Jay-Z and Will Smith applaud President Barack Obama for endorsing same-sex marriage

Jay-Z has been making the media rounds to promote the two-day Made in America festival he’ll be hosting Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia.

But, like just about every celeb or politician these days, he’s being asked to weigh in on President Barack Obama’s historic endorsement of same-sex marriage last week.

Jay-Z told CNN that to him, denouncing gay rights “is no different than discriminating against blacks. It’s discrimination, plain and simple.”

“I’ve always thought of it as something that is holding the country back. What people do in their own homes is their business and you can choose to love whoever you love,” he added. “That’s their business.”

But what if it costs Obama votes in the races for president against Mitt Romney?

“I think it’s the right thing to do,” Jay-Z said. “Whether it cost him votes or not, again it’s really not about votes, it’s about people. Whether it cost him votes or not, I think it’s the right thing to do as a human being.”

Actor Will Smith, out promoting his new film Men in Black III, also discussed the topic telling reporters in Berlin: “If anybody can find someone to love them and to help them through this difficult thing that we call life, I support that in any shape or form.”