Master P says he gets backlash over Jay-Z’s Target deal but ‘you can’t please everybody’
TheGrio...
The No Limit founder says artists cannot please everyone but understands why Black consumers remain frustrated with Target.
Master P is weighing in on the backlash surrounding Jay-Z’s partnership with Target, saying artists will always face criticism while also arguing that corporations should be held accountable to Black consumers. The No Limit Records founder addressed the Target controversy during a conversation with DJ Greg Street on V-103 Atlanta. The discussion follows Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium response to critics.
“You can’t please everybody,” said Master P while discussing the criticism Jay-Z received over Target’s exclusive 30th-anniversary vinyl edition of “Reasonable Doubt.”
“It’s gonna be some flack on anything you do,” he added.
Still, Master P said he understands why some Black consumers were disappointed by Jay-Z’s decision. He pointed to the community’s spending power and questioned whether major corporations are giving enough back.
“I get it. They was more upset that they know Target led a bunch of us off, and they ain’t did nothing back, ‘cause guess what, we spent $2 trillion a year. But is they giving something back to our culture? And that’s what we gotta start holding these corporations accountable,” shared the mogul.
The debate surrounding Jay-Z and Target began after the retailer announced it would sell an exclusive special-edition vinyl of his 1996 debut album. Target has faced a sustained boycott from some Black consumers since scaling back several DEI commitments in January 2025.
Jay-Z addressed the criticism during his Yankee Stadium residency in July. In a freestyle, he pushed back against accusations that he had sold out and questioned what he considered selective outrage toward Target while consumers continued using companies such as Amazon, Google and Meta.
Master P also framed the partnership through the business realities of the music industry. He recalled artists once meeting directly with executives from retailers including Target, Walmart and Best Buy before album releases.
“People don’t realize marketing is the key,” he said, adding that talent represents only a fraction of what determines success while business, marketing and promotion carry much of the load.
His comments do not amount to an unconditional defense of Target. Instead, Master P defends Jay-Z against some of the criticism while shifting some of the scrutiny toward the corporation itself.