In a joint press conference, yesterday helmed by Jay-Z, and NFL Commissioner Robert Goodwell announced a new alliance with Roc Nation at their New York office.
Roc Nation Jay-Z’s entertainment company has been given significant powers to decide on performers at major NFL events including the Super Bowl halftime show. The announcement had created a lot of negative buzzes and thrown both the parties in the defensive, which took them a by surprise. The music moguls company will also help the league create content, and space for athletes to open up about the social injustice they are going through if any. The league is trying to carter a positive vibe on issues concerning the players who will get a platform to speak out.
Seems good? Nash, still have questions? The unfolding yesterday’s events date back to 2016 when a quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the National Anthem to protest against the police brutality and social injustice faced by the African American people.
Subsequently, we have not seen the quarter play in the last three years. The player received voices of support from different walks of lives with Jay-Z himself wore a Kaepernick jersey to Saturday Night Live and rolling out lyrics in his megabits Apeshit in support. Is now in business with the league?
Kaepernick’s girlfriend wrote on twitter: Jay-Z never spoke to him after the tells he had talked with Kaepernick before penning the deal. Although he did give any insights into the conversation, a sources close the athlete tells- it was not a good conversation.
We do not want people to agree with us necessarily but tell what can be done better, said Goodell highlighting the core of this new alliance of the two organizations.
The deal puts NFL in a better who have a hard time finding performers, with Rihanna previously turning down the offer, and ironically Jay-Z himself advised Travis Scott not to perform at the NFL. The partnership is a massive win for the league which gives the league a chance to redeem itself and hurry the horrors of 2016 behind after last week’s Super Bowl blushes.
The hypocrisy in the tone was entirely signified when Jay-Z clarified; he advised Scott not to perform as he would only play second fiddle to Maroon 5. The Rapper who earned his credulity through his work in social injustice and voicing against the increasing discrimination gives the league guilt-free access to the African American Community.
The alliance would never exist only for Colin Kaepernick to kneel, can Jay-Z bring the player back in the fold or the support was only a ladder of accessing the vast public gathering? Hope, Jay-Z builds on credibility and does not make it a history.