Jay-Z Responds To NFL Protest Critics During Miami 4:44 Concert

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JAY-Z performs onstage during the Meadows Music And Arts Festival - Day 1 at Citi Field on September 15, 2017 in New York City.
Jay-Z continues to use his stage show to address social issues.

Jay-Z's 4:44 tour's been making headlines every since it kicked off for a few reasons. Aside from ticket pricing, at every show, he's used his platform to continuously show support for social injustices taking place across America. He's spoke out about Donald Trump and the Meek Mill situation in the past. But over Veteran's Day weekend, HOV vocalized the importance of the NFL Protests happening.

Jay touched down in Miami for his 4:44 tour date on Saturday. In between songs, the rapper took a moment to address what the NFL Protests actually mean, despite what many perceive it as.  Before kicking off into his next cut, he dedicated the song to anyone who's been a victim of discrimination. He then addressed the critics who twisted the message of why players were kneeling during the national anthem.

"I want y'all to understand when people are kneeling and fists up, what they're doing is not about a flag. It's about justice, it's about injustice," he said to a cheering crowd, "And that's not a black or white thing, it's a human issue. Everybody should feel the same way. If your 16 year old child left the house and didn't come back, everyone should be affected. That's not a black or white issue, that's a human issue. That's a young person who lost their life senselessly." 

The fact that Jay-Z chose Miami as the place to address this issue isn't coincidental. The owner of the Miami Dolphins, Stephen Ross, has been supportive of his players. However, after Trump's Twitter rant targeting those players in early October, he did request his players to stand during a game when a military band played the national anthem. 

After addressing critics of the NFL protest, Jay addressed those who said his shows weren't doing well. He said there's 17 to 18 thousand people in the arena and that despite what the rumors say, he says he "can't be stopped." 

At the beginning of the 4:44 tour, reports were saying that his tour wasn't selling well. However, shortly after those surfaced, it was reported that Jay-Z's latest tour supporting 4:44 is actually his highest grossing tour to date.

Check the clip below: 



About The Author
Aron A.
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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