The moment Jay-Z got a death threat from a suspected killer
Jay-Z is not a rapper that people mess with, and he undoubtedly has more fans than haters. However, on one occasion, the Brooklyn native was threatened with death as he prepared to produce a contentious documentary.
In 2017, Jay-Z decided to take on a role behind the camera as an executive producer of a documentary about the late Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Miami native who was fatally shot in the chest by George Zimmerman, who claimed self-defence and was neither initially charged nor arrested.
The death of Martin led to mass rioting, rallies, and protests across the US. Zimmerman, a Hispanic-American, was later tried in court but acquitted by a jury despite the charge being second-degree murder, and his acquittal was widely considered to be a direct result of his race.
Florida had loose gun laws, and many accused Zimmerman of abusing the ‘Stand Your Ground’ legislation in place, which broadened the definition of self-defence and was dismissive of what other states would consider murder.
As such, in 2017, while making a documentary about US racial discrimination and the disgusting miscarriage of justice suffered by the family of Trayvon Martin, Jay-Z received a death threat from the suspected perpetrator, George Zimmerman. While filming the project, Zimmerman accused Jay and his production team of harassing him and his family. According to the Florida native, Hov and his fellow producer, Michael Gasparro, had made unannounced visits to the homes of his parents and an uncle
In an interview with The Blast, when asked about Jay-Z, Zimmerman exclaimed, “I know how to handle people who f**k with me. I have since February 2012! Anyone who f***s with my parents will be fed to an alligator.”
Following this, Snoop Dogg took to social media in defence of Jay-Z, writing, “If one hair on Jay’s hair is touched that’s when the revolution will b televised. … the system let the muthafucca get away with murder try it again Trayvon Martin Gone but not forgotten.”
In an interview with Rap Radar’s Elliott Wilson, Jay-Z described Zimmerman as a “novice” and a “fucking mall cop”, insisting, “We all know it was wrong. It was wrong! This guy is not a professional. First of all you’re not a professional to profile someone.”
He continued, “Professionals are taught not to profile. A professional law enforcement officer is taught not to profile. This guy is a f*cking mall cop!” Zimmerman had attempted to join the local police force and was rejected. As such, he found himself working as a mall security officer.
Jay-Z’s filming resulted in the six-part documentary Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story, which was based on the book Suspicion Nation by attorney Lisa Bloom, a non-fiction book about discriminatory racial profiling in the US.
The rapper’s project chronicled the very short life of Martin, his fatal shooting on February 26th, 2012, and Zimmerman’s unjust acquittal the following year.