Jay-Z sells Occupy Wall Street gear, keeps profits

Posted by aubin on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 4:00 PM (EST)

Hip hop and clothing mogul Jay-Z has launched a new line of Occupy Wall Street gear, but controversially, the proceeds from the clothing will not benefit the movement itself. The clothing company made this 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.

Patrick Bruner, a spokesman for OWS noted:

Naturally there will be some bloodsuckers who come out of the woodwork. We have a screen-printers guild on camp, and it's easy to find many other T-shirts that actually benefit the cause. In regards to the question, a much better way to show your support for #ows would be to show up and participate in this momentous occasion and help to shape a new and better future

Find more details here.

Politics (96 comments)

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

How else will the drum circles receive their pita and hummus?!

shark-e (November 11, 2011)

That's really funny and entirely representative of the movement.

jeffrocentric (November 13, 2011)

it's not jay-z's fault those people went to art school in nyc, cant find jobs and now spend their time protesting an idea like "greed". get a job.

i think i'll protest "friendship" tomorrow. maybe "boredom'' on wednesday.

www.shinyglasshouses.com

theproblemwithfire (November 13, 2011)

except that a lot of those people have jobs, like myself

Skibz777 (November 13, 2011)

Sweeping floors part-time at the pet shop doesn't quite count as an actual "career".

loki13 (November 11, 2011)

He's "sampling"

heavypettingdrew (November 11, 2011)

haha

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

You're rolling today.

Always good for Friday chats.

Finish the week strong.

loki13 (November 11, 2011)

It's a slow day at work...currently watching the US v. France friendly on ESPN3. Haven't finished any real work all day.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

I want that! Why not me?! Stupid Internet company blocking ESPN3 on the work computer. How does Jozy look out there so far? Back to 100%?

loki13 (November 11, 2011)

He's been solid, but hasn't had much help. 0-0 at the 66 min. 2nd half has had a lot of shots on both sides. Howard made an amazing save on a freekick.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

Nice. Think we'll see Beasley or Buddle around the 75' mark?

loki13 (November 11, 2011)

Beasley's in at the 72'. France just scored :(

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

Fuckity fuck balls. I wish I hated bread, cheese and wine right now. At least berets will always be stupid.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

I just saw that France took out Benzema and Ribery. Apparently, this friendly doesn't mean as much to France as it does to me and Klinsmann.

loki13 (November 11, 2011)

Yeah, but the sub scored. Buddle in...freekick about 25 yards out...wide.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

Are they running more of a 4-3-3 now?

loki13 (November 11, 2011)

More of a 4-5-1 with Jozy the lone striker

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

For important matches, I'd rather see Jozy on the left, Beasley in the middle, and Buddle on the right with Donovan as the lone CM with Edu and Dempsey flanking him. Since Onyewu isn't playing, I'd keep the back four the same.

thismikeisapipebomb (November 11, 2011)

Beasley can suck it. He's never lived up to his potential and now he's just getting old.

MN_DrNick (November 11, 2011)

Wow....

thisguywithtwothumbs (November 11, 2011)

u mad hippies?

heavypettingdrew (November 11, 2011)

Jay-Z is a dick. Everything that he does is self-serving and profit-driven. Not surprised by this news. I'm sure that people will comment that this is not punk news, but it really is- everything that Jay-Z stands for goes against the punk rock ideology. Know your enemies.

JimmyNorville (November 11, 2011)

I thought I read an interview with Tiltwheel where they said he stole their stuff or something bizarre.

Dedricthere (November 11, 2011)

Yeah I read that too.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

But he's da Jiggaman.

lookingforcorpses (November 11, 2011)

Jay Z's not my enemy. He's not even in my world. How does he effect you??

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

Green Day insinuated that I should know my enemies. I don't have a particular desire to meet Jay-Z. Which rich people are getting dissed most in that scenario?

Ghoti34 (November 11, 2011)

Rage Against the Machine insinuated it first

froggerwithmylife (November 12, 2011)

booyah

skolarx (November 11, 2011)

Agreed. It makes me think of how after the Kanye deal about Bush not caring about black people, Rollins said that he disagreed. He felt that poor people in general just weren't on Bush's radar.

heavypettingdrew (November 11, 2011)

I'm just saying that I like to be aware of things that conflict with my values, because now that I know this, I can smack anyone I see wearing one of these shirts.

kidecono (andrew) (November 11, 2011)

With regard to Hova being a self-serving pillock, I think you're spot on.

