in NEWS 12/10/14 ∙ 8:55 PM

Jay Z Gives Embarrassing Excuse For Not Donning “I Can’t Breathe” Shirt

Written By Cyrus Langhorne

Music veteran Jay Z reportedly turned down an opportunity to wear an "I Can't Breathe" shirt to join in a peaceful protest over Eric Garner's grand jury verdict due to sizing issues.

Jay-Z
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According to reports, Young Hov would not wear one of the popular tee-shirts this week at a Brooklyn Nets game because of the available sizes.

The Nets, meanwhile, received their T-shirts from Justice League NYC around the same time. Williams, Kevin Garnett and Alan Anderson all joined Jack in wearing them. A photograph of them with Jay-Z before the game spread quickly on the Internet. Jay-Z did not wear one, but only because the T-shirts were enormous, Skolnik said. “He’s not going to put on a 2XL that goes down to his knees,” Skolnik said. (The New York Times)

Check out these additional details right here…

Media personality Michael Skolnik showed off a picture of Jay alongside Nets players without the “I Can’t Breathe” shirt on social media.

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has stood behind joining a growing movement of athletes raising awareness last night during a pregame warm-up.

“I think it’s us supporting that movement and supporting each other as well as athletes,” Bryant said after the game. “I think the beauty of our country lies in its democracy. I think if we ever lose the courage to be able to speak up for the things that we believe in, I think we really lose the value that our country stands for.” (ESPN)

Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose donned an “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirt last week prior to playing against the Golden State Warriors.

Ahead of the Chicago Bulls big game against the Golden State Warriors tonight, Derrick Rose donned a black t-shirt with the words “I Can’t Breathe” printed on it in big white letters during warmups. The shirt, of course, is in reference to the final words of Eric Garner, who died after being put into a chokehold by a member of the NYPD while he was being arrested for selling illegal cigarettes. The officer was not indicted by a grand jury, resulting in protests all over the country. (Complex)

According to reports, a Staten Island jury reached its decision last Wednesday (December 3).

The decision was reached after months of testimony, including from the officer who used the chokehold, Daniel Pantaleo. The grand jury reached its decision less than two weeks after a grand jury in Ferguson, Mo., declined to bring charges against a white officer who fatally shot an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown. (New York Times)

72 Comments

Brooklyn NetsEric GarnerI Can't BreatheJAY-Z

Written by Cyrus Langhorne

72 Comments

  1. I don’t blame him it’s not about the shirt it’s the message and he clearly supports the message ….but even if he didn’t that would be his business

    • No. It is NOT clear he supports the message as everyone else in the photo is wearing the shirt BUT him. He’s scared. Talkin’ bout the shirt don’t fit. I bet if that muthafucka had “Tom Ford” scrawled across the front he would have worn a triple X.

      • Genius if he was scared he wouldn’t of been in the picture. He would of stayed far away from the shot. Especially on a night when so much media attention would be there because of those England folks

        • The fuck up. He’s half assin’ it. Like a political calculation. I wanna support, but halfway, kinda sorta. He could have scrawled it on a t-shirt the way Derrick Rose and others did. He could have posted on twitter. Instead he waited for it to become popular and safe and then joined just like he did with the Trayvon Martin case. He gets no bravery points at all.

          • I dont know how accurate this is but Jay was allegedly the one who supplied the shirts to the NBA players..So not having sizes does seem kind of weird if hes the one who supplied them.. Either way we should probably be focusing on the support he and the players gave… Also they were ALL SCARED if Derrick Rose wouldnt have gotten support from half the media none of them would have worn it. But either way Im glad these dudes are taking the time to atleast make a statement, considering you KNOW the owners dont like it…As illustrated by Mr.Silva

          • I agree with that. We should focus on the moment more and really hats off to Derrick Rose then for starting it. Well, he’s the first one I heard who used his celebrity in light of recent events surrounding police brutality to bring attention to the issue. Like you said, most celebrities were scared so props to Derrick Rose.

