See the 'Apology' Kendall and Kylie Issued to Tupac's and Biggie's Estates
If you had internet access within the past 24 hours, you're likely aware of the fall out following Kendall and Kylie Jenner's release of "vintage" T-shirts. A lot has happened since the initial drop, so let's break it down.
Said shirts were quietly released Wednesday evening and were met with outrage on social media (rightfully so). At this point in time, the general consensus was that the shirts, faux "vintage" and retailing at $125, were a gross example of cultural appropriation. The line included shirts with the likes of Biggie, Pac, the Doors, Ozzy Osborne and Pink Floyd with the Jenners' faces or Instagrams superimposed on top of them. Yikes. The collective outrage, at this point, centered around the Jenners putting themselves on top of legends, as to suggest they're equated in some way, shape or form, and the misunderstanding that a) they are nowhere near in the same league as these legends and b) that they could just put their faces alongside and it would be fine.
But wait, there's more. Early Thursday morning, Voletta Wallace, Notorious B.I.G.'s mother and trustee of his estate, issued a statement on Instagram condemning the products and asserting that they had no affiliation to her son's estate. She called the venture "disrespectful, disgusting, and exploitation at its worst!!!"
So then these shirts became not just tacky and tasteless, but illegal.
Many other people affiliated with the other artists who were appropriated began to speak out around that time. The Doors apparently sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Jenners. Sharon Osbourne, wife of Ozzy, also released a statement. And then Ozzy's daughter, Kelly, had perhaps the most creative response with the following, which gave us a chuckle:
Following this onslaught of bad PR, the Jenners each issued an apology on their Twitter accounts in addition to pulling the shirts from retail and scrubbing any evidence of them from all socials:
Could it be too little too late for these girls, particularly Kendall? Considering the consistency with which she's had scandals this year (all centering around appropriation, mind you), it will be interesting to see if this actually affects any of her future deals. Kind of funny that they admit to these designs being "not well thought out." Girls, how are you going to sell $125 shirts that are "not well thought out." A $30 shirt, maybe we could understand, but this is egregious. Also, to all Jenner apologists, how can we be sure that anything they do is well thought out? It will remain to be seen if this will actually mean anything, as KarJenner issues slip off like teflon, but this sure isn't a good look.