HOT 97 personality Nessa Diab, wife of activist and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, has launched pointed allegations against Jay-Z, Roc Nation, and the company’s CEO, Desiree Perez. In a series of sharp tweets, Diab suggested that both her partner and rapper Nicki Minaj are being systematically discredited by powerful industry figures determined to neutralize voices that challenge the status quo.
Diab drew a direct line between the public treatment of Nicki Minaj and Kaepernick, who made headlines for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality. “The methods used against @NICKIMINAJ are remarkably similar to what I was informed was done to @Kaepernick7,” Diab wrote. She implied that Roc Nation, through its strategic partnerships, has reaped the benefits of muting high-profile dissent—both in sports and music—without naming Minaj directly as a target of the company.
Among Diab’s most serious claims is that Roc Nation accepted $5 million annually over a five-year period from the NFL—totaling $25 million—to help rehabilitate the league’s image in the wake of player protests. “Roc Nation evidently accepted 5 million annually for 5 years to suppress the escalating protests,” she said. She also pointed to a statement from Perez that she viewed as revealing: “We love that everybody wants to be on the stage, that we’ve completely changed the conversation to fighting for it versus boycotting.” To Diab, this signaled a corporate pivot—away from protest and toward palatable, commercially safe messaging.
Nessa Diab ties Trump pardon to NFL power plays
Diab didn’t stop at Roc Nation’s NFL deal. She raised eyebrows by highlighting the 2021 pardon Perez received from President Donald Trump, calling attention to what she sees as deeper political entanglements. “She received her pardon from Trump; it’s no coincidence that NFL owners are his associates and contributed millions to his campaign,” Diab tweeted. The suggestion: a tight-knit network of influence between corporate leadership and political power, shaping public narratives from behind the scenes.
Diab has long been critical of Jay-Z’s 2019 partnership with the NFL, calling it a betrayal of the movement Kaepernick sparked. “I called them all out YEARS ago, and so many people were afraid to voice their agreement publicly but would tell me privately,” she wrote. Her stance remains unchanged, and she continues to boycott the league in solidarity with her partner. “I still don’t watch that league or whoever is performing at whatever game they have playing. #stillwithkap #FOREVER.”
Neither Jay-Z, Roc Nation, nor Desiree Perez has responded to Diab’s latest remarks. But the comments have reignited debate over the blurred lines between activism and branding and whether corporate alliances are compromising the integrity of social movements.
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