“I consider myself a revolutionary because I’m a self-made millionaire in a racist society,” Jay answered.

Considered from that angle—that Jay-Z sees himself as an activist simply because he’s been able to exploit the game as well as any rich white person—the riot scene in the “No Church in the Wild” video starts to make a bit of sense. The Molotov cocktails and kicks to the bellies of cops are metaphors for Jay and West’s real revolutionary acts: buying private jets, having expensive lunches, and getting invited to important events. Hampton was killed in a tiny Chicago apartment for his rebellion; the Watch the Throne rebellion is fucking models in tony Chicago hotels.