FUSE TV - Exclusive: Birdman Defends Lil Wayne's NYC Diss, Despite Protests of State Senator

Lil Wayne caused a minor furor when he unequivocally declared, "Flat out: I don't like New York" on Tuesday. While some New Yorkers let that insult slide—after all, Wayne spent 8 months in prison on Rikers Island and weathered that whole Summer Jam/Nicki Minaj beef—others did not take Weezy's diss lightly. Specifically, State Senator Malcolm Smith from Queens. The good senator was so troubled by Wayne's one sentence that he held a press conference in Times Square today (which he calls "the center of the universe") to demand an apology.

"I was pretty angry, quite frankly, when I first saw it," Smith says to Fuse's Esteban Serrano. "I was taken aback that someone of his position and stature [would make that statement]. It's a little bit unconscionable.... This is a city of 8 million people. That's a heck of a statement." 

During his press conference, Smith—who mentioned growing up with Run-DMC and putting on local basketball tournaments each year with LL Cool J—touched on New York's diverse musical history. "I take strong exception to his statement. He should know, anecdotally or not, he's also insulted the memory of Frank Sinatra and insulted Jay-Z, who both made enduring songs about New York. I want to believe he had a lapse in mental judgment for some strange reason."

Although Smith tells Fuse "there has been some discussion exploring the possibility" of a Malcolm Smith mayoral run in 2013, he insists, "I'm not making this position because of concern about votes. I'm doing this because I love this city."

"It doesn't have to be an apology to me," Smith says. (So don't worry, Weezy: He's not expecting a personal phone call). "The same way he made that statement and it went viral, if he says he apologizes, I'm sure it will go viral."

Well, that apology may not be happening. Ever. When Fuse spoke with Cash Money CEO Birdman this afternoon, he backed up YMCMB's top dog 100%.

"To me, personally, I feel whatever my son says I'm gonna ride with. So if he say he don't like it, then that's just what it is," Birdman says. "If he don't like it, we don't like it. I don't like it if he don't like it. That's law."

So that settles it! For Birdman and State Senator Smith's full comments, watch the video above.