JAY-Z, Roc Nation, and the NFL are already off to a rocky start with their social justice initiatives. Earlier this week, an announcement hit the news cycle of JAY-Z & Roc Nation in partnership with the NFL, would be donating $400,000 to Chicago youth charities. One of the groups that received a donation, the Crusher’s Club, came under fire after pictures of the nonprofit's director cutting off the dreadlocks of young Black men in Chicago resurfaced. According to the Crusher’s Club original post, the cutting was symbolic for the young men's "desire for a better life."
If the pictures and sentiment behind cutting off the young men's dreadlocks weren't deemed problematic enough, it was also revealed that the organization has championed messages of "All Lives Matter" in retort to the BLM movement, as well as tweeting "We need Trump to help us," on the heels of Trump's tone-deaf solutions for quelling violence in Chicago.
Many are considering JAY-Z and the NFL's first "actionable item" as a misstep, which could reinforce the public's skepticism of the partnership. Nevertheless, this isn't the type of press the NFL was hoping a deal with Hov would garner.
Source: ftw.usatoday.com
