Not long ago, Jay Z faced much criticism for his lyrics, the lifestyle many felt he promoted and accused him of being irrelevant relative to younger participants in the Hip Hop game. With the release of 4:44, he has once again proven that aging isnt a death sentence for an emcee.
However, as the political atmosphere changes to reflect the prevailing mindset in the country, Jay has segued into using his celebrity and bank account to champion causes that are dear to his heart.
Who could forget him bailing out activists in Baltimore and Ferguson during the tumultuous happenings of 2015? What about when he posted bail for some brothers so they wouldn’t be locked up on Father’s Day?
The #444Tour on Twitter
Jay Z Dedicates “The Story Of O.J.” To Colin Kaepernick And Dick Gregory During @themeadowsnyc Performance https://t.co/PxdMaXvz6U
Haters are still gonna hate, but these happenings were roach spray for all those “What has Jay Z really done for the community?” chirpers who were silenced, if only temporarily.
Indeed, despite the darts that are continually thrown in his direction, Jay continues to show that he is not insulated from the excreta of discontent that is often heaped upon him. To whom much is given, much is expected.
But its not simply a matter of charity, but of acting in good conscience as well. Many have long wondered why there has never been a purely Hip Hop halftime show at the Super Bowl, and Jays name is inevitably broached when that subject comes up.
Though his wife Beyonces 2012 Super Bowl set was considered one for the ages, her venture spoke directly to her Bey Hive base and featured certain imagery that spoke directly to the black condition in America as well. Basically, Bey paid for a Blackness advertisement.
But Jigga Man has no such desire.
The Source Magazine on Twitter
Jay-Z Turns Down Offer To Perform At 2018 Super Bowl https://t.co/Qy4rW5xyRk
Lots of people have been saying Jay will perform with Justin Timberlake, but it is simply not the case, the source said, according to Metro. He has enough songs to create an incredible performance but he really has no plans to do the halftime show.
When it comes to Jay being connected to activism and societal inequities, one need look no further than the remarkable documentary series he produced on Kalief Browder.
TIME: The Kalief Browder Story Trailer
“TIME: The Kalief Browder Story” is a documentary series about a 16 year-old student from the Bronx who spent three years on Rikers Island without ever being convicted of a crime. Subscribe for more: spke.co/1pmVCvW Follow Spike Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spike Twitter: @Spike (https://twitter.com/Spike) Instagram: @SpikeTV (https://instagram.com/SpikeTV)
We do know that the Hip Hop legend has been a supporter of Colin Kaepernick, dedicating “The Story of O.J.” to him at a recent concert.
It ain’t too hard to connect the dots here to figure out why Jay Z declined one of the most coveted performance venues in American culture, telling the NFL that they better get right with Kap, and themselves, before he gets right with them.
