JAY-Z’s Roc Nation buys several newspaper ads highlighting Black businesses
“Roc Nation is committed to supporting Black entrepreneurs, their dreams and companies,” the ads read.
JAY-Z’s Roc Nation has chosen to highlight Black-owned businesses throughout America by listing them in full-page newspapers ads.
“This ad has been created to bring attention to Black-owned businesses. Historically, Black people have been murdered for owning, thriving and being successful. To that, we say never again,” the ads read. “Power is in Black voices. Power is in Black actions. Power is in Black wallets. Roc Nation is committed to supporting Black entrepreneurs, their dreams and companies. We challenge everyone to do the same.”
The ads, which were taken out in Houston, San Francisco, Detroit and Washington D.C., provided dozens of Black-owned businesses for people to support. Among those listed were eateries, beauty shops, gyms, flower shops, clothing stores, auto shops, plumbing companies, electrician companies and more.
This isn’t the first time that the 4:44 MC has used newspaper spreads to bring awareness to something important to him. Last month, JAY’s Team Roc took out full-page ads across the nation to show support for the ongoing George Floyd protests. The ads also included an excerpt from a 1965 speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave in Alabama during the marches from Selma to Montgomery.
“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true,” the speech reads.
“So, we’re going to stand up amid horses,” the speech continued. “We’re going to stand up right here, amid the belly-clubs. We’re going to stand up right here amid police dogs, if they have them. We’re going to stand up amid tear gas! We’re going to stand up amid anything they can muster up, letting the world know that we are determined to be free!”
Check out the ads Roc Nation took out to support Black businesses below.