            On a side note I’d really like to say thanks and props to the people who organize around these issues on a DAILY BASIS or who have wrestled with these topics BEFORE it became popular and don’t get the credit they deserve. Local organizers, community activists, and intellectuals. People like Cornel West, Carl Dix, Marc Lamont Hill, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Johanna Fernandez, William Jelani Cobb, Craig Steven Wilder, Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzalez, Abby Martin, Immortal Technique, and others.

          • Agreed.. They deserve the most credit.. But since this country spends more money on entertainment then any nation in the world, and MOST of these entertainers are minorities they shouldn’t have to wait until something becomes ok to speak up because they have the most influence.. Obviously no disrespect to the great minds, and activists, but people will listen to Lebron before they pay attention to *insert smart experienced person here*…Add on the fact that most of them came up in the environments that crime, and police brutality exist and it should be a no brainer… Hell I think Derrick Rose was the only superstar I’ve seen in Chicago trying to calm the gang violence down.. Hopefully that becomes a focus next

          • Well said. I agree and that was my initial point. Celebrity advocacy of social justice issues should not be contingent upon how popular the cause is or how great the risk associated with the cause is. It should come from the heart and if they face mass resistance and ostracization (which they likely will) the community will support them. A lot of these men today are not as principled as former celebrities like Muhammad Ali so they take the scared safe route and stay silent.

            Props to Derrick Rose. As for people giving more attention to the bandwagon activists we have to lift up the likes of people putting the work in now instead of waiting until they pass to honor them.

          • While your saying he half assed it because he didn’t have on t-shirt, him and common are sitting down with the governor to get laws changed

          • Well said. People complaining about a irrelevant rapper not wearing a t-shirt?

            what the fuck.

          • Half ass-ing what ? Niggas don’t want to be police so stfu or join the force. Jay made millions promoting the lifestyle now he’s in business promoting another lifestyle. You niggaz want sympathy from the devil but don’t want to get into position to make some real change.
            Take this opportunity to destroy another black man right ?
            Think about what your saying and recognize he’s trying to survive in the same system with more to lose..

          • Of course Black men and women don’t want to join an organization that proactively perpetuates the criminalization and incarceration of poor Black people. Why would they want to join an organization that has proven destructive to their race? Would a civil rights activist join the Bloods or Crips? It aint about destroying another brother, it’s being critical. Learn the difference.

            He doesnt have heart. Muhammad Ali had a lot to lose. He was threatened wih jail time and his boxing license was taken away, effectively rendering him unable to compte and earn an income. Did he run back, apologize, and promise to never be affiliated with the NOI again? No. He stood like a man and accepted the backlash for his beliefs. Just face it. Ya boy Jay is soft with no heart.

          • Of course Black men and women don’t want to join an organization that
            proactively perpetuates the criminalization and incarceration of poor
            Black people.

            So my solution is start filling these positions your position is dissing Jay z. Why whine about the shit when you can makes moves ?
            Do you think the force would operate that way if we took it over ?
            No, you don’t but just like a nigga you want to fight a system you don’t understand.
            Barrack and Jay can’t do as much as they could if they were surrounded by more of us who care about similar issues.
            Not everybody has to go out like Pac.
            Protesting is weak in comparison to playing the game they’re playing chess but niggaz live in they own little world and don’t want to change that.

          • First, don’t tell me what my position is. You fanboys have to learn how to take criticism of your favorite rappers. Being critical is not dissing it’s being honest.

            Also, that’s not how the system works. We aren’t in control of public or private sector employment so it isn’t an easy solution of “jsut fill those positions”. White people run the private and public sector so even if we wanted to diversify police forces, we’d have to apply to police departments through city governments that are run by whites. There aren’t a bunch of cop jobs laying around waiting for Blacks to join.

            Secondly, working within the system doesn’t give us any control. We will still be expected to execute the agenda of the power structure. We would still be expected to racially profile our own. We would still be expected to make mass arrests, summons, and tickets in Black communities.

            As for Barack and Jay you are making excuses. How are you going to say a Black man who sits in the highest political office in the land “can’t” do do as much or someone with Jay’s financial power? Muhammad Ali had less power than both and he stood on principle and acted. If Barack and Jay want more of us to surround them, the way to do that is by addressing us and appealing to our issues. Both men ignore Black people yet we should support them? Let them address us and appeal to our needs and then they will get our support. Actually, they already have it, but they’re too scared to offend their white investors.

