Did Jay-Z Get His Kaepernick Facts Wrong?

Jay-Z's latest freestyle is sparking more questions than applause. During his Friday night concert opener at Yankee Stadium, the mogul took a lyrical shot at Colin Kaepernick, reigniting a years-old controversy and making a specific claim that sources now say is flat-out wrong.

In a verse aimed at his critics, Jay-Z rapped: "They run out of characters, had to bring back up Kap again. Buddy took a check, I ain't even mad at him, but along with that check you have to sign a non-disparagement. I’m the one they can’t control." The line suggested Kaepernick had agreed to be silenced as part of his legal settlement with the NFL.

But sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Sports that's simply not true. According to their reporting, Colin Kaepernick did not sign a non-disparagement agreement when he settled his collusion lawsuit against the NFL in 2019. The sources point to Kaepernick's continued public criticism of the league as proof, noting he has posted on social media about the number of days since a team hired him. As one source put it, "Colin couldn't post about how many days it's been since a team hired him," if such a clause existed.

The core of Jay-Z's claim, however, appears to miss the mark. This direct refutation from sources close to the matter casts the freestyle in a new light, turning what was meant as a boast about being uncontrollable into a statement being fact-checked in real time.