Ostracized former NFL player Colin Kaepernick will take the stage at the Seventh Annual National Black Footwear Forum at Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC Detroit) on September 12, 2026.
Kaepernick will be joined by Detroit native and journalist Jemele Hill for a conversation centered on Kaepernick’s memoir, The Perilous Fight, scheduled to be published Sept. 15.
Ahead of the book release, Kaepernick is breaking his silence on his displeasure with rapper JAY-Z’s role in the “end” of the former quarterback’s 2016 season protest of police brutality in America where he kneeled during the National Anthem. The resulting uproar resulted in Kaepernick’s dismissal from the league, and despite several workouts and interviews with teams around the NFL, he was never able to rejoin a team.
In a recent interview with NBC News, Kaepernick said that he believes that new statements that the billionaire rapper made about him at his concerts at Yankee Stadium in July were because of the guilt he’scarrying for subverting the collective Black disengagement of Target and the NFL.
“They run out of characters, had to bring back up [Kaepernick] again,” Jay-Z said during his freestyle, referring to people who have criticized him for a recent partnership with Target. “Buddy took a check, I ain’t even mad at him, but along with that check you have to sign a non-disparagement. I’m the one [the NFL] can’t control.”
Kaepernick told NBC News that he believes the rapper has a “guilty conscience,” for entering into partnerships despite boycotts by many African Americans.
“First and foremost, what it speaks to is power of people,” Kaepernick said about his reaction. “The backlash that [Jay-Z] received for partnering with the NFL and going counter to people’s interests in 2019 was a major problem for him, so much so that he’s still bringing it up in 2026.”
He added: “People are now realizing, ‘Why are you so comfortable stepping into these positions that are counter to the positions that people on the ground actually want?’ And to me, I view that as speaking to a guilty conscience and trying to reposition or reframe the conversation.”
For his part, Kaepernick’s books are not being sold in Target stores and he is instead partnering with the National Association of Black Bookstores.
JAY-Z had been one of Kaepernick’s early supporters. In fact, he wore Kaepernick’s jersey during a performance on “Saturday Night Live” in 2017. Two years later, the rapper announced that Roc Nation, the entertainment company he co-founded, would partner with the NFL. The multi-media company has produced every Super Bowl halftime show since, and it partners with the league on social justice work.
Kaepernick’s conversation with Hill is part of the seventh annual Black Footwear Forum (BFF), where more than 1,000 creatives, students, executives and industry leaders are expected to attend BFF for four days of conversations, masterclasses, professional development, networking, cultural experiences and brand activations.
The morning of the event will feature a conversation titled commUNITY of Alternative Universe with PLC Detroit President Dr. D’Wayne Edwards and DMC of the iconic hip-hop group Run-DMC. The discussion will explore DMC’s career, cultural influence and enduring impact on music, footwear and creativity. The fireside chat with Kaepernick will take place in the afternoon.
The Detroit stop is one of many on Kaepernick’s book tour. On Instagram, he writes, “I’ll be visiting cities across the country to talk about the experiences that shaped me, the convictions that continue to guide my work, and how we build collective power.”
Register and learn more about the Black Footwear Forum at www.blackfootwearforum.com.
