Timothy Elpadaro Thedford, known as Jay Electronica is a hip-hop artist originally from New Orleans. He's an enthusiastic follower of Louis Farrakhan's group Nation of Islam.
In March 2020 Electronica caused outrage as his newly released album sparked outcry with Rothschild, ‘synagogue of Satan’ lyrics and multiple songs in which he invoked horrific antisemitic themes and tropes.
For example, on "Ghost of Souja Slim" he raps:
"And I bet you a Rothschild I get a bang for my dollar
The Synagogue of Satan want me to hang by my collar."
Like many antisemites, Electronica references the Rothschilds, a family that has historically been the target of antisemitic world domination and financial conspiracy theories.
Farrakhan, the antisemitic leader of the Nation of Islam, helped coin the antisemitic phrase "Synagogue of Satan" which was originated in the New Testament, by using it in all of his sermons when referencing the Jewish people.
When called out for his antisemitism by Jewish radio host Pete Rosenberg, Electronica disgustingly replied "STFU", an acronym for "Shut the f*ck up".
In another song "Fruits of the Spirit", Electronica refers to Jews as satan:
"Satan struck Palestine with yet another mortar"
A few months after the release of his antisemitic album, during the summer of 2020, Electronica referred to Rabbi Abraham Cooper as the "devil" after Rabbi Cooper had a chat with Nick Cannon regarding Cannon's own antisemitic language that resulted in him losing a lucrative CBS contract.
Electronica went on to call black people the "TRUE Children of Israel" using the hashtag #SynagogueOfSatan and aggressively challenged Rabbi Cooper to sit down and talk with Farrakhan: "We DEFY you to challenge us on these claims publicly. You LYING antisemites" he tweeted.
In his lyrics, Electronica is attempting to convey the same hateful message Farrakhan spews in his speeches; that the Jewish people are fake, evil, and plotting to dominate the world with their power and money.
Sadly, rather than shunning Jew-hating bigots like Jay Electronica, the entertainment industry is rewarding him instead. The Recording Academy has nominated Electronica for a Grammy award in the best Hip Hop album category.
This type of antisemitism cannot continue to go unchecked, especially by musicians like Electronica who influence younger generations.
We need YOUR help - email the Recording Academy and voice your outrage about antisemite Jay Electronica being nominated for a Grammy despite his ongoing antisemitism and hate!