“I’m not a businessman, I’m a BUSINESS man……..”
These are words straight from the horses mouth. So with that in mind, my initial thought when I hear Jay’s name is “How would this be profitable?”. This is not in any way to discredit anything he has done in regards to social reform. But if you’ve been paying attention you cannot ignore the fact that Shawn Carter is in money making mode with every decision he makes. And guess what, there’s nothing wrong with that. I will never understand people’s need to try to make every move out to be some complicated, Da Vinci code type situation. Sometimes you can just sit back and say “That was a great business decision.” This doesn’t just apply to Jay-Z but lately it’s been the public’s mission to make him the patron saint of the Black race when all he’s trying to do is grow his capital.
That is how I view his recent partnership with the NFL. Why wouldn’t he make this deal? If we know anything about Mr. Carter it’s that he’s intelligent, he does business on his own terms and he rarely takes a loss. So the notion that he will be a patsy for the league to subdue Black people is foolish. This whole “Jay-Z is a sellout” rhetoric is asinine. I assume most of the people who subscribe to this nonsense donated to the Frederick Douglass Marcus Garvey International RBG Academy for Boys. Realistically what do you think he’s going to do? I don’t take Jay as the juggling watermelons and peddling the General’s Fried Chicken type. While this venture could look funny in the light to some, especially given his vocal opposition to the league’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick, you have to realize the position he’s in to even be able to negotiate with the NFL at the highest level to begin with. You don’t get Goodell and all the big dogs to the table without reaching a certain status in that circle. The king doesn’t confer with pawns.
Now for you people that’s trying to turn him in to Muhammad Luther King Garvey X………….stop it. Super Bowl halftime shows will not be the instrument through which racism and social injustice will be destroyed. We know for a fact that the NFL supports racists and has no problem doing business with them. If you honestly think Jay-Z can singlehandedly disrupt this culture then chances are you also donated to the FDMG International RBG Academy for Boys. If you haven’t gotten this reference yet I’m calling you gullible. I really don’t want to be the one to break this to you……..no wait actually I’m very excited to be the one to break this to you, Jay-Z is not about to break the wheel. You cannot believe that he will one day be an owner of a NFL team while simultaneously believing that he will tear down the establishment, gut it from the inside out and usher in an era of racial enlightenment. When someone wants to own a NFL team, they have to convince 31 other guys why they deserve to be a part of one of the most elite and exclusive clubs in the world. You really think Jay is going to stroll up in the NFL offices, tell these folks that they’re racist scum and need to clean up their act and walk away with their seal of approval? Again, if you believe this make your checks out to FDMG International RBG Academy for Boys.
Am I saying that he won’t do anything in this regard? No, I don’t expect him to abandon his message. I expect those conversations to be had at some level. The conversation will not surround the personal beliefs and feelings of NFL employees though. The talks will revolve around, for lack of a better term, how to make the NFL look like they care. They need to fix their image. I’m sure we’ll se things like more community outreach projects, maybe more minority head coaches, probably some scholarship initiatives. Really wouldn’t be surprised to see some involvement with HBCU’s. But thinking this collaboration will lead to the changing of the hearts and minds of the chairmen of the Good Ole Boys club is naive. Also if you think he’s just going to strong arm them into doing the right thing then I have some oceanfront property in Wyoming to sell you. Nice piece of land. You should check it out. It’s clearly evident that the NFL doesn’t have a problem with racists. The NFL has a problem with being called out for it. They can’t be outwardly and unapologetically racist. I mean they are but still…………..
I just find the extremism on either side of the spectrum very odd. No other corporate business maneuver Jay-Z has made has been scrutinized like this. The Ace of Spades and Dusse’ moves weren’t perceived as the African American bulldozing of the liquor industry. Even his previous endeavors in major sports weren’t looked at like some revolutionary foray into that institution. They were looked at as business deals. And that’s exactly what this current arrangement is. It’s an entertainment and business deal and should be looked at as such. If something else comes of it then that would be magnificent. But to automatically assume that something else is intended to come of it and then prematurely judge the failure or success of the deal before the ink is even dry on the contract is wildly irresponsible. Also it’s putting undue stress on many of you. Please calm down and mind your business. You’ll live longer.