Justice-in-Education scholar Darryl Robertson examines Jay-Z’s deal with Target in his latest article, “Jay-Z sees yet another Black boycott as a chance for him to make money,” published by MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) on 20 June 2026. Along with being a student at Columbia, Darryl is a freelance writer, a research assistant for The New York Times, and a section editor for Souls. His research interests include hip-hop and understanding how the Black Power movement serves its communities. In this article, he questions the hip-hop mogul’s partnerships in light of Target’s controversial diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

“As impressive as Jay-Z’s ability to rap is, and as powerful as the story of his rise from drug dealer to billionaire is, he is a prime example of why we shouldn’t treat entertainers as political leaders, especially not an entertainer who candidly rapped, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.“

Read the full article here.

Written by Kasiet Toktomusheva