Superstar rapper Jay-Z says he is being unfairly “demonised” over his upcoming collaboration with US department store chain Barneys New York, in light of the recent surfacing of racial profiling allegations against the store. The artist was set to work on a holiday collection with the chain.
“I move and speak based on facts and not emotion,” said Jay-Z in an official statement released on his website. “I haven’t made any comments because I am waiting on facts and the outcome of a meeting between community leaders and Barneys.”
The rapper continued by stating that he feels he is being unjustly attacked for his restraint over the recent allegations, adding “Why am I being demonised, denounced and thrown on the cover of a newspaper for not speaking immediately?” referring to local newspaper headlines.
Fans have started an online petition and a fervent Twitter campaign, calling for the rapper to back out of his partnership with the high-end retail chain, which would see him design holiday apparel and accessories for the store, with 25 percent of the sales going to charity.
The two customers at the centre of the dispute, Trayon Christian and Kayla Phillips, claimed last week that they were each detained by police after making expensive purchases from Barneys’ New York store.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)