As reported on Wednesday by The Root, well-known Rapper/Entrepreneur Jay-Z announced a deal with the NFL through his Roc Nation company to advise the league on entertainment and the Super Bowl, with some mentions of social justice as well. During the press conference, quite a few reporters repeatedly asked about former NFL player, Colin Kaepernick, in which Jay-Z defensively responded with statements such as: “I think we’re past kneeling…I think it’s time for action.”
Later that week on Friday, TMZ reported that Jay-Z would be acquiring “significant ownership interest” in an unspecified NFL team making him the first black person to be an owner in the league’s history, stating that Carter just “wants to continue to be a change agent for the NFL”
On Sunday things escalated when Kaepernick — who rarely posts statements on social media — posted a photo of Eric Reid and Miami Dolphins’ Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson kneeling. Reid went harder, wearing a Kaepernick shirt as he told reporters late Friday, “Jay-Z claimed to be a supporter of Colin, he wore his Jersey, he told people not to perform at the Super Bowl because of the treatment the NFL did to Colin, and now he’s going to be a part-owner,” he said, shaking his head. “He’s sounding despicable.”
The story has also received some heat from DJ/radio host Funkmaster Flex in an all-caps tweet, Flex says that producer/songwriter Jermaine Dupri “confirmed that when he was working with the NFL last year he did get a call from Jay-Z asking him ‘How deep are u in with the NFL?,’ Expressing… ‘that might not be a good idea,’” advising him to turn down a deal similar to the one he himself just accepted.
However, everyone’s reaction has not been all bad. On Saturday, Jay-Z got some verbal support from Cardi B, who told TMZ, “I think that he can make a change,” she said. “I feel like he went in there like, ‘If you guys want me to work with y’all, then y’all need to bring my people in there and do things my way.’” When asked about Kaepernick, she added, “I feel like Jay-Z could bring back Colin Kaepernick [to the NFL], I feel so, I think he has that power.”
