Detroit rapper Royce Da 5’9 is celebrating Black excellence. The hip-hop veteran has come forward to acknowledge and celebrate award-winning Black producer Jesse Collins teaming up with the NFL to executive produce the upcoming NFL Super Bowl halftime show.
Royce 5’9 Celebrates NFL Getting It Right
The Detroit rapper hit up Instagram to geek out over the historic level up. Royce shared a headline confirming Jesse’s addition to the halftime show and gave him a couple king crown emojis.
“Congrats to my good brother @jessecollinsent ???” -Royce Da 5’9’s Instagram
JAY-Z’s Black Excellence Push
This week, reports surfaced about Roc Nation, NFL and Pepsi’s decision to give Collins the high-end position and making him the first-ever Black producer of the champions games’ halftime show. Roc Nation boss JAY-Z confirmed the huge power move and spoke on what Collins brings with his industry experience.
“Jesse Collins is innovative, creative and one of the only executive producers that speak fluent ‘artist vision.’ He‘s a true artist,” said Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. “Jesse’s insight and understanding create both extraordinary shows and true cultural moments. After working with Jesse for so many years, I look forward to all there is to come.” Collins, founder and CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, was Emmy-nominated last year for outstanding variety special (live) as a producer for the 61st Grammy Awards. His other credits include the CBS special John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero, the BET Awards, the BET Hip-Hop Awards and the Soul Train Awards, among others. (Deadline)
Ice Cube Supports JAY-Z
In August 2019, music icon Ice Cube shared his support for JAY teaming up with the NFL. The partnership followed tensions toward the league for condemning athletes for kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest police brutality.
“I think it’s good. I think he can definitely help the NFL make the right decisions when it comes to whatever they want to do in the community. I don’t understand where the controversy is coming from. You bring something up, you bring something to the light, and the company absorbs that and then makes a change. It’s cool because, actually the case is over and they don’t really have to make this change. They don’t even have to even do this because the grievance with Kaepernick has been settled so by them going the extra mile and doing this with JAY-Z, it shows that there is some sincerity on their part in changing the narrative and doing better things. So, that’s really what it’s all about.” (Jam’n 107.5)
The same week, JAY spoke to media about the perception of only using his new Roc Nation/NFL partnership as an opportunity to address players kneeling to protest police brutality.
Young Hov Gets Hated On
Despite the huge power move, some media outlets questioned JAY’s interest in bringing social justice with the NFL partnership.
Jay-Z has earned the benefit of the doubt, however. I’ve racked my brain trying to find the hidden chess move or way that this can continue the work the businessman has put forth in the last half-decade, but I don’t know how he or anyone thinks that partnering with the NFL can bring tangible, real-life change. His quotes since the announcement have only augmented my concerns: “I have to believe that even if it’s not sincere, we’re going to get things done,” he told the New York Times. He also told the Wall Street Journal that “I can’t control—no one can control—the world that we live in currently, and people’s choice to vote self-interests.” These are both very neutered comments from someone who has seemingly been so invested in challenging established structures and corporate American mainstays. Right now, all evidence points to Jay-Z cashing out, creating a new capitalist opportunity for Jay-Z and Jay-Z alone. (Even if this is a move to become the first black NFL owner, the net benefactor is Jay-Z and the NFL’s pockets.) (Playboy)
