Jay-Z‘s earned quite the reputation for being a shrewd businessman over the years, but the ‘Big Pimpin’ performer’s latest string of business moves are stirring a big pot of controversy.
The 49-year-old – once celebrated for turning down an invite to perform at the NFL’s ‘Super Bowl’ due to the league’s controversial stance on the treatment of their players of color (namely Colin Kaepernick) – set headlines into a spin when it was announced his imprint, Roc Nation, would now be co-producing the affair (click here to read more).
As the polarizing move continued to dominate headlines, Jay justified the collaborative effort by stating:
“I think we’ve moved past kneeling and I think it’s time to go into actionable items.”
He then added: “No, I don’t want people to stop protesting at all. Kneeling — I know we’re stuck on it because it’s a real thing — but kneeling is a form of protest. I support protest across the board. We need to bring light to the issue. I think everyone knows what the issue is — we’re done with that,” he added. “But now that we all know what’s going on, what are we going to do? How are we going to stop it? Because the kneeling was not about a job, it was about injustice.”
“[Jay] had multiple reasons for becoming part of the NFL family, and TMZ Sports has learned one of them is that he is going to become part owner of an NFL team … and it’s going to happen soon. Sources connected to Jay and with direct knowledge tell us … Jay is going to have a “significant ownership interest” in an NFL team. As for which team … we’re not being told, but we are told “it is going to happen in the near future.”
We’re told Jay wants to become a part owner ‘because he’s a huge fan, already has a sports business and wants to continue to be a change agent for the NFL.'”
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The move wasn’t exactly hailed a victory. Many – including Panthers’ safety Eric Reid – negatively sounded off on the announcement.
“Jay-Z claimed to be a supporter of Colin, wore his jersey, told people not to perform at the Super Bowl because of the treatment the NFL did to Colin,” said Reid. “And now he’s going to be a part owner … It’s kind of despicable.”
A number of Twitter users echoed Reid’s sentiment:
Some defended Hov, however, and suggested the ownership move could be a way to get Colin Kaepernick back in the league via a contract he rightfully deserves.
Colin could’ve taken his case to trial, instead he signed a NDA and settled out of court. He also signed a lifetime deal with Nike. Wheres the outrage behind that? People are simply, simps! He played the fake social justice warriors. If you paid any attention to football(American), you’d know Colin Kaepernick was on his way out. He was constantly underperforming the last three seasons he was in. He started kneeling to create buzz, once he got it he conveniently signed to Nike then took the money and signed a NDA with terms that plainly stated if he took the money he wouldn’t be able to be employed by the NFL again. This divide and conquer tactic by liberals is exactly one of the reasons I won’t be voting for not a one come 2020. Black people keep getting preoccupied with the wrong things. I bet money if Colin Kaepernick was included in that deal, he wouldn’t be so upset.
I think you are generalizing and assuming you know something special other people do not already know. People do not all think alike. I think as owner of Roc Nation, Jay-z already proved his interest in managing professional athletes and this new NFL deal is not really a surprise to anyone familiar with Jay-z’s investment and management history. He owns a small percentage of the Brooklyn Nets Basketball team for many years now. Also, every black person is not democrat. Many voted for Bush and many voted for Trump.
Right.. this is a total media spin. Having PART ownership of an NFL team (<2%) is really nothing in the long run. Someone with such a small percentage has no say in anything regarding the team. Jay’s money isn’t nearly long enough to have an actual stake in an NFL team. Whatever happened to his “ownership” of the Brooklyn Nets anyway? Jesus take wheel. Prayers lifted.
Jay z is a hypocrite he made it look as if he was down with the protest behind the scenes he was doing sneaky deals and this is a lesson to these celebrities stop jumping on band wagons Rihanna please do you and stop Riding and supporting jay z by refusing to perform at the Super Bowl Travis ignore jay ass and did him jay is a self interest man nothing comes between him and his money I feel bad for Colin but Colin should know riding for black Americans never get you anywhere they will sell you out to the white man for money ? lessons learn celebrities are thinking now that to keep quiet from now on jay z track record should have shown these blacks he ain’t for you does Barney’s store comes to mind google that
He is still the owner of the Brooklyn Nets
No we haven’t moved past kneeling. Just a few months ago you was going at Travis Scott for involving himself with the NFL, only for you to partner with them months later. Am I crazy and does no one else see something with this picture?
Why can’t people believe that this is a way to make change by actually having a seat at the table with all the WHITE nfl partners and owners. Maybe Rihanna found out the truth since she took her like down off that post ?
Easiest way to end racism, black people should join the kkk. A seat at the table with all these white people.
U dont dine with the devil.
