While JAY-Z's latest video, the Ava DuVernay-directed "Family Feud," has received widespread acclaim, one organization has taken fense to it.
A statement from The Catholic League, an organization that claims it "defends the right Catholics – lay and clergy alike – to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination" has called the video "gratuitous" and "exploitive."
The video features clips Jay walking into a church with his daughter, Blue Ivy, and showcases Beyoncé dressed as a regal priestess as she listens to his confessions infidelity. The star-studded video tells the story a family's rise to power, focusing on female empowerment with stark images, and showcasing the downside what happens when the family feuds.
In general, the video was viewed as an accomplishment, and was widely praised for its portrayal a diverse group women in powerful governmental roles. The Catholic League, however, wasn't feeling it, going as far as to refer to Jay's lyrics as "relentlessly racist" and "anti-black" in its criticizing statement.
"Is it anti-Catholic? No, it is not a bigoted assault. Indeed, it pales next to Jay-Z’s relentlessly racist (and anti-black) lyrics. But it is nonetheless gratuitous as well as exploitative, just the kind thing we would expect from this genius couple," Catholic League president, Bill Donohue said in a statement published on the organization's site.
So far, neither Jay or Beyoncé has responded to the criticisms. You can take a look at Donohue's full statement below.
