Jay-Z’s controversial partnership with the NFL continues to stir up emotions. The Brooklyn-born rap mogul announced a few months a that the NFL would invest $100M into criminal justice reform over the next 10 years. He explained his plans to partner with the NFL to the The New York Times.
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But Jay’s mother-in-law, Tina Lawson, posted an Instagram message on Tuesday asking why more folks weren’t congratulating the move.
The answer to Mama Tina’s question is a complicated one.
The $100 million investment is another arm of “Inspire Change,” the N.F.L.’s new initiative concerning “education and economic advancement, police and community relations, and criminal justice reform,” along with Jay-Z’s entertainment agency Roc Nation, which now has a stake in music performances during live events, like the Super Bowl.
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Last year, Jay-Z came under righteous fire after he announced his intentions to work with the NFL in a creative capacity, citing Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel in protest of inequality and police brutality against Black people in America, had reached a stagnant point.
“I think we’ve moved past kneeling. I think it’s time to go into actionable items,” he said in August 2019.
“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 continued.
The commentary definitely incensed a lot of people, including Kaepernick and his girlfriend Nessa Diab. Then, after the bizarre failed workout between Kaepernick and the NFL it was revealed that Jay-Z might have had a hand in orchestrating the practice session. Kaepernick ultimately decided to ditch the planned NFL workout for one of his own.
No one knows for sure if Jay-Z’s decision to participate with the NFL is a purely capitalistic move. His partnership encompasses oversight of the NFL’s entertainment events, including the Super Bowl LIV halftime show starring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. Though the show was panned by some conservative viewers, it was received well overall as it allowed female Latina artists a chance to be at the forefront of one of TV’s most highly rated events.
As part of the “Inspire Change” effort Super Bowl viewers also saw a commercial featuring NFL player Anquan Boldin, whose cousin, Corey Jones, was shot and killed by Florida police.
It’s not that we aren’t excited to see the NFL take an active part in combatting inequality against Black and brown bodies. But the NFL still prefers its players to stand for the anthem and to avoid political issues. How and where Jay-Z’s work with the league fits into all this remains to be seen.
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Tina Lawson Wants To Know Why More People Aren’t Discussing Jay-Z’s NFL Deal was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com