Jay Z and Beyonce Sit Down During Super Bowl LIV National Anthem
Beyonce, Jay-Z, and their eldest daughter, Blue Ivy didn’t stand up for the National Anthem at the Super Bowl LIV. The Carters sat together a few rows away from the field, as Demi Lovato sang the national anthem. However, a male who appeared to be a bodyguard stood up during the national anthem, as TMZ reports.
It was surprising, as Jay’s Roc Nation has a partnership with the NFL, giving him input in the league’s music events, including the Super Bowl Halftime show (Shakira, who performed at the Halftime show, is a Roc Nation client).According to the New York Times, Jay-Z also has a hand in “Inspire Change,” the NFL’s new initiative concerning “education and economic advancement, police and community relations, and criminal justice reform.” The Times says that Roc Nation has asked NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to commit the league to spend $100 million over the next 10 years on social justice outreach and causes.The Jay Z/NFL partnership was viewed by some as a betrayal of Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers’ former quarterback who made headlines — and lots of enemies — when he declined to stand during the national anthem in 2016 as a protest against social injustice, especially the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of police.
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter @GlennishaMorgan.
