Jay-Z dismisses 'silly' devil-worship claims

WENN, Thursday, January 14, 2010, 4:17am (PST)

Rap superstar Jay-Z has dismissed online critics who have likened his new music video to "devil worship" - calling the murmurs "silly" and "ignorant."

The hip-hop mogul came under fire after the promo for his new single, On to the Next One, debuted this month (Jan10).

The video features ram skulls, black crows and dark imagery - and Jay-Z can't believe some of the outrageous slurs on his personal beliefs which have since surfaced online.

He tells U.S. radio station Hot 97, “I don’t know where it started. I don’t know where it came from. I really think it’s really silly. For the record, I of course believe in God, but I believe in one God. If people must know my religious beliefs, I believe in one God. I don’t believe in religion. I don’t believe in Christians or Muslims. I think all that separates people. I think it’s one God. I think it’s all the same God, and I don’t believe in Hell.

"Am I a part of some sect or cult? That sounds stupid to me. It’s ignorant to even say, and I guess that’ll be the last time I address that. It’s ignorant to me”.

And Jay-Z's collaborator, Swizz Beatz, who features in the song, has backed the star - insisting critics are wrong to read too much into a music promo.

He adds, "The video displays another level of art and creativity from two great minds: the director and Jay - and myself, bringing the collaboration together. (There's) no satanic ways around me and that's for sure (sic). I'm with Jay - I never see none of that stuff around him unless he's hiding something, which I doubt. That's silly stuff."