At his first headlining concert in three years on Friday, Jay-Z had some words of support for NFL star Colin Kaepernick, who has earned both scorn and praise for his kneeling protest against the national anthem. “I want to dedicate this song to Colin Kaepernick tonight,” the rapper said before performing “The Story of O.J.” at the Meadows Music and Arts Festival. “I want to dedicate this to Dick Gregory. I want to dedicate this song to anyone that was held back and you overcame,” he said. Both Kaepernick and Gregory, a comedian who died last month, have sought to call attention to racial inequality. Kaepernick continues to face backlash for his protest last season, when he kicked off a heated debate about racism and police brutality by kneeling silently during the national anthem.
