JAY-Z Fights Racist Book Bans With Launch Of New Initiative With Robert Kraft

JAY-Z has once again teamed up with New England Patriots owner — and fellow billionaire — Robert Kraft to launch a new initiative that counters the racist book bans that have been taking place across the United States as of late.

TMZ reported that the pair have teamed up through their respective foundations — The Shawn Carter Foundation and The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism — to donate a total of $1million to legal services that provide pro bono aide to librarians that are facing legal challenges due to their local book bans.

“We’re told the New England Patriots owner and Jay laid down the framework for underserved students to obtain scholarships and financial grants, and hopefully have their works turned into movies, plays, audiobooks, etc. to further the message,” the outlet reported, adding that JAY-Z and Robert Kraft are also hoping to eventually get banned books reprinted.

The pair launched their initiative at the Brooklyn Public Library in Brooklyn, NY, with the “Book of HOV” exhibition.

Footage of the public library in Jay’s hometown receiving a makeover surfaced earlier this week as lyrics from tracks out of the rap deity’s decorated catalog like “Hovi Baby,” “Sweet,” “Encore,” “Justify My Thug,” “Smile” and more were seen inscribed on the BPL building in the style of a newspaper article.

The Brooklyn Public Library was closed on Thursday (July 13) as it prepared to open the aforementioned JAY-Z exhibit to the public the following day on Friday (July 14).

The exhibit is a “personal shrine to JAY-Z himself” and the installation comes equipped with a remake of the famous Baseline Studios, which was the recording studio co-owned by Jigga and Juan Perez.

During the exhibit, according to TMZ, the pair launched what’s known as the “Books Unbanned” initiative, which provides banned books to kids, especially those in disadvantaged communities.

JAY-Z and Kraft have worked together, extensively, through the years. Back in 2019, the “Empire State of Mind” rapper teamed up with Meek Mill to join forces with Robert Kraft as part of the REFORM Alliance to discuss reform policy, crime and employment rates.

The Alliance focuses on trying to “dramatically reduce the number of people who are unjustly under the control of the criminal justice system – starting with probation and parole.” REFORM vows: “We won’t stop until we’ve changed the laws, policies, and practices that perpetuate the horrific injustice we are seeing in America.”

Other members of REFORM also include Philadelphia 76ers co-owner, Michael Rubin, Brooklyn Nets co-owner Clara Wu Tsai, and the organization’s CEO, CNN Host Van Jones.

Meek Mill’s initial arrest in 2017 sparked the movement after the Championships rapper spent five months in prison being released in part to the #FreeMeekMill hashtag that drew criticism on the excessive nature of the original sentence of a decade of probation.