Busta Rhymes' song denial

Friday 30th January 2009 - 13:15:08

Busta Rhymes has denied his latest song is racist.

The rapper has received criticism over 'Arab Money', but insists that his detractors have just misunderstood the song, which is actually about the current financial climate.

Speaking about the attacks on the song, Busta said: "It didn't hurt me, because I leave room for error, and I understand what happens in misunderstanding.

But I feel a lot of people who had issues with it, they just misunderstood

"It would have hurt me if people would have understood clearly the agenda of the record and still hated on it. That would have been a little different. But I feel a lot of people who had issues with it, they just misunderstood.

"Even those people, I hope they got a chance to see or get a chance to see what my real intent was and still is - that they got a different level of appreciation."

Busta - who carries messages of support for the song on his BlackBerry - insists that people should be inspired by the track.

He added: "The first time I head it I was like, 'This is genius,'

"Just the timing of this. The fact that the recession was crazy. Fortune 500 companies left and right are needing bailouts. I was like, 'You ain't hearing none of that going on with none of the people in the Arab community or Arab culture. None of that.'"I was like, 'You know something? This is a great record to inspire people to incorporate wealth in their vocabulary, because rich has become the new broke.' 'Arab Money' - it felt right. Let's take something from a culture that has exemplified the rich qualities of spirituality and economic and financial stability for thousands of years. They've instilled that in their kids for thousands of years."