Jay-Z hasn't prompted such mass hysteria since dropping "Takeover" back in 2001. His recent business dealings with the NFL have already left many of his peers divided, with some feeling as though Colin Kaepernick has been slighted as a result. Others, like Freddie Gibbs, applauded Jay for inserting himself as a potential catalyst for change in an oft-criticized organization. Either way, Hov's newfound relationship with the NFL may have manifested through duplicitous means - though such claims should always be taken with a grain of salt.
We recently heard Bryan Michael Cox claim Jay dissuaded Jermaine Dupri from expanding his business interests with the NFL. "We're also talking about a guy who single-handedly picked up the phone and called Jermaine to tell him not to do it," claimed Cox, insinuating that JD was initially offered the deal (or one of similar nature). In short, Jay may very well have pulled a genuine finesse, securing the deal for himself in the process.
Jermaine Dupri's NFL Deal">Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
If that weren't enough, Funkmaster Flex has officially inserted himself into the unfolding debacle. Moving to speak of Jermaine's behalf, Flex all but confirms that Jay-Z did indeed move to cast JD off the trail. "I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH JERMAINE DUPRI," wrote Flex, this morning. "HE CONFIRMED THAT WHEN HE WAS WORKING WITH THE NFL LAST YEAR HE DID GET A CALL FROM JAYZ ASKING HIM “HOW DEEP ARE U IN WITH THE NFL?” EXPRESSING... “THAT MIGHT NOT BE A GOOD IDEA”."
Now, it's entirely possible that Jay has an ace up his sleeve. For all we know, he'll move to include both Colin Kaepernick and Jermaine Dupri in whatever comes next. In the meantime, skeptics will likely continue to offer unsolicited opinions, forgetting that Jay-Z has come this far and deserves the benefit of the (Reasonable) doubt. Even if it means making hard decisions, can you imagine what might happen should Hova come into an ownership stake of an NFL team?