Jay-Z Says Sitting for National Anthem Wasn't Protest, He Was Working
Jay-Z says he and
Beyonce sitting through the "Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl was absolutely NOT a protest of any sort ... it was simply 2 moguls hard at work.
Jay was at Columbia University Tuesday and addressed the video
TMZ Sports first posted Sunday ... showing Jay, Bey and
Blue Ivy seated as
Demi Lovatobelted out the National Anthem. A
Columbia professor asked him if he remained seated to "convey a signal," and Jay quickly replied, "It actually wasn't. Sorry."
He said Beyonce told him she was thinking what Demi must have been going through in the seconds before
starting the Anthem, because, as Jay put it, Beyonce's "performed at the Super Bowl before, and I haven't."
He said they got to their seats and were laser-focused on Demi's performance, but from a business standpoint -- "We immediately jumped into artist mode."
Jay added, "I'm really just looking at the show. The mics start. Was it too low to start?" He went on to make the point he was concerned about the audio and all aspects of the show for a very good reason.