Trinidad James is ready to call a truce with New York City, sort of. 

Last week James ignited controversy, and fended off Twitter threats from Maino, for dissing the Big Apple and proclaiming that the South rules rap. A couple days later, the Def Jam signee defended himself via a song called "L.I.A.R.$." and returned back to the topic Monday (Nov. 18) via a vlog titled, "The Truth Will Set You Free."

First teasing that the confessional would be "the rise or fall" of him, in the video James introduces himself in a politician-esque tone but steers clear of saying sorry. "Right message, wrong messenger," James concludes of his actions. "When I say 'wrong messenger,' I'm not saying that because I only have one hit record, no album yet [or] that I don't have the right credentials to say that. What happened was, I picked the wrong place to have a barbershop conversation.

"This is not an apology," he maintains. "And 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 ya'll don't think I can rap anyway — as a man I could never disrespect that city." The "All Gold Everything" rapper backs up his statement by name checking New York City venues, DJs and a couple publications. 

Later, he reveals that dissing New York was meant to uplift. "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," he says, calling out Jadakiss, Jay Z and Fabolous among the New York rap vets he doesn't want getting so much airplay. "I don't wanna hear that," he says. 

So who does James want on the radio? Action Bronson, Black Dave and Troy Ave, to name a few. Satellite radio is where the New York artists "that still have a New York sound" reside, he goes on to say. 

James ends the rambling explanation by reiterating his original point. "When I say I didn't disrespect your city, I mean that. Because I want to make money in your city … to take care of my mama. Only God can judge me."

Meanwhile, Maino isn't quite over the rift, but his issue is no longer with James. "It ain't even his fault," he told Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club. "It's us though," the Brooklyn native said of New Yorkers. "We so disorganized … we don’t support each other … nothing.

He further blamed New York rap for a lack of unity noting, "People ain’t got no respect for our city 'cause we ain’t got no respect for each other."

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(Photo: Youtube/GoldGangTV)