Gurl sit down
You are a fool if you think Jay-z “has a seat at the table.” That is NOT true and certainly not what this is about. This is about the NFL using Jay-z’s Roc Nation to being black viewers back to watching and financially supporting the games. I cannot tell you how many times my phone and my husband’s phone has been called / texted by sales managers for the LA Clippers, LA Knicks, LA Rams, and LA Chargers practically BEGGING us to buy seasons passes. They have invited us to several games free of charge just to try and get us to purchase seasons tickets and other stuff they sell like skybox passes. My husband is a baseball fan and loves going to Dodgers games were there is no sales pressure and he can just hang out with my son. Ever since this Colin kneeling situation many blacks no longer financially support their local teams and the support / fandom they give does not directly help the team financially (tailgating parties, house parties, watching games at home, etc). The NFL is using Jay-z here. Jay-z is not running sh.it. They will let him curate some performances with Roc Nation artists but better believe the artists selected will be a mixture and never all black. Saying he has a seat at the table is truly laughable and naive!
Jay is a backstabbing self serving ass and Kanye told y’all Beyoncé will not go to award show unless they give her an award both of them act as if they down for blacks at least Kanye up front about who he is and not a sneaky ass using blacks and then backstabbing them for your self interest it’s sad what he did
@MEME Why haven’t we moved past kneeling? What is it accomplishing at this point? Because it brought focus to the ISSUE so it’s already served it’s purpose. Now it’s time to solve it. What now are we going to do about this issue? Keep kneeling?? For what? Dont be so complacent with just kneeling for however many more years. If there’s one thing Jay Z knows how to do better than the majority of his peers, it’s thinking big. Looking at the big picture and thinking 3 steps ahead. And if you don’t agree with him Meme, what is your idea of what the solution looks like?? Kneeling for another 4 years?
Part owner means he will put up a certain amount of money for his title he will put up a million or two and own maybe two if that. Let’s not forget he owned less than one percent of the Nets he was of the face and sometimes talent of the Barclays center. He only put up a million dollars to have 1/15 of 1 percent of the Nets.
Oh so the thing all the blacks have been whining about which is having someone of colour at the top with the big wigs is finally happening but because y’all don’t like jay z it’s not good enough? Jay deal with the Brooklyn nets was years ago when he wasn’t nearly as powerful and he wasn’t a billionaire. I’m sure he’s not stupid enough to sign a deal for less than 5% ownership that’s common sense and anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves period. It seems to me that people are not mad about any kind of kneeling or social justice but are just mad kap doesn’t have a job that’s what this boils down to. Well, it’s very telling that Kap has been very silent about all this seems what his happy to collect his NFL sponsored checks from Nike. He signed an NDA so how exactly was the kneeling movement going to move forward if the man at the forefront can’t even talk about it??? If y’all were really serious about this the views, merchandise revenue would have suffered a severe loss for the past 3 years hell the black players would have stopped turning up on the field…thats how you use power. Like I said only good for whining on Twitter hashtags.
Exactly! This is all fake outrage. The NFL is majority black and at any given time over the last few years they should’ve been relentlessly dragging them. That is, if they truly cared about the issue. But I guess everybody is forgetting why Kap was kneeling in the first place. Because Apparently, giving Kap a job in the still racist NFL is all it will take to make them happy. ? That’s their priority. It’s Stupid.
The majority of the PLAYERS are black. Not the owners and sponsors of the NFL who control all this. Y’all on here are really stupid as hell.
Yes sis, we know that, so the PLAYERS should be boycotted too, by the logic of the people who are criticizing Jay. That’s what we’re saying. Lol, the only stupid person here is you.
He should’ve just passed on the whole offer. Either way you flip it, it’ll never be a good look.
People riding his coat tails clearly don’t know business. He didn’t haven’t to put up that much money for the nets so what makes you think he’s gonna put up that much money for an nfl team? Some teams are worth 4-5 times his entire net worth. And if this is his way to get Colin back in then why didn’t Colin know about this?
Another planted media story from the FRAUDters. When does the foolishness end with them?!?!?!?! Camel is alll about self! He don’t care about the plight of black people! He is the king of SMOKE & MIRRORS and SHOTTY “BUSINESS DEALS”.
He ain’t no billionaire and his money aint long, thick or OLD enough to be PART OWNER of no sports team!!!
Do your research and stop eating crumbs that the Carters throw from their rented Parisian vacation homes!
“Social Justice” my ass!!!!
First you get the MONEY, then you get the POWER, then you get the RESPECT. JayZ only has the money. He doesn’t have the power to get Colin back in the NFL. Therefore, he doesn’t get the respect. Remember the Occupy Movement? Remember his Barney’s fiasco? He didn’t get the power or the respect to make Tidal a success. Only the fraidy cats and hardcore fans support him. Trust me, that’s not enough.
He is a black man simple as that.