Kaepernick's Response to Jay-Z
In an interview with Lester Holt for the Before & After segment of Dateline NBC, aired on September 7, Colin Kaepernick addressed Jay-Z's mention of him in a freestyle during the first night of his residency at the Yankee Stadium in July 2026. The former player, known for his protest against racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem, interpreted Jay-Z's lines as a symptom of a 'guilty conscience'.
'First and foremost, what it speaks to is power of people.'
Kaepernick highlighted that the backlash Jay-Z received in 2019 for partnering with the NFL, at a time when many considered it against the community's interests, remains a sensitive topic for the rapper. 'The backlash that [Jay-Z] received for partnering with the NFL and going counter to people’s interests in 2019 was a major problem for him, so much so that he’s still bringing it up in 2026', he stated.
The activist also noted that people now ask: 'Why do you feel so comfortable occupying positions that go against what people really want?' For Kaepernick, this reflects an attempt to 'reposition or reframe the conversation' by Jay-Z.
Jay-Z's Freestyle and His Defense of Target
During his show at Yankee Stadium, Jay-Z defended his collaboration with Target for the vinyl release of his album Reasonable Doubt, responding to criticism over the company's lack of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. In his freestyle, the rapper threw a direct line at Kaepernick:
'They run out of characters, had to bring back up Kap again... 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, y’all better be glad it’s him. Half a billion back to the community, that’s just good math for him...'
Jay-Z also mentioned returning 500 million dollars to the community, a figure that has been part of his public narrative. However, Kaepernick was not impressed and emphasized that the power of the people is what truly matters.
Context: The Relationship Between Kaepernick and Jay-Z
The tension between the two figures dates back years. In 2019, Jay-Z signed a deal with the NFL to advise on the Inspire Change initiative, which many viewed as a betrayal of Kaepernick's struggle, as he had been sidelined from the league since 2016 for his protests. Kaepernick, for his part, has maintained a firm stance against the NFL and has continued his social activism.
Additionally, Kaepernick's upcoming memoir, The Perilous Fight, will not be sold at Target stores, according to NBC. This decision reinforces the distance between the former player and corporations that, in his view, do not genuinely support social change.
Reactions and Next Steps
Billboard reached out to Jay-Z's representatives for comment but received no confirmed response at the time of publication. Meanwhile, Kaepernick continues to promote his book and his message of social justice, at a time when the debate over the responsibility of corporations and public figures in the fight for equity remains ongoing.