S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West has decided to stand behind his dicey Confederate flag-bearing Yeezus tour merchandise and explained why he went with such a controversial theme.
In Ye’s opinion, he is not celebrating the Confederacy but instead flipping its meaning.
“React how you want. Any energy you got is good energy. I represented slavery, my abstract take on what I know about it, I wrote ‘New Slaves.’ So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. What are you going to do?,” Ye said in an interview. “[The merch sales?] People just look cool in it. They look nice. It’s colorless. It’s super hood, but it’s super white boy approved at the same time. That’s my style. I don’t look like a rapper. When I started, I wasn’t gangster enough. I’m getting married to Kim Kardashian and I never played in the NBA.” (97.1 Amp Radio)
According to reports, Kanye has made plenty of stacks already after launching his Yeezus tour in Seattle last week.
Kanye West did another radio interview in the Bay Area ahead of his two Yeezus tour dates in the area. Speaking with St. John of 99.7[NOW!], Kanye spoke once more about his strong faith in Jesus, saying, “This is the Jesus generation. Every generation is the Jesus generation.” Kanye also spoke about possibly moving to San Francisco, a hotbed of technological companies, his fiance, Kim Kardashian, and where the name “Yeezus” came from. Kanye also talked about getting turned away from the GAP due to political issues. He said he wanted to have worked with them on the merchandise for his Yeezus tour, and said that he sold $83,000 worth of merchandise on his first tour stop in Seattle. (Complex)
Yeezy fans in Los Angeles can now get their hands on an assortment of different Yeezus tour shirts.
Fresh off the news that “Yeezus Tour” merch would be available at PacSun, Kanye West fans in L.A. can also now stop by a pop-up shop located at 8422 Melrose Avenue. Only three men’s shirts are available at PacSun, so anyone who want to get their hands on the skeleton and Confederate-flag heavy merch that features art by Wes Lang may now have a place to cop. The merch is reminiscent of ’80s-era heavy metal band tees, and features a lot of Grim Reapers, skeletons, and other macabre themes. Tees on tour are going for $35, while sweatshirts are selling for $80. The tote bags and trucker hats are priced at $20 and $35, respectively. (Complex)
Prior to the pop-up shop, Ye allowed clothing retailer Pacific Sunwear to sell his Yeezus tour gear.
Designed by West with original artwork by Wes Lang, the shirts feature the Grim Reaper coming out of a skull with a sickle, a cloaked skeleton figure holding a bouquet of roses and a skeleton praying on bended knees (all of which are available on the website), all retailing for $40. It appears that the store is carrying a relatively less controversal version of the merch — the tour version of the praying skeleton is captioned “Jesus Wants You” while the PacSun version just says “The Yeezus Tour,” and the more titiliating designs featuring confederate flags and skeletons donning Native American headdresses are nowhere to be found. (VITA.MN)
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