On Friday (August 11), the rapper released her much anticipated third album –Sundial– which includes a feature by Jay Electronica on “Balloons”. Jay Electronica – who has ties to the Nation Of Islam and Louis Farrakhan–  references his convictions and religious affiliation on the song, which have caused a stir. On Sunday (August 13), Noname addressed the controversy on social media, as reported by Stereogum.

Of the third verse on “Balloons”, Jay Electronica raps, “I run with the mighty 'Khan as we expose the liars” and “Some f— b– eighty-fiver come run up and press me /It's all a hoax, quite simple, a joke like Zelenskyy.” The verse concludes with “If anybody asks, tell 'em Farrakhan sent me / It's the war of Armageddon and I'm beggin' the listener / If you ain't fightin', that mean you either dead or a prisoner.”

Noname took to Instagram to address criticism of the verse. In her Instagram Story, she wrote, “here’s the truth. no, i’m not antisemitic. i don’t hate groups of people,” Noname wrote. “i am against white supremacy which is a global system that privleges people who identify as white. i’ve been clear about this for years.”

“i’m not going to apologize for a verse i didn’t write,” she added. “i’m not going to apologize for including it on my album. if you feel i’m wrong for including that’s fair. don’t listen. unfollow and support all the other amazing rappers putting out dope music. your disappointment truly means absolutely nothing to me and i say that with love.”

According to The Fader, when Noname originally announced her forthcoming album and the track featuring Jay Electronica in April, she received major backlash, and considered cancelling the album. In a since deleted tweet, she wrote, “n***as legit rap about actual murder and sexual assault that they commit in real life and y’all can’t take a jay elect verse?” She added, “please drink water and be safe out here.”