DeHaven Irby, a former drug dealer and longtime friend of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, is opening up about their friendship and the events that led to its demise.
Growing up together in Marcy Houses in Brooklyn, Irby said he and Carter formed a bond, sharing clothes, money and experiences. Irby even made Jay-Z his daughter’s godfather. Despite their bromance, things changed when Irby faced federal drug conspiracy charges in 1998.
In a recent interview with RealLyfe Productions, Irby described how Jay-Z promised support but disappeared when it mattered most. “During my trial, [he looked] in my face and told me, ‘Yo, don’t worry about it, man. I got it.’ And I never saw him again,” recalled Irby. He considered the experience the first instance of “really terrible” behavior from his old friend and called it deeply disappointing.
Irby details how their paths diverged as Jay-Z began his career with Roc-A-Fella Records, founded in 1994 with Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke. The label became home to iconic albums such as ‘Reasonable Doubt’ and ‘Vol. 2… Life is difficult.’
Despite their history, Irby said that he was not involved in Jay-Z’s rise in the music industry, which further deepened the rift between them.
Their rocky relationship reappears in Jay-Z’s music.
On 2007’s ‘American Gangster’ track “No Hook,” Jay-Z seemingly accused Irby of treason, rapping, “So f**k DeHaven for the cave, that’s why we don’t speak.” Irby denied these allegations, maintained his innocence, and expressed hurt by Jay-Z’s subliminal messages in his songs.
During the interview, Irby revealed the extent of his loyalty, even recounting the moment he was shot during a drug deal gone wrong to protect Jay-Z.
“I actually got shot because of him,” Irby declared, describing how he distracted the gunmen to allow Jay-Z to escape. Despite the betrayal, Irby said he would take the bullet again, adding, “That’s just who I am.”
Irby still seeks clarity, not an apology. “We never really had a fight,” he said. “That’s the problem. That’s why I’m so confused.”
— Originally published on Enstarz
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