Jay Z declares drug war an ‘epic fail’ in short film

Jay Z has declared the war on drugs an “epic fail” in a short film he wrote and narrated.

The four-minute clip posted online by The New York Times on Thursday features Jay Z’s narration over an artist’s illustrations.

In the video, he complains “young men like me who hustled became the sole villain” when strict drug laws were introduced in the 1980s. He also suggests treatment of drug dealers is hypocritical given that states like Colorado have legalised marijuana. He also blames mandatory minimum sentences in part for the sharp rise in the US prison population.

Jay Z has frequently rapped about his past as a crack dealer.