Jay Z’s clothing raises $1 million for charity
Jay Z's 'A New York Holiday' luxury clothing collection has raised $1 million for his charity, the Shawn Carter Foundation.
FILE PICTURE: US rapper Jay Z performs on stage, during his Magna Carter Tour, at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, on October 29, 2013
The 44-year-old rapper runs the Shawn Carter Foundation, which helps underprivileged children go to college in the US, and the cash was raised during a six-week limited run at Barney’s in the star’s hometown.
This is despite calls for him to back out of the deal after two shoppers claimed they were racially profiled by the retail giant.
Although the final total is still being counted, The New York Daily News states the amount surpassed the $1 million mark as of Friday.
All profits will go to the foundation and Barney’s has also pledged 10 per cent of its entire store’s profits from the first day the items went on sale.
Items from the ‘A New York Holiday’ collection were available from November 3 until January 3 online and at stores in New York, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Boston and Chicago.
But the sale was hit by controversy, after two incidents of black shoppers claiming they were racially profiled and detained, despite legitimately purchased goods.
In response to the backlash, Jay Z said he wouldn’t “prematurely pull out” of the collaboration until he knew all of the facts, writing on his blog: ‘I am against discrimination of any kind, but if I make snap judgements, no matter who it’s towards, aren’t I committing the same sin as someone who profiles?”
– TEAMtalk Media
