In a heated Instagram Live session, former Bad Boy rapper Mark Curry launched an attack on music moguls Diddy and Jay-Z.
Curry accuses both Diddy and Jay-Z of having achieved their immense wealth by exploiting those around them, leaving many to struggle in their shadow. According to Curry, the current challenges these moguls face are a direct result of their past actions. He emphatically stated, “You know why they going through what they going through? Because you don’t do God’s children that way. They crazy.”
Despite the pointed criticism, Curry seemed reluctant to dwell too much on the two figures. He remarked, “Don’t think that Jay Z and Puff are the biggest mobiles ever. They are great people, but what you wanna look at is the great people that were able to become because of some people, so we gonna leave them there.” Curry’s words suggest that while they have achieved greatness, others with potential might not have had the same opportunities.
The Instagram Live sparked a range of reactions online, with social media users split on the validity of Curry’s claims. While some expressed agreement, noting the moguls’ alleged decline, others disagreed. One user claimed, “Grown men really want their hands held. I’m really starting to understand Logan from succession each day more and more.”
Critics of Curry pointed out Jay-Z’s positive influence on those around him, arguing that many of Jay-Z’s former associates have found success in their own right. As another user defended, “Jay-Z is an example of someone who actually helped all the people around him. All his real friends are rich & part of his empire. Most of the Roc-a-Fella employees still work with him, or they went on to become successful execs in the industry; no artist has ever accused him of signing them to a bad deal or taking their publishing. He never shelved anyone & if people asked to leave, he let them go.”
Furthermore, some also highlighted that personal success is an individual’s responsibility, not someone else’s obligation. On a popular comment board, a user stated, “You are responsible for your own success it’s your responsibility to put yourself in the right positions to succeed.” This sentiment was echoed through the repeated invocation of one of Jay-Z’s notable quotes criticizing the misplaced expectations on him, “You never hear people complaining about what I did to them, only about what I didn’t do for them.”
Mark Curry’s comments about Diddy and Jay-Z open a conversation on accountability and success in the music industry. Whether you side with Curry or his critics, the debate on how moguls should uplift those around them continues to spark dialogue.
