![\"jay-z](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/jay-z-gloria-carter.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nJay-Z\u2019s mom Gloria Carter comes out as a lesbian<\/a> on a track on the just-released album <\/span>4:44<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n While some of the lyrics on \u201cSmile\u201d are a touch cringe (\u201cMama had four kids, but she\u2019s a lesbian<\/a> \/ Had to pretend so long that she\u2019s a thespian\u201d) the song delves into Carter\u2019s issues with mental health while Jay-Z clearly couldn\u2019t be happier for Carter.<\/span><\/p>\n Jay-Z raps:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHad to hide in the closet, so she medicate.\u00a0<\/span>Society shame and the pain was too much to take.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCried tears of joy when you fell in love.\u00a0<\/span>Don\u2019t matter to me if it\u2019s a him or her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Carter pops up on the track to deliver a spoken work section:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLiving in the shadow, can you imagine what kind of life it is to live<\/a>?<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn the shadows people see you as happy and free because that\u2019s what you want them to see. \u201cThe world is changing and they say it\u2019s time to be free, but you live<\/a> with the fear of just being me.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLiving in the shadow feels like the safe place to be.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNo harm for them, no harm for me but life is short, and it\u2019s time to be free.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLove who you love, because life isn\u2019t guaranteed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n According to <\/span>Huffington Post<\/b><\/a>, in 2012 Jay-Z voiced support for same-sex<\/a> marriage, saying \u201cwhat people do in their own homes is their business and you can choose to love whoever you love. That\u2019s their business. [It] is no different than discriminating against blacks. It\u2019s discrimination plain and simple.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c4:44\u201d is streaming on Tidal<\/a>.<\/p>\n