Posted by | Ray Cornelius
Last month, we reported that rap mogul Jay Z was teaming up with luxury retailer Barneys of New York for a new holiday collection that would debut in November. Well now it appears that his multi-million dollar partnership may be in jeopardy due to two racial profiling law suits against the high-end department store.
According to BET, college students Trayon Christian and Kayla Phillips both filed separate suits against Barneys after allegedly being harassed by the store’s salespeople and detained by the police after purchasing expensive items from the store. Reportedly, Christian bought a $349 Ferragamo belt while Phillips purchased a $2,500 Celine handbag.
As a result of these allegations, community leaders and fans of Jay Z have called for the rapper to end his business relationship with the retailer and have even started an online petition. However, the rapper waited until Saturday to respond to his critics and claims that he was trying to get additional information about the two cases before releasing a statement.
“Why am I being demonized, denounced and thrown on the cover of a newspaper for not speaking immediately?” Jay Z says in the statement. “I move and speak based on facts and not emotion,” he continued. “I haven’t made any comments because I am waiting on facts and the outcome of a meeting between community leaders and Barneys.”
Jay Z later said that he also waiting to respond because the partnership benefits his Shawn Carter Foundation, which stands to receive 25% of the sales that would go toward scholarship for inner city students. For Carter, making a hasty decision would jeopardize his plans to help the underprivileged youth go to college.
“I am not making a dime from this collection,” Jay Z says. “This money is going to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships to help further their education at institutions of higher learning.”
The rapper also went on to say that he is “no stranger to being profiled” and totally empathizes with Christian and Phillips.
No word yet on whether Jay Z will pull out of the deal. Barneys is reportedly meeting with Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network this week to further discuss the racial profiling allegations.
What are your thoughts about the situation? Do you think Jay Z should pull out of the deal?
Photo Credit: crushable.com