Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick believes Jay-Z harbors a “guilty conscience” over his business dealings with the NFL and Target, responding to recent comments made by the rapper during a concert. Jay-Z referenced Kaepernick and his NFL settlement in July while addressing criticism of his exclusive album release with Target, stating, “Buddy took a check, I ain’t even mad at him, but along with that check you gotta sign a non-disparagement. I’m the one they can’t control.” Kaepernick, in an interview with NBC News, characterized Jay-Z’s remarks as stemming from backlash to his 2019 partnership with the NFL, a move that drew criticism for appearing to contradict his previous advocacy for social justice. Kaepernick is honoring a boycott of Target, declining to sell his upcoming memoir, “The Perilous Fight,” at the retailer, and instead partnering with the National Association of Black Bookstores.
Jay-Z had previously supported Kaepernick, wearing his jersey in 2017 and dedicating a performance of “The Story of O.J.” to him. However, their relationship shifted after Jay-Z’s Roc Nation partnered with the NFL in 2019, producing every Super Bowl halftime show since. Kaepernick wrote in his book that he declined a request from Jay-Z in 2017 to kneel onstage during a performance of the same song due to the song’s use of racial slurs. He also described difficulties connecting with Jay-Z prior to the NFL partnership.
Jay-Z defended his Target partnership, stating he has returned “half a billion back to the community” and dismissing “Twitter activists.” Kaepernick countered that the public is questioning why Jay-Z is “comfortable stepping into these positions that are counter to the positions that people on the ground actually want,” viewing it as evidence of a “guilty conscience” and an attempt to reframe the narrative. NBC News will feature Kaepernick as the first guest on “Before & After with Lester Holt” on September 7, and he is scheduled to appear on “TODAY” on September 16.
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