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Jay-Z One of Fortune’s Big Dummies in ‘07

Wednesday, December 19, 2007
By: Michael Ivey

Jay-Z

Fortune/CNNmoney.com recently named multi-millionaire artist-brand Jay-Z as #32 in its’ annual “101 Dumbest Moments in Business” report, because the Humane Society this year found canine fur on Rocawear winter jackets.

“Ah, what a dumb year it was!,” read the article’s lead. “And that’s the positive spin on it.” Early this year news outlets reported that the Humane Society used mass spectrometry techniques to discover the origin of the fur in Rocawear jackets and found that it came from a canine species native to Asia that resembles a raccoon. According to E! News Online, raccoon dogs are in China skinned alive for their pelts. The Humane Society says J.C. Penney, Burlington Coat Factory, Macy's, and Saks Fifth Avenue have all carried raccoon dog fur on their retail racks.

"We were not aware that our product included raccoon dog materials," a Rocawear rep said after the story broke. "We have immediately instructed all manufacturers and licensees that no product can be produced using this fur. In addition we have removed those items from our Website."

Jay-Z co-founded the Rocawear brand in 1995 with former partners Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke. He in 2006 sold the rights to Iconix Brand, birthing joint venture brand management and licensing company Scion, LLC. Jay-Z’s “fur faux pas” lies between No. 2 U.S. subprime lender New Century Financial’s disastrous miscalculation and British sex-toy company Love Honey’s legal battle with Procter & Gamble over Love Honey’s use of Oral B electric toothbrushes to promote the Brush Bunny—a rabbit-shaped piece of plastic that slips over the top of an Oral B to turn it into a sexual vibrator.

Jay-Z recently purchased a development site in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood to build a 150,000 square-foot luxury hotel, called “The J-Hotel.” His ‘American Gangster’ album is now RIAA certified platinum.

(22) Comments | Post a comment »

First dummies

Posted by shaker

This is gonna end jay z for good

Posted by caution101

I bought one of them coats i love it

Posted by heart attack

Didnt diddy have the same issues with fur in his clothes aswell. This wasnt great news for hov but he did make alot of profit this year so to be 32 in dummies list of 07 is strange.

Posted by T2

Poor doggies :(

Posted by gpx60

Stop hatin on the boy hov. It ain't to dumb if his money right. Get off the sauce.

Posted by marques may

When is america's love affair with dogs gonna stop... Aint nobody got a problem with wearin mink coats other than peta, who the hell cares if you wear dog fur.. Free michael vick

Posted by black jewsus

......how is this going to end jay's career? this is old news.

Posted by evenwhenilie

The sad part is, u really think jay nor diddy really would've cared if it was dig hair or not. They have both done shady things for that $$$$

Posted by Ms Brown

Lol when my dog dies im gonna give him to hov so he can make him into a jacket and i can be with kirby forever

Posted by Shogun

Who cares if there is fur in there sh*t. And i know jay didnt got plat yet on his new sh*t thats for damm sure. Unless he did like 300 this week and we know that didnt happen

Posted by T-Mo

Like jay knew if was racoon,fur is fur n*ggaz dont ask what animal is on a coat when they buy um!!(atleast i dont).

Posted by Kingasiatic

That is nasty!

Posted by Frank

"yuh' big dummy"(c)redd foxx

Posted by dj blendz

Yeah the whole love affair with dogs is stupid i mean nobody complain abouth the horse hair that black girls use as weaves. In china you eat whatever is around

Posted by gangsta behind a comp screen

Next is - "jay-z sells ice to a snowman!" i think dame dash is trying to defame jay.

Posted by King of da East

I wear the north face. F*ck roc-a-wear

Posted by mr

Technically, a raccoon dog isn't really a dog. It's related to dogs teh way a fox is, but it's not a dog. I wonder if people would still be tripping on this if they knew that. For real, this dog fetish that america has needs to end.

Posted by GL

I’m more concerned about what they do to the carcass of the animal; the meat manufacture needs to be the ones under surveillance, f*@* dog hair !! stop eating red meat my nation!!

Posted by Talented10

^^ talented10 you took my exact thoughts out of my brain,that was exactly what i said when i read this son.what the f^ck they gonna do with the rest of the mutt??? superfresh market holiday special "ground round 50 cents a pound" uuummmm yummy...

Posted by Dr. Strange

the racoon dog is from the canine family! why would you want furry dead dog skin on your body gross! what happened to mans best freind- humans now wear it! that is just gross and in fact humans wear cat fur too. In fact in china 2 million cats and dogs are skinned alive so humans can wear furry dead skin is so gross! ya its then shipped to the us under faux fur as long as its valued under 150 dollard its okay to wear your dog on your collar! these animals are beaten stomped starved stabbed strangled ect and then skinned alive and are screaming in pain as there skin is literally peeled from them. Well dog fur cat fur or racoon fur i dont get why u want dead furry skin on you so gross.

Posted by carol

@blackjewsus fucc u and vic me and my pit will piss on u both how bout it??

Posted by tha prince