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can’t seem to squash or control: those pesky and ever-present rumors that he’s somehow a part of the super-secret and all-powerful occult society known as the Illuminati.

Yes, it’s a rare week that someone, somewhere, via Twitter, YouTube, urban radio, social media, or celebrity gossip websites, doesn’t attempt to connect the centuries-old group to the Brooklyn-born rapper also known as Shawn Carter in an effort to explain his ever-growing wealth and influence in music, politics, and beyond. Carter’s highly visible presence at the presidential inauguration in January only made tongues wag that much more about his possible membership in the group that supposedly worships the devil and also includes Queen Elizabeth and Donald Trump.

“When people that are very visible, like Jay-Z, become incredibly successful, you almost always hear Illuminati references,’’ says Fred Mwangaguhunga, editor and founder the largest African-American entertainment website, MediaTakeout. “Jay-Z is rich and powerful, and he travels in circles with rich and powerful people. That’s enough for people to connect him to the group.”