What happened between Jay-Z and Colin Kaepernick? Nessa Diab reveals details regarding smear campaign allegations

Media figure Nessa Diab is back in conversations about Colin Kaepernick not being allowed back into the NFL. This comes after new claims were made online targeting Roc Nation and its top execs. Diab, known both as Kaepernick’s long-term partner and as a strong voice on Hot 97, went on Instagram Live to share how her personal experiences tie into the public accusations linked to Jay-Z and Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez.

Her livestream came after rapper Nicki Minaj shared several posts questioning Roc Nation’s role and earlier legal cases tied to Desiree Perez. Diab pointed out that these events reminded her of what she noticed during Kaepernick’s dispute with the NFL over his protest against police violence. She urged viewers to look back at earlier events and timelines to see what she called recurring actions by those in power.

“I saw it happen to Colin," she said. "I called it out years ago. He knew exactly what it would do. I was there. I heard the conversation. In her view, the deal helped repair the NFL’s public image while ignoring the man who started the conversation.

Nessa Diab, longtime partner of Colin Kaepernick, claims Jay-Z, Roc Nation, and Desiree Perez are allegedly using “similar smear tactics” on Nicki Minaj that were once used against her boyfriend.

According to Diab, Roc Nation allegedly accepted $5 million annually over several… pic.twitter.com/bHwTxpwNIQ

— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) July 17, 2025

Nessa Diab criticizes Jay-Z’s NFL deal and calls out narrative control around Colin Kaepernick

A big part of what Nessa Diab spoke about was Jay-Z’s 2019 deal with the NFL through the “Inspire Change” program. Diab said this partnership happened without including or consulting Kaepernick beforehand. She claimed Jay-Z knew what it meant on a larger scale and argued the deal helped fix the NFL’s image while pushing aside the player who first brought attention to these issues.

Diab also rejected the repeated claims that Kaepernick turned down chances to rejoin the NFL. She explained that no real offers were ever given and blamed unnamed individuals for spreading untrue stories about Kaepernick not wanting to return or asking for high contracts.

On July 16, Diab added more comments on X. She accused Roc Nation, Jay-Z, and Perez of running a years-long effort to change how people view Kaepernick’s absence from the NFL. Nessa Diab claimed that Roc Nation got yearly payments to shift attention from claims about blackballing. She also mentioned Perez’s presidential pardon in 2021, hinting at stronger ties between the agency, the NFL, and political groups.

Jay-Z, Roc Nation, and Desiree Perez have stayed silent so far on Nessa Diab's claims. What she said has reignited conversations about how the NFL manages player activism, the role big entertainment companies play in sports politics, and the ways public narratives are created and controlled.

Nessa Diab said she isn’t looking to bring up old arguments again. Instead, she wants to point out ongoing issues and deeper systemic problems that still shape fairness and accountability in pro sports.