Kenny Stills on JAY-Z's 'We've Moved Past Kneeling' Stance: 'It Didn't Seem Very Informed' (UPDATE)

"He's not a NFL player. He's never been on a knee."

Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson kneel during the national anthem.
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Image via Getty/Charles Trainor Jr.

Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson kneel during the national anthem.

UPDATED 8/20, 6:00 p.m. ET: ESPN's Cameron Wolfe reports that Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores played eight straight JAY-Z songs at the team's practice on Tuesday, just one day after WR Kenny Stills criticized the rapper's NFL partnership.

Playlist to start Dolphins practice: “Show Me What You Got by Jay-Z, “Brooklyn We Go Hard” by Jay, “Ni**gas in Paris” by Jay and Kanye West, and “Run This Town” by Jay and Rihanna. All in a row. Would be an incredible coincidence after Kenny Stills’ comments about Jay yesterday.

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 20, 2019

Wolfe went on to list the other JAY-Z songs that were played at the practice. 

Make that five in a row. “On to the Next One,” by Jay-Z going right now.

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 20, 2019

Another one: No Church in the Wild by Jay and Kanye.

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 20, 2019

99 Problems going now. This is either some big-time trolling or the DJ is the biggest Jay fan ever.

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 20, 2019

Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel shared more about the playlist, which, according to a team spokesperson, was not intended to be directed at Stills and his stance regarding the rapper's new deal with the NFL.

Here’s background story on Jay-Z gate during today’s practice. Coach Flores picks the music at practice and instructed the team to play 8 straight Jay-Z songs the day after Kenny Stills expresses concern about Hov partnering up with the NFL without speaking to the kneelers....

— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) August 20, 2019

According to a team spokesperson, Kenny Stills knew the Jay-Z music was coming, and it wasn’t intended to challenge Stills’ stance on the rapper’s partnership with the NFL. I can’t speak to how @KSTiLLS received the Jay-Z tribute at practice. That would have to come from Kenny. pic.twitter.com/ThDamHx8RA

— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) August 20, 2019

See original story below.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills shared his thoughts on JAY-Z's new Roc Nation partnership with the NFL and the comments he made during a press conference for the deal.

"Some of the ways he answered his questions, talking about we're moving past kneeling, like he ever protested. He's not a NFL player. He's never been on a knee," Stills remarked. "Choosing to speak for the people like he had spoken to the people. [...] I wonder how many common people that he knows or has spoken to. I wonder if he's read my Facebook comments or my Instagram comments or some of the things people say to me. To say we're moving past something, it didn't seem very informed."

Shortly after the news of JAY-Z's NFL partnership broke, TMZ reported that JAY was in the process of becoming part owner of a NFL team.

Check out Stills' comments below.

Kenny Stills on Jay-Z/NFL paternship: "Talking about we're moving past kneeling like he ever protested... Choosing to speak for the people like he had spoken to the people... I wonder if he's read my Facebook/IG comments or what people say to me... It didn't seem very informed." pic.twitter.com/QGak3JKCcO

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 19, 2019

Nessa Diab pointed out that another problem with JAY-Z’s "moved past kneeling" remark is that it dismisses the fact that Kaepernick was able to do both of  the "two parts of the protest" that JAY mentioned. 

...And raised money to help people get food who were suffering from famine in Somalia, backpack drives, and the list goes on and on...people should be addressing the NFL and Jay-Z for all the disrespectful things that were said at that PR stunt-conference. https://t.co/ZDwlnur0AO

— NESSA (@nessnitty) August 17, 2019

While Stills remains with a job, Colin Kaepernick is going on three years without an opportunity. Earlier this month, Kaepernick released private workout footage proving that he’s "still ready" despite his prolonged absence from the game of football.

5am. 5 days a week. For 3 years. Still Ready. pic.twitter.com/AGczejA1rM

— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) August 7, 2019

Even though he has since reached a collusion case settlement with the NFL, Kaepernick has been overlooked. Kaep put his career on the line to speak out on the issues of racial injustice and systematic oppression in the United States.

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