Telling his detractors to relax, Jay-Z has explained that he and Beyoncé were not protesting when they were filmed sitting during the national anthem at Super Bowl LIV in Miami on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020.
The Roc Nation mogul told a crowd at Columbia University in New York City on Monday, Feb. 3, that he was actually working. His deal with the NFL put Jay-Z in charge of all entertainment during the Super Bowl, including Demi Lovato’s rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” before the game.
When a Columbia University professor asked him if he remained seated to “convey a signal,” Jay retorted, “It actually wasn’t. Sorry.”
Just before the national anthem began, Jay-Z said he started working.
“We immediately jumped into artist mode,” he revealed about his and Bey’s actions.
“I’m really just looking at the show. The mics start, was it too low to start?” Jay also said he was on edge throughout the start of the program, which included Lovato singing the national anthem and Yolanda Adams performing “America the Beautiful.” He was also tense during the halftime show that featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
Instead of kneeling, Jay said he was “making the biggest loudest protest of all” by handpicking some of the most diverse acts to ever perform at a Super Bowl.
Furthermore, TMZ said they’ve obtained video that shows that Jay and Bey did stand for the national anthem during Brooklyn Nets games. Jay was a minority owner of the NBA franchise. Jay and Bey’s behavior at NBA games lends credence to his version of the events at the Super Bowl.
Flip the page to listen to Jay explain this in full.
