Jay-Z’s mother Gloria Carter makes emotional speech as she accepts LGBT award
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Gloria Carter has said that the love of her son Jay-Z and her partner was key in helping her to come out.
Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, dedicated “Smile” on is album 4:44 to his mum Gloria Carter – which also served as her official coming out.
In the track, Jay-Z raps while his mother reads a poem about hiding her sexuality for years.
He tells the listener: “Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian / Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian.
“Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate / Society shame and the pain was too much to take.”
On Saturday, Beyoncé’s husband was honoured with a GLAAD Award for dealing with LGBT issues, with his mum picking up the Special Recognition Award at the ceremony in New York City.
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Reading from prepared remarks, Carter told the audience: “Thanks to you, to all the people whose lives I touched, for your support, by just telling my truth.
“‘Smile’ became a reality because I shared with my son who I am. Not that people didn’t know; I was just someone they didn’t talk about, but they loved me anyway.
“But for me, this was the first time that I spoke to anyone about who I really am.
“My son cried and said: ‘It must have been horrible to live that way for so long,’ she recalled.
But it wasn’t that simple, said Carter.
“My life wasn’t horrible. I chose to protect my family from ignorance. I was happy but I was not free,” she explained.
“Then one day, I met someone that made my heart sing – made me no longer want to sneak a peak at them, but actually look at them with loving eyes.”
She paused, tearing up at the thought – which was met with thunderous applause from guests at the event.
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Recovering her composure, she said: “Love gave me the courage to take the power that I allowed other people to have over my life for fear of them revealing my secret that wasn’t really a secret.
“Here I am. I’m loving, I’m respectful, I’m productive, and I’m a human being who has a right to love who I love.
“So everybody, just smile, be free. Thank you, and God bless.”
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Speaking last year, Carter opened up about coming out to her son, his tearful reaction, and the process of making “Smile.”
She said: “The song came about because I was sitting there one day, and I just finally started telling [my son] who I was; Besides your mother, this is the person that I am. This is the life that I’ve lived.”
Carter explained: “That made him want to do a song about it, and the first time I heard the song, I was like, ‘no dude, I ain’t feeling that. I was sharing myself with you, not with the world, I don’t know whether I’m ready for that’.
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“We talked about it and we talked about it, and I was going out to see him, and I said, I’m going to help him. We’re gonna do this. I wrote [my verse] while I was on the plane, going out to LA.
“I gave it to him, and he said ‘start reading this’, and he was taping me!”
Watch Carter’s acceptance speech here:
