Source: Shareif Ziyadat / Getty
Jay-Z stopped bullsh*tting with Rap a long time ago. The Brooklyn mogul and Roc Nation have reportedly partnered up with the NFL—leading to a whole lot of questions and speculation.
According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the NFL is forming “an entertainment and social justice partnership” with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.
The partnership will include Jay-Z being involved in selecting the performer for the Super Bowl (as a co-producer) and various other NFL events and content. Hova famously turned down performing at the Super Bowl himself in 2019, and rapped about it on “Apesh*t” from The Carters album, with his wife Beyonce, Everything Is Love.
“I said no to the Super Bowl: You need me, I don’t need you. Every night we in the end zone, tell the NFL we in stadiums too,” he spit on the Pharrell Williams-produced single.
Apparently, the NFL surely decided to step to Jay-Z correctly for his services this time—likely in the form of a massive bag. The optics for the pro football league have been horrible, in certain circles, after Colin Kaepernick was effectively blackballed from the league after protesting racial injustice by kneeling during the National Anthem before games.
Aligning with Jay-Z reversing such trends is a stretch in the woke times, but it is surely a start. However, that’s a lot of racist team owners to contend with. Nevertheless, Jigga is in.
“The N.F.L. has a great big platform, and it has to be all-inclusive,” Jay-Z told the New York Times. “They were willing to do some things, to make some changes, that we can do some good.”
Roc Nation and the NFL will reportedly make a formal announcement tomorrow (Wednesday, August 14). But will Kaepernick ever get a proper chance to play in the NFL again?
Twitter is already chiming in about this move. Peep some of the more potent banter below.
Jay-Z & Roc Nation Teams With NFL In Music & Social Justice Partnership, Twitter Has Questions was originally published on hiphopwired.com
1.
I’m seeing some people frame the NFL-ROC NATION agreement as the NFL has “hired Jay-Z.” That would be incorrect. Jigga is self-employed. He has entered into a partnership with the NFL. Big difference.
— Jason Reid (@JReidESPN) August 13, 2019
2.
Jay-Z turned down the SB 💰...
— Adam Lefkoe (@AdamLefkoe) August 13, 2019
Wore a Kaepernick jersey on SNL...
Then gets💰💰💰from the NFL to CONTROL THE WHOLE THING 🤯
Hova isn’t a business man...
He’s a business, man. https://t.co/CuHPQNl4jy
3.
Just to be clear...
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) August 13, 2019
No Jay-Z. No Robert Kraft and Meek Mill. No players coalition. No amount of money can erase the fact the NFL punished @Kaepernick7 for speaking out on behalf of people of color, and continues to ban him.
Thanks for attending my Ted Talk.
4.
5.
Rising star Nate Burleson of CBS Sports talks about the impact that Jay-Z and Roc Nation could have on the NFL. Not only is Jay-Z great businessman but he controls temperature gauge of pop culture, says Burleson. pic.twitter.com/4qjMspNQmF
— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) August 13, 2019
6.
In 2017, Jay-Z said that Kaepernick is an, “iconic figure,” and that folks should, “understand when people are kneeling and putting their fist up what they’re doing, it’s not about a flag, it’s about justice, it’s about injustice.”
— L E F T, PhD ⚫️ (@LeftSentThis) August 13, 2019
In 2019, Hov is partnering with the NFL. pic.twitter.com/AnA2MlyX17
7.
Have to say...genuinely surprised Jay-Z would partner with the NFL.
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) August 13, 2019
8.
Who saw this coming?! 👀🧐🔥
— ONE37pm (@137pm) August 13, 2019
The @NFL plans to partner up with Jay-Z and his @RocNation entertainment and sports company as they plan to attack Music and Social Justice Campaign. pic.twitter.com/48khH7Mmgh
9.
Jay-Z once rapped: "I said no to the Super Bowl, you need me, I don't need you."
— Andrew Beaton (@andrewlbeaton) August 13, 2019
Now the hip-hop icon is the face of a new Roc Nation partnership with the NFL that effectively positions him as the face of the league's social justice initiative. https://t.co/gCod5ZPeCm
10. Remember…
In solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, one high profile act after another — Jay-Z, Rihanna, Cardi B — rejected the NFL's offer to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl. "It says what we already know ... hip-hop is cooler than the Super Bowl," says @rodneyodyssey.https://t.co/rlTKn8sdGN
— NPR (@NPR) January 18, 2019