While Cardi B thinks Jay-Z’s new partnership with the NFL is a step in the right direction, Miami Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills isn’t so sure.
On Monday, the athlete objected to recent comments Hov made about current and former NFL players, including Colin Kaepernick, kneeling.
You see, Kenny is one of three players, along with Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid and Dolphins receiver Albert Wilson, who continue to kneel during the national anthem - a sign of protest started by Kaepernick back in 2016 to bring awareness to police brutality and systematic oppression.
Well, Jay-Z thinks kneeling has served its purpose and Kenny isn’t here for his opinion.
Last week, during a press conference in New York with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Jay said, “I think everyone knows what the issue is — we’re done with that,” adding, “OK, next.”
In response, Kenny told reporters, “He’s talking about, ‘We’re moving past kneeling,’ like he ever protested. He’s not an NFL player. He’s never been on a knee. ... To say that we’re moving past something, it didn’t seem very informed.”
He also said Jay-Z could have reached out to him or to Kaep before announcing the partnership, adding, “I felt like he really discredited Colin and myself and the work that’s being done. I’m going to try and give this man the benefit of the doubt for now, but it doesn’t sit right with me. It’s not something that I agree with. It’s not something that I respect.”
Over the weekend, Cardi, on the other hand, showed the mogul support, telling TMZ, "I feel like he went in there like, 'All right, if you guys want me to work with y'all, y'all need to put my people in here. Y'all need to do things my way.' I feel like he's gonna change it."
Per the new partnership, Jay-Z will serve as a live music entertainment strategist as well as a consultant for the NFL’s Inspire Change social justice campaign.
For more on this story, head on over to Billboard.com. And until next time, for Billboard News, it’s your girl Jordyn Rolling.
