Colin Kaepernick vs Jay-Z Is an NFL Rivalry That’s Being Viewed All Wrong
Sure, Hov’s deal with the NFL puts his fans between a Roc and a hard place. But the move is about black power, not blacktivism.
Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter sculpted Roc-A-Fella Records from the mud. But not by himself. He built it along with Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burkes, to whom Jay attempted to sell the Roc back to 10 years later. This happened in 2005, after Jay inherited majority ownership of the mighty indie label along with the presidency of its parent company, Def Jam. Dash and Biggs received no Blackberry text, nor a heads-up call. Both arrived for what they thought was a routine meeting. Instead they were, according to Dash, blindsided.
Jay didn’t want the Roc-A-Fella name. To him, it was a bargaining chip. He offered to return the label to Dame and Biggs in exchange for complete ownership of his 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt. Dame was shocked. Biggs, hurt. Both felt extorted. Dash asked Jay — his son’s godfather — why he would infect the trio’s blood, sweat, and legacy with discord. His response was a flat, “Because Def Jam offered it to me.”
So Shawn Carter’s big deal with the NFL shouldn’t surprise anyone. This is the rapper who became a minority partner in his native…