As to the question of this being "punk" news, I don't see a meaningful difference between the regularly spouted tenets of punk and Hip-hop. Both are (supposedly) founded on self-expression, are bottom up musical movements, frequently co-opted and bastardised by the mainstream, etc. etc.

lookingforcorpses (November 11, 2011)

You're right about the basis of hiphop, but very very very very early on, going for the big money became incredibly prevalent. You always had acts who were a little smarter, more politically active, etc. but that's it.

kidecono (andrew) (November 11, 2011)

I'd argue that it's easier for a rhetoric abhorring money and success to thrive in a movement composed predominantly of white middle class kids. Very broad brushstrokes analysis, but that's my inclination.

lookingforcorpses (November 11, 2011)

It makes sense. If you look at the roots of punk rock, it's not the case, but it's definitely become middle class music.

kidecono (andrew) (November 11, 2011)

Disproportionately middle class, at the very least.

slowstupidhungry (November 11, 2011)

"Abhoring money and success"

I think there's a difference between that and simply not figuring money into your motives for making art.

kidecono (andrew) (November 11, 2011)

Possibly, but it's a damn sight easier not to worry about money when you were born better off.

slowstupidhungry (November 11, 2011)

Udeniable social constraints don't do much to make the burn CD's dudes sell on the street worth listening to. As for Jay-Z, when is enough enough? He is definitely not "my enemy," because nothing he does effects me. But he's definitely a greedy money whore.

Misanthropee (November 11, 2011)

Jay-Z is just as much of a crass capitalist as 90 percent of the "punk" bands covered on this site.

kidecono (andrew) (November 11, 2011)

90%? Barman, I'd like two pints of whatever this fellow just had!

Dante3000 (rich) (November 11, 2011)

Wow...This almost makes "Watch the Throne" the second worse thing he's done this year.

nickvicious (November 11, 2011)

I'm pretty sure Jay-Z IS the 1%. Just saying.

JimmyNorville (November 11, 2011)

but he's "one of the good ones"

Dante3000 (rich) (November 11, 2011)

What a richer.

JimmyNorville (November 11, 2011)

when I posted that, I knew it was going to get turned racist. But, I was imagining the Mr. Show skit about the "racist in the year 3000" when he tells the robot bartender that he's one of the good ones.

Skibz777 (November 11, 2011)

Keep 'em comin', Gleep-Glop!

It's probably the worst sketch in the entire series, but damn, I love that line. And that puppet.

NobleStabbings (November 11, 2011)

You're alive!!!

ticketbastard31 (November 12, 2011)

"My daddy always said, NEVER TRUST A MAN WHAT"S MADE A GAS!!!"

skolarx (November 11, 2011)

"'Occupy All Streets' is our way of reminding people that there is "MONEY" to be made everywhere,"

minorkaty (katy) (November 11, 2011)

There's also the couple who are trying to trademark "Occupy Wall St."
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/occupy-wall-street- trademark-986531

misterspike (November 11, 2011)

99 problems but a profit margin ain't one.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

Winner. I thought loki had it, but you win this thread, sir.

JayTee (November 11, 2011)

Too easy.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

Sometimes the simple jokes are the best.

punkedb4ashton (November 11, 2011)

Well, that's the difference between punk and hip-hop cultures in a nutshell: doubt about greed vs. wallowing in greed. Though they all end up wallowing in greed in the end. This movement will eventually have official spokesfolks who will be in car commercials within 20 years.

Meanwhile, compare and contrast with http://www.kmfdm.net/adrugagainstwallstreet/.

tsiege (November 11, 2011)

That was fucking terrible.

candypatrol (November 11, 2011)

Hoes gotta eat too

ncarlber (November 11, 2011)

Anyone interested in a ticket to the Friday night Latterman show in Philly on 12/2? Bought it and can't go anymore....

ncarlber@gmail.com

jibber (November 11, 2011)

Jay-Z has always been a hustler. Whether he's peddling drugs back in the day, or t-shirts now, it's about lining his pockets. Putting the money towards a legal defense fund should never be expected from him.

krazykarl84 (November 12, 2011)

Unless of course, that legal defense fund is to prevent some woman he knocked up from getting child support from him.

FaceOnTheBarroomFloor (November 11, 2011)

The title for this is misleading. Rocawear responded to an inquiry that they had no plans to financially back the movement "at this time." That implies a possibility. "Keeps the profits" is pure editorialism. As far as I'm concerned, even if he intended to keep the profits, he'd have to have some pretty dense managers and publicists to allow him to make such a polarizing move. OWS is a gigantic movement for the hard working, overlooked "little man" and like him or not, Jay-Z's entire career was built on overcoming certain odds, which is even reflected in his lyrical content. I highly doubt he is going to keep the profits. For HOVA's sake, even the source you got this from posed it as a question rather than a presumptuous statement.

kidecono (andrew) (November 11, 2011)

I have no plans to form up like Voltron "at this time".

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

You're good you.

Dante3000 (rich) (November 12, 2011)

No "at the time" means, "I'm keeping this money for myself, unless it's deemed too publicly damaging then I'll give the money to OWS, if it's deemed absolutely necessary by my PR team." Keeping the profits is 100% the plan unless he has to back out. "At this time," is the common PR safety phrase.

FaceOnTheBarroomFloor (November 12, 2011)

Still doesn't discount my point that punknews went ahead and spun it for their audience. If I asked you what you're doing with your leftover lasagna and you say "I have no plans to do anything with it at this time" it would be weird for me to say "Rich had leftover lasagna and threw it at the wall."

keithybobeefy (November 12, 2011)

I see what you mean but I think you're wrong. Rich has a cat that loves lasagna and would never let the little guy go without having the extra. Even if the cat is kind of a dick to his dog.

