Jay-Z sells "Occupy Wall Street" T-shirts, keeps all the profits
By Ben ReiningaNovember 11th, 2011, 1:11 pmComments (17)Jay-Z has been down to Zuccotti Park, but not to hang out with Russell Simmons and join in the protests. He's been plastering the area with flyers promoting his new line of Occupy-Wall-Street-themed T-shirts, released by his clothing company, Rocawear. And he's already getting flack since, unlike what you may have hoped for from a prominent millionaire interacting with a social movement, he has no intention to support the movement with the money he makes.
A representative from Rocawear gave the following statement:
The 'Occupy All Streets' T shirt was created in support of the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement. Rocawear strongly encourages all forms of constructive expression, whether it be artistic, political or social. 'Occupy All Streets' is our way of reminding people that there is change to be made everywhere, not just on Wall Street. At this time we have not made an official commitment to monetarily support the movement.
Now, before you feisty right-wingers have a conniption fit, I acknowledge that it's his good old-fashioned capitalist right to do this. (Also, no one's really anti-capitalist, so much as anti-systemized inequality and under-regulated capitalism, but that's a story for another time.)
Regardless, it's still disappointing. The shirts are a great endorsement of the mainstream staying power of OWS, sure, but wouldn't it be nice if he were going to give even, say, a portion of the money he made to the movement? The Occupiers could certainly use it, and he can certainly afford it. In fact, he'd probably get great press from it and perhaps even sell a few more T-shirts.
On a related note, can anyone come up with a really good "99 Problems" / 99% pun? He's got ninety-nine problems but having his unemployment benefits expire after ninety-nine weeks without a job like a laid-off worker who found himself on the wrong side of America's inequality divide ain't one... is all I've got.
Commentarium (17 Comments)
I ain't mad at you; do your thing boy, whatever it takes to get up out the hood. Some of these protestors can learn a thing or two.
Pretty sure Jay-Z can't even see the hood from his office window anymore.
I guess change is good for any of us....
hysterical. I knew all of the celebrities showing uo there was just a way to make more money for themselves. Also, I notice that OWS coverage has slipped in the media. Let's hope that OWS' 15 minutes are up. Or that an arctic cold front comes through. However, I'm sure that the attention whores will shift over to a Occupy the Macy's Parade and feel that they've made a difference.
I hate this douche bag.
because I hate rich black people.
Capitalists see opportunities to make money. OWS was an opportunity, it's just ironic that he's making money off an organization that, in part, bashes capitalism.
REALLY, Jay-Z ?? are you this disgusting?
I've got 99 problems and they all stem from one (percent).
Meh, that's the best I got.
It should say "OWS, we're the top 10%, worldwide..."
What a bitch
What a bitch
I lost mad respect for Jay-Z right there. We should occupy his webpage with posts that let him know he's about to have 100 problems.
As long as you're visiting his web page, he'll be cool with it.
OCCUPY HOLLYWOOD now on Mixvid . net!
No one's anti-capitalist? The author is a fucking moron.
https://i.imgur.com/0SOVh.jpg
99 problems but a conscience ain't one
Now you say something