Trinidad James Says He Wasn’t Trying To Disrespect New York

Trinidad James released a black and white clip yesterday (November 18) for a filmed speech titled “The Truth Will Set You Free.”  

In the clip, James spoke about his recent comments regarding New York Hip Hop. 

“I picked the wrong place to have a barbershop conversation,” James said in the clip. “This is not an apology. I’m never apologizing for the truth. I don’t believe in it. But this is to let the city of New York know I wasn’t trying to disrespect you at all. I could never do that. That’s against my code as a man. Forget being a rapper. I don’t really care. Most of y’all don’t think I could rap anyway. As a man, I’ll never disrespect that city.”

The remarks in question include James saying that Atlanta runs New York musically. Several artists have criticized James due to those statements. Artists including Maino and Hopsin have been vocal with their opinions on the matter.

“Trinidad James is the most garbage piece of rapper that has ever existed on the face of the Earth,” Hopsin said in an interview with xxlmag.com. “His opinion is like a newborn baby saying it’s the king of the world as far as fighting and it would whoop Bruce Lee’s ass. Like, c’mon now. What do you know about anything?”

Trinidad James Says New York Radio Doesn’t Support New York Rappers

While many felt James dissed New York Rap in his initial statement about the issue, James said that he had other intentions with his remarks in his “The Truth Will Set You Free” clip.

“My only intentions when I said what I said was to get New York radio, the main stations, to play more young New York artists,” James said.

James recently said “The Truth Will Set You Free” would be for “every New Yorker” and that the video’s release would be “either the rise or fall” of his career.  

Last week, James attempted to clarify his statements during an interview with xxlmag.com. 

“I went back and looked back at what I said out my mouth,” James said during the interview. “I said, ‘Atlanta runs New York musically.’ That’s what I said, word for word. But before I said that, I was talking about the times when us in Atlanta was driving to New York to get the Dipset mixtapes, because New York music was New York music. It was a New York sound.

“It’s no way humanly possible that Atlanta could ever run New York,” James continued. “Like I said, this was my first show where I was incorporating my new style of show – we don’t say everything perfectly. I know what I meant and somebody knows me knows what I meant, but somebody who doesn’t know me – and you already have so much animosity toward me because of who I am – is gonna take it some sort of way, so I get it. I’m still not apologizing for anything, but I get why you could be upset.” 

“The Truth Will Set You Free” can be viewed below. 

RELATED: Trinidad James Unapologetic About New York Comments, Understands Backlash