FaceOnTheBarroomFloor (November 12, 2011)

Honestly all I could even think about was Garfield. I want lasagna now.

encorp (November 12, 2011)

Wow, this Rich guys is a real ass. Tons of people starving in the world and HE'S THROWING LASAGNA AT THE WALL?!?!

NintendoJones (November 13, 2011)

Only so much information to convey in a headline. What Punknews published is factually accurate- Jay-Z is keeping the profits. More information is contained in the article, but none of the facts of the situation disagree with the headline.
Your analogy is kind of a mess, by the way. Analogies only work when you're talking to people who already agree with you.

LooseKanonyankee (November 11, 2011)

Who would he give the money to anyway? Would walk around handing it out?

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

Give a man T-shirt proceeds, and he'll eat fast food for a few days. Teach a man to design a moderately clever T-shirt, and he'll eat fast food for life.

lookingforcorpses (November 11, 2011)

That's good. Bordering on 10/10. 9.7/10

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

I thought you don't believe perfection exists. I'm honored. My world is turning upside down, but I'm honored.

lookingforcorpses (November 11, 2011)

It was REAL good.

Heathbar (November 11, 2011)

I "sampled" the Bible.

hashbrowns (November 11, 2011)

i thought it was a reference to the book about a mouse and a cookie. or the moose and his muffin. whichever.

Dante3000 (rich) (November 12, 2011)

OWS has a general fund you can donate to. They have a finance committee and all use of funds are put up to a group vote.

drewbob (November 11, 2011)

hippies is pimps too

keithybobeefy (November 12, 2011)

Eh. Kind of a dick move but I'm totally fine with it. He should be able to make a profit off of a movement.

tom_table (November 12, 2011)

Can't knock the hustle.

thomassawyer (November 12, 2011)

resistance vs incorporation

punkguy83 (November 12, 2011)

great fucking PUNK news.. about Jay-Z.

Skibz777 (November 12, 2011)

Punk and politics don't mix, after all.

punkguy83 (November 12, 2011)

if i wanted to read about politics, 'politics' section on news.yahoo.com would be much more helpful than this website. and there's a lot of stuff in politics that matters way more than jay-z's clothing company's shit, maybe that should be on here as well.

keithybobeefy (November 13, 2011)

Well, it's a story about a musical icon. Sure he's not punk, but so what?

For the record, a week ago I was at a 7/11 by a train station a town over and I saw a kid with a home made OWS shirt. He was buying a Coke. There's irony to be found somewhere with that but darn, ambien makes things fuzzy.

Skibz777 (November 13, 2011)

He was actually buying it, as opposed to shoplifting it or causing property damage? That doesn't sound like the occupiers *I've* heard about. Impostor!

kidecono (andrew) (November 13, 2011)

Selloutz?

ultracore (November 13, 2011)

Like those Napster shirts The Offspring made, I guess this means we get to sell Jay-Z gear and use the proceeds to support the Occupy movement.

kidecono (andrew) (November 13, 2011)

Anyone see Frank Miller's response to the "Occupy" movement? I wrote about it here: http://ilivesweat.tumblr.com/post/12706375733/pull-on-your-tights -andy-waterfield-responds-to

I should probably get a more active social life.

flamebaitnickloving (November 13, 2011)

I hate Jay-Z but good for him. These people are idiots. If you want results you need an actual revolt. This peaceful shit isn't going to work. Get the mob and start beating the shit out of these Wall Street assholes. Otherwise they're just going to let you do you stupid movement and laugh while they are still ripping off people who are working and really trying to make it happen for their families.

Quit trying to ignore your primal instincts of a savage caveman thinking you're more civilized. You're not, you evolved from a Chimp, act accordingly and go lynch a yuppie. You think you'll get the attention of Wall St. if you take one of those assholes and hang him with a sign in the park? Yes you will.

Skibz777 (November 13, 2011)

I was rather hoping we could just start killing the Occupiers, but...hey, any blood is good blood, I guess, though hippie/Pinko blood runs much smoother and sweeter down the gutters.

flamebaitnickloving (November 14, 2011)

I have no problem putting them in a fenced in area the size of a Football field with random weapons and saying have at it. Team Wall Street vs. Team Occupy.

Fuck em all.

chuckholiday (November 14, 2011)

Who is shocked that one of the biggest hip hop moguls is making money off of the movement. I'm not and I think the design was clever, and he deserves what he has, he has worked his ass off to get to where he is at.

eunomi (November 14, 2011)

Given Iggy's ability to milk David Bowie's management for all they're worth for two years, Pere Ubu's embrace of the marketplace for weeding out crap music, the Sex Pistols' swindling of two record companies, Nirvana signing to DGC even though Subpop was about to get better distribution, My Bloody Valentine bankrupting Creation in pursuit of their pet project, and the Pennywise frontman cashing in on fatherhood, I agree, Punknews.org, Jay-Z is totally punk rock!