Jay-Z to Profit From Occupy Wall Street -- But Won't Share the Wealth

By Tim Kenneally at TheWrap

Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:05pm EST

Does this count as an example of the rampant capitalism that the Occupy movement has been railing against?

The Jay-Z co-founded Rocawear clothing company began selling a T-shirt Friday inspired by the populist movement, with the "Occupy Wall Street" slogan modified to read "Occupy All Streets."

Also read: Kanye West and Jay-Z Sued for Alleged Improper Sampling on "Watch the Throne"

The handsomely designed shirts -- which the "99 Problems" rapper was recently spotted modeling while in the company of entrepreneur/activist/Occupy supporter Russell Simmons -- run a cool $22 each.

Or perhaps not so cool, if you were expecting Rocawear to share the profits with the movement that inspired the tees.

(Though Jay-Z sold the rights to Rocawear in 2007, he retains a stake in the company and continues to be involved with it.)

Also read: Jay-Z, Diddy, Kanye West Are Forbes' Cash Kings

A company spokesperson tells Business Insider that there are no plans to donate any of the shirts' proceeds to Occupy Wall Street.

According to the spokesperson, the shirts will "support" the movement by raising awareness of it.

"The 'Occupy All Streets' T shirt was created in support of the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement," the spokesperson said. "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."

Apparently, money really ain't a thang for Jay-Z -- at least when it comes to flowing it to the people who've inspired your product.

Could an Occupy Rocawear movement be far behind?

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Comments (4)
modusvivendi wrote:
Incongruency has become the number one affliction affecting our leadership today. However one has cause to wonder whether or not leaders have ever truly displayed consistency between their words and their actions.

Nov 11, 2011 9:59pm EST  --  Report as abuse
FrankieDeez wrote:
#Occupy Jay-Z–economic boycott November 17th! Try to take it away and watch the people take it back.

Nov 11, 2011 10:46pm EST  --  Report as abuse
builder7 wrote:
Where did the author get the idea that the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ was anti-capitalist. They are anti-Wall Street over what the bankers on Wall Street did the past few years when they totally depleted the middle classes home values and retirement savings in this country and then had the audacity to borrow over a Trillion dollars from us so that they could be fixed. I have never heard that this is an anti-capitalism protest. Do you work for the government or the Wall Street rich guys, because you sure do not seem to care about the 99% of people who were victims of this debauchery! It seems to me that the people that did this on Wall Street and elsewhere are the tyrants!

Nov 12, 2011 1:42am EST  --  Report as abuse
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