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jay_z_harry_belafonte_620x413Political activist Harry Belafonte has responded to recent comments shot his way courtesy of rap mogul Jay Z over criticism he initially fired off to Young Hov and his wife Beyoncé Knowles-Carter last summer about lacking social responsibility.

Rather than entertain a back-and-forth debate, Belafonte said he would like a chance to see the hip-hop couple face-to-face.

I would hope with all my heart, that Jay-Z not take personally what was said because it was not said to him personally. …I would like to take this opportunity to say to Jay Z and Beyonce: I’m wide open, my heart is filled with nothing but hope and the promise that we can sit and have a one-on-one to understand each other rather than trying to answer this question and answer these nuisances in a public place. I think it is not the right place for us to be having our exchanges.” (MSNBC)

Recently, Jigga spoke out on staying mum despite being criticized by Belafonte last summer.

I’m offended by that because first of all, and this is going to sound arrogant, but my presence is charity. Just who I am. Just like Obama’s is. Obama provides hope. Whether he does anything, the hope that he provides for a nation, and outside of America is enough,” Jay said in an interview. “Just being who he is. You’re the first black president. If he speaks on any issue or anything he should be left alone… Of course we want to challenge him to do better. I felt Belafonte he just went about it wrong. Like the way he did it in the media, and then he big upped Bruce Springsteen or somebody. And it was like, ‘whoa,’ you just sent the wrong message all the way around…Bruce Springsteen is a great guy. You’re this Civil Rights activist and you just big upped the white guy against me in the white media. And I’m not saying that in a racial way. I’m just saying what it is. The fact of what it was. And that was just the wrong way to go about it.” (#FACTSONLY)