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Jay Z Pens Powerful Op-Ed Criticizing 'Exploitative' Bail Bond Industry

The entrepreneur offers his support.

Jay Z has firmly voiced his passion for rectifying social injustices, specifically against Black men, and with his latest action, is taking charge against the bail bond industry, which he deems "exploitative" in an opinion piece for Time magazine.

In the op-ed titled "Jay Z: For Father's Day, I'm Taking on the Exploitative Bail Industry," the MC reveals that he is backing organizations that tackle this issue, like Color of Change and Southerners on New Ground, with the former bailing out 100 mothers for Mother's Day through a fundraising drive, just last month.

Giving a first-hand account, Jay detailed how he specifically relates to those who are directly impacted by the unjust bail bond system.

"If you're from neighborhoods like the Brooklyn one I grew up in, if you're unable to afford a private attorney, then you can be disappeared into our jail system simply because you can't afford bail," he wrote. "Millions of people are separated from their families for months at a time — not because they are convicted of committing a crime, but because they are accused of committing a crime."

In turn, he shared that his production work on the docuseries Time: The Kalief Browder Story opened his eyes to this situation, causing him to become "obsessed with the injustice of the profitable bail bond industry."

"When Black and brown people are over-policed and arrested and accused of crimes at higher rates than others, and then forced to pay for their freedom before they ever see trial, big bail companies prosper," he continued. "Every year $9 billion dollars are wasted incarcerating people who've not been convicted of a crime, and insurance companies, who have taken over our bail system, go to the bank."

In an attempt to lessen this blow, Jay is following suit from Color of Change's recent mission and is supporting organizations with the hopes of bailing out fathers in time for Father's Day.

Read Jay Z's piece, in full, here

See why the entrepreneur has a reason to celebrate in the BET Breaks video, above.

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