Colin Kaepernick has finally responded to Jay-Z bringing him up during a freestyle on the first night of his Yankee Stadium residency back in July.
During a sit-down on Dateline NBC’s Before & After With Lester Holt airing Sept. 7, the former NFL quarterback spoke on his initial reaction to being name-dropped by the legendary rapper. “First and foremost, what it speaks to is power of people,” Kaepernick told Holt. “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 added, “People are now realizing, ‘Why are you so comfortable stepping into these positions that are counter to the positions that people on the ground actually want?’ And to me, I view that as speaking to a guilty conscience and trying to reposition or reframe the conversation.”
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Jay used the freestyle in question to address critics of his exclusive Reasonable Doubt vinyl partnership with Target, as civil rights groups have been boycotting the store over lack of DEI initiatives.
“They run out of characters, had to bring back up Kap again,” the legendary rapper spit in regards to the backlash he’s received online. “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. I don’t listen to Twitter activists, they type and I laugh at them. It’s really no comparison, y’all check my stats again. I’m bringin’ folks back to they family, laws get passed ’cause him.”
NBC is also reporting that Kaepernick’s upcoming memoir The Perilous Fight will not be sold at Target stores.
Billboard has reached out to Jay-Z’s reps for comment.