Jay-Z Pledges $100 Million to Criminal Justice Reform With NFL

Hov proves the critics wrong, once again.

Rap mogul and philanthropist JAY-Z recently revealed the dollar amount of how much Roc Nation‘s ‘Inspire Change‘ and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will commit to justice reform. According to the New York Times, Jay-Z has gotten the NFL to commit the league to spend $100 million on social justice outreach and causes over the next 10 years.

Critics criticized Jay-Z for not negotiating Colin Kaepernick a spot on a team and for expressing that the justice and police reform protesting was ‘past kneeling’ and alluded to more action-based initiatives on how the NFL can help contribute to the solutions Kaepernick and many others social activists are aiming towards.

“As long as real people are being hurt and marginalized and losing family members, then yes, I can take a couple rounds of negative press…”

JAY-Z / New York Times

“Inspire Change,” is the NFL’s initiative regarding education and economic advancement, police and community relations, and criminal justice reform, according to the NFL. “Roger is amazing and we couldn’t be doing this without him,” said Desiree Perez, the new chief executive of Roc Nation. “He has been so supportive of us and is critical to us making change at the N.F.L.”

As Jay-Z has stated previously, he feels the topic and actions of social justice has to move past the kneeling incorporated by Kaepernick. “No one is saying he hasn’t been done wrong,” Jay-Z said. “He was done wrong. I would understand if it was three months ago. But it was three years ago and someone needs to say, ‘What do we do now, because people are still dying.”

The efforts to “inspire change” isn’t just a Jay-Z front. The people in the Roc Nation camp are invested in accomplishing the goal set by both sides of the partnership. “I understand that some say, ‘Why do you want to sit at that table?’” said Tyran Smith, also known as TyTy, an executive of the company and president of A&R. “I’m a curious person. They’re not going to poison my food, I hope. I’m going to learn something and I’m going to share it.”