Harry Belafonte has both clarified his comments about and extended an olive branch to Beyonce and Jay Z.

This, of course, is in response to Jay Z’s remarks about Belafonte’s claim that he and wife Beyonce aren’t socially active and responsible enough.

In an interview with MSNBC, Belafonte talked about the wasted power of black celebrity as well as what he’s willing to do to bridge the “generation gap”:

 

“[I] made the observation that the highly powerful voice that our community has – Black America has – there is so much celebrity power that it was sad to see that the collective of the celebrity power had not been applied to bring consciousness to the inequities that we face,” he said. “Artist that heard that responded in a very strong way. You’ll find that Jamie Foxx, you’ll find Chuck D [of Public Enemy]…you find that any number of highly profiled people have taken that critique and called for [a meeting]. We’ve sat. We’ve talked. And I will tell you now that these people that I’ve just mentioned are officially behind Dream Defenders. They are prepared to come down. They are prepared to perform. I would hope that Jay-Z would not take personally what was said because it was not said about him personally.”

 

Belafonte concluded by extending an invitation for a formal discussion between himself and the couple.

 

“Having said that, I would like to say to Jay-Z, to Beyonce: My heart is wide open and filled with nothing but hope and the promise that we can sit and have a one-on-one. And lets understand each other rather than try to answer these questions and these nuances in a public place.”

Read more at How New Hip Hop.

 

What do you think of Belafonte’s remarks?

Should Jay Z and Beyonce agree to a public sit down? What should we expect from this kind of social dialogue?

Sound off below!!!!