          • Dayum erry nigga gotta wear one of them fuckin shirts? Get off niggas dicks already.

      • man this dude walks around with a 5% gods and earth chain on… and rocks on stage with the nation of islam…. i doubt he is scared to wear an i cant breathe shirt. and if it was like that he would not be photographed with it at all

        • Wearing a logo means very little. How vocal is he about Black issues? How often does he bring them up and does he speak candidly about them? In comparison, how much more time does he spend talking about tom ford, louie vutton, dolce, cartier, and all those other european brands?

          • true.. but we also both know wearing a t-shirt means very little as well.

          • I agree. It is a small gesture but wearing the t-shirt is not meant to be a means to an end. It raises public awareness and shows solidarity. So refusing to wear it or declining to wear it gives the impression you are scared or reluctant to join in.

      • Best comment ever. Let the shirt had said a high fashion gay designers name and he would have wore it and name dropped it in a song

      • stop reaching ….. you nitpicking types are closet crabs in the barrel ….. get out your feelings over a shirt ….. smh

      • It is clear ass wipe I would stand and pose with a group of ppl wearing ” I kill babies ” shirts unless I agreed with it

        • “I would stand and pose with a group of ppl wearing ” I kill babies ” shirts unless I agreed with it”

          That means you would stand with a group of ppl wearing “I kill babies” shirts if you didn’t agree with it and that you would not stand with them if you DID agree with it. Idiot lol.

      • LOL Funny! Only thing is I’ve attended rallies in THE REAL WORLD. Community meetings IN THE REAL WORLD. Mayoral forums IN THE REAL WORLD. Discussions about mass incarceration at public venues IN THE REAL WORLD. Protests and vigils IN THE REAL WORLD. LOL

        • So the fact that he even stood to take the pic, knowing what the movement is about is not good enough for you …….. or would you still find reason to complain if he had a shirt on …….

          • Jumping on the bandwagon after everyone and their mama came out to support doesn’t show anything. His support of social justice issues affecting Black people always arrives late. After everyone else made it safe then he appears. It comes off as timid and insincere. The brooklyn thug is intimidated by his white corporate backers.

    • Not when the message cones from bandwagon members….jay the same guy who told harry belafonte–that his presence is charity–some ol dickhead shit to say

      • Yes, JayZ is a dickhead… but we shouldn’t let that water-down the message as jreg14 correctly stated.

        Articles like these present the social movement not as one of inclusivity but one of “him vs me”.

  5. FUCK OUTTA HERE HE DIDN’T WANNA WEAR IT CAUSE HE’S FUCKING ILLUMINATED THAT’S WHY FUCK ALL THE OTHER REASONS

      • YEAH NIGGA LIKE I SAID HE FUCKING ILLUMINATED HE KNOWS THAT HIS SUPERIORS DON’T APROVE OF THAT SHIT CAUSE COME ON NOW HE “NOT GONNA WEAR IT CAUSE THEY DIDN’T HAVE HIS SIZE BUT THEY GOT ALL THE OTHER PLAYERS SIZES FUCK OUTTA HERE, HE KNOWS THAT SUPPORTING ANYTHING OTHER THAN THERE AGENDA IS FROWNED UPON…COME ON WAKE DA FUCK UP.

  7. I don’t support the message. We protest and pay attention to niggaz who are getting killed by white police officers but we don’t pay attention to black on black crime which happens EVERYDAY. What’s up with that? That black girl who got killed in a driveby while sitting on her daddy’s lap deserve attention too. You can’t single shit out.

    • We do pay attention to Intracommunal violence. Watch a documentary called The Interrupters. Research Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and you’ll find they’ve both addressed that. We’re talking about police brutality now.

      • Bruh, police brutality everywhere everyday. I know about Jesse and All. But when a black person is killed by a white police officer I see black people who I never saw or see protesting when blacks kill each other. That’s lame to me. If you wanna protest against police brutality I’m all for that. But in that case where this shirt everyday the rest of your life. Police brutality happens to all races.

