Ye’s previous comments.
For two icons who once ruled the world side by side, this might be the final nail in the Watch the Throne legacy.
