While on press tour to promote her upcoming album, Eve, Rapsody stopped by New York radio show The Breakfast Club and wound up also weighing in on one of the hot topics of the moment. While many public figures have criticized Jay-Z’s much-publicized deal with the NFL in the wake of his support for Colin Kaepernick’s protests and subsequent blackballing by the league, Rapsody instead joined the growing chorus of voices praising Jay’s deal, saying: “You gotta make change from the inside.”
When host Charlamagne Tha God asked Rapsody for her thoughts on Jay’s new partnership with the NFL, Rapsody’s answer was direct and thoughtful. “I think it’s dope,” she said. “I think it’s a great move because you gotta make change from the inside. [Jay] said it perfectly: If the issue why we were kneeling was to bring awareness to these issues [police violence against Black people and other minorities], then that’s exactly what’s happening. It’s not about the kneeling. Why are we upset? It’s not about Kaepernick either. Kaepernick wanted to bring awareness but it’s bigger than that. And if you’re going to get Kaepernick in, there’s no better way than to have Jay-Z sitting at the table and figuring this thing out.”
Reactions to the move have been mixed. While Rapsody, Vic Mensa, and Freddie Gibbs all supported the deal, Eric Reid, Nessa, and many commenters on social media do not. Even Rihanna, who is — like Rapsody and Vic Mensa — signed to Jay’s Roc Nation, seemingly disdained the deal, “liking” a post criticizing it on Instagram.
