Everything to Know About Jay-Z’s Deal with the NFL (Thus Far): Backlash, Team Ownership & Jermaine Dupri

Earlier this week, Roc Nation announced that Sean “Jay-Z” Carter would be partnering with the NFL to help create a change. This sparked outrage, confusion, acceptance, hope, and more in the community. So what’s the truth?

The Announcement:

On August 14, Roc Nation announced their newly developed partnership with the National Football League. They’ll serve as the league’s official Live Music Entertainment Strategists, and start for the upcoming 100th season. Carter and Roc Nation hope “to nurture and strengthen community through music and the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative.”

“With its global reach, the National Football League has the platform and opportunity to inspire change across the country,” said Carter. “Roc Nation has shown that entertainment and enacting change are not mutually exclusive ideas – instead, we unify them. This partnership is an opportunity to strengthen the fabric of communities across America.”

Jay- Z Defends:

In a viral clip from a press conference Carter held, you see him defending his deal. Stating that what needs to happen next is action, and that the issue of why Colin Kaepernick was kneeling has been brought to the light.

“I think that we forget that Colin’s whole thing was to bring attention to social injustice, so in that case, this is a success — this is the next thing,” Carter continued on this according to ETOnline. “There’s two parts of protest: the protest, and then there’s a company or individual saying, ‘I hear you, what do we do next?’ For me it’s about actionable items, what are we gonna do about it?”

Backlash:

With his defense, he was met with backlash, criticism, and praise from various places. Panther player Eric Reid, media personality/Kaepernick’s girlfriend Nessa spoke out, and even had Kaepernick himself tweet.

Team Ownership:

According to TMZ, Carter is also in talks to have part ownership in an “undisclosed NFL team.” Their source said that the ownership stake will “happen in the near future.” and that Carter “wants to continue to be a change agent for the NFL.”

Different Motives? Jay-Z & Jermaine Dupri

According to producer legend Bryan-Michael Cox in the video below, Carter picked up the phone to call Jermaine Dupri, to tell him don’t do the same deal he just did. “When we all had that meeting with the NFL, it was all a part of the same shit… I went door, I did my research, and called the same person who invited me to the NFL last year.” He called out the hypocrisy with Dupri “taking a beating” for what Carter did himself.