Jay-Z’s deal with the NFL continues to provoke heated debate on social media. Nearly one week after the Brooklyn-born rapper announced a partnership with the NFL through his Roc Nation company, whether Jay-Z made the right or wrong decision remains a hot topic of conversation.
On Monday, Aug. 19, 2019, rapper Freddie Gibbs took things to another level by disparaging Colin Kaepernick and praising Jay-Z.
“I’m riding for Jay-Z straight up, man,” Gibbs said in a video posted on his Instagram page. “F— Colin Kaepernick. All y’all n—-s marched for Colin Kaepernick and he took a settlement and they didn’t tell y’all what he got or nothing. He settled, so let it go. Y’all hating on Jay-Z for trying to own something in the NFL. Y’all n—-s is some motherf—-g crabs.”
Jemele Hill, who criticized Jay-Z in an op-ed published by The Atlantic, responded to Gibbs post with this: “Well played, NFL. You got exactly what you wanted.”
Gibbs replied to Hill, “All due respect ma’am they ain’t get nothin out of me. Big fan by the way.”
Gibbs’ approach reveals how many in the Black community remain divided over issues when it comes to race and justice.
On Wednesday, Aug. 14, Jay-Z sat next to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the Roc Nation headquarters in Manhattan during a news conference where the two announced the partnership. During the news conference, Jay-Z said, “I think that we forget that Colin’s whole thing was to bring attention to social injustice, correct? So, in that case, this is a success; this is the next thing. ‘Cause there’s two parts of protesting. You go outside and you protest, and then the company or the individual says, ‘I hear you. What do we do next?’ So, for me, it was like, action, actional item, what are we going to do with it? Everyone heard and we hear what you’re saying, and everybody knows I agree with what you’re saying. So what are we going to do? So we should, millions of millions of people, and all we get stuck on [is] Colin [Kaepernick] not having a job. … I think we’re past kneeling. I think it’s time for action.”
