Roc Nation Partnering with NFL for an “Entertainment & Social & Justice” Deal

Jay-Z’s company Roc Nation is forming a partnership with the NFL to help manage the Super Bowl halftime show.

What We Know:

  • According to The Washington Post, “The NFL began negotiating its social justice program, by which owners and teams contribute funding to community activism initiative.”
  • In 2016, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began the movement of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police treatment of African Americans. “For this reason, I was hesitant about partnering with the league at the time,” said Jay-Z.
  • NFL fans and hip-hop stars have criticized the NFL over its treatment of Kaepernick and feel as though Jay-Z is careless about what Kaepernick had to endure from the NFL.

  • Roc Nation will choose different artists performing not only R&B and Hip Hop but different genres to participate in the “song of the season” campaign, which is a campaign to create positive change in communities across the country.
  • Jay Z issued a statement on the partnership through Roc Nation’s Twitter account:

  • On Friday morning Donald Trump said, “No NFL owner wants to sign Colin Kaepernick because he doesn’t respect the flag and our ancestors, when they kneel just leave the game, sooner or later things will change.”
  • NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told the New York Times earlier this week, “We want people to come in and tell us what we can do better.”
  • Kaepernick’s longtime friend Eric Reid is blasting Jay-Z for partnering with the NFL. Reid believes Jay is helping the NFL bury Kaepernick’s football career. For this reason, Reid is still planning on protesting until Kaepernick is back on the field.

While many fans are excited to see what is in store on the entertainment side for the Super Bowl, others are disappointed that Jay-Z has partnered with NFL and Colin Kaepernick is still without a job.