        • That’s because you don’t understand. The reason there is greater outrage from within the Black community when these police shootings happen is because police kill us with impunity. When Black people kill other Black people, they get punished for it. They go to prison for it or at the very least get arrested, charged, and tried. Cops kill with impunity. THAT’S why we are more outraged when police do it. They get away scott free.
          Police brutality does not effect all races the same though. Saying it happens to all races would be like telling Malcolm or MLK that the government is not kind to anybody. C’mon now, we all know Black people get it worse and that’s the case with police brutality.

  8. that was a weak a$$ excuse,, Jay is one of the hip hop heads who popularized wearing oversized white Tees in hip hop..

  9. Dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard. You’re wealthy!!!!!!!! You couldn’t get them to make YOU a shirt?!?!? You’re Jay-Z! Y’all keep supporting this guy man.

    • Calm down, scrap …… The fact that he’s even in the picture should be a sign of his support for the movement. If he really wasn’t down, I doubt he would’ve even been in the pic, knowing what the situation was about ……..

  10. who fuckin cares? nigga coulda wore a i cant breathe moon suit. doesnt change shit. honkeys gonna be honkeys wether you wear a tshirt or a daishiki

  11. I swear this reminds me of the episode of Seinfeld when Krammer did the AIDS walk but didn’t want to wear the ribbon, and despite him feeling like participating in the AIDS walk should show that he supports the cause, he got beaten up because he didn’t want to wear the ribbon.

  12. damned if he damned if he dont…..if he would had on a 2xT shirt memes would have been allover the Internet! he helped organize getting the tees to the players and hes in the pic. cmon people. OH YEA the response is not his quote either geessh

  13. The part thats makes me angry is that all and everybody are willing to take our money for their service or products but want nothing to do with us….thats business and i get it…so thats why we need to boycott….the NBA commissioner does not approve the shirts….his reason ….because the jersey makers will get mad that there logo is covered and they look at it as if there being short changed…..so to him i ask do you care that the workers that power your league are indeed black…the stars that you pay miilions are black the kids you watch from 8th grade in up are black…the kids that schools ( aka Big business) all across america give free education to are black….how and why is saying i dont want the stars that help make us billions shot down like dogs to be mistreated bad for business….Why are we only good enough to entertain….why did mike vick dogs get better justice from the system than a educated millionaire in vick….because he is black and honestly they love their animals more than us….Vick got years for dogs….when horse trainers and farmers do way worst things to animals

  14. Hey! Let’s wear a shirt, because some how wearing it will change how fucked the justice system is and wearing it will fix how fucked ‘merica is… yup! that will do that and guess what? if you don’t wear it the smart ppl of the internet will say you’re a “coon” lol! smh…

    • By the way you dumb fucks want some facts go over to the dailyKos they’re spoon feeding ppl real facts not shit about t-shirts…

  15. jay is like chalky white with all the political connection but at the end of the day he’s like a hood mayor one foot in the hood and the other in business one hand in politics and the other in hustling.sorry to say but in America u you yourself has to find balance in your life and what u will fight for and what u will kill for and what u can turn your cheek to before u tightening your belt to get filthy

  16. Sad our people will try to bring each other down. He clearly approves the message if he took the picture. Why does it matter if he has the shirt on? He was meeting with Prince & Princess of England that night. He may didn’t want make them uncomfortable. Also Jay doesn’t just take pictures if didn’t support. Sad…other things to worry about.

  17. He’s doing something a little more productive by actually meeting with politicians and using his donation money to buy influence. Wearing a shirt is symbolic and does nothing.

  20. From reading some of these comments I will concur that the Revolution will not be televised. Jay-Z do more for people in these types of situations then you think. Because you don’t like someone’s music doesn’t make them void of any kudos for doing whats right minus the photo op” (He dose so much more for people behind closed doors)

  21. He not tryna fuck his music up, lets keep it real. Im the biggest Jay fan but he not gon support anything thatll fuck his image infront of the white ppl.

  22. So he has to support everything u think he should? Bet u were mad wen he didnt do the ice bucket challenge to. smh.

  23. His partners may black ball him for that. Jay plays his role be happy for us he’s not the problem Darren Wilson is.

  24. its kinda whatever but dudes is taking this wearing tight clothes thing too far..especially for those over 40 yrs old

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