Ahead of the Super Bowl this weekend, J. Cole has Colin Kaepernick on his mind.
The Dreamville rapper took to Instagram to share a message of support for the former quarterback and civil rights activist after he was blackballed from the NFL.
“‘Y’all musta forgot’ in my @royjonesjrofficial voice,” Cole wrote alongside a photo of Kaepernick kneeling on the field.
He reflected on Kaepernick’s dedication to playing in the league again. “Imagine 5 straight years spent waking up every day to train at 5am, staying ready in hopes that some team would reach out with an opportunity, no matter how impossible that sounded most days,” Cole continued. “He probably finishing up today’s workout as I type this right now.”
Cole wants him to know that he is seen and respected. “I see you bro, and I know God is with you. I pray the day soon comes when you get to play the game you love at the highest level again. I believe. And I haven’t forgot. RESPECT.”
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016 after he protested police brutality and racial inequality by taking a knee during the national anthem before games. His peaceful protest sparked a national debate and is believed to be the reason why he never played again.
However, Kaepernick hasn’t given up his dream of returning to the NFL. “I am still up at 5 a.m. training five, six days a week making sure I’m prepared to take a team to a Super Bowl again,” he told Ebony. “That’s not something I will ever let go of, regardless of the actions of 32 teams and their partners to deny me employment. The same way I was persistent in high school is the same way I’m gonna be persistent here.”
This is not the first time Cole has shared his support for Kaepernick. He previously rapped about Kaep on Miguel’s “Come Through and Chill,” which includes the lyrics, “Know you’ve been on my mind like Kaepernick kneelin’.”
