A ‘Real’ One?: Shaun King Is Selling ‘Beautifully Crafted’ Overpriced, Plain-Colored Clothing
If Shaun King—the activist with the multitude of unflattering internet nicknames, most of which revolve around a widely-held belief that he’s basically Rachel Dolezal in Malcolm X glasses—is trying to convince the negro world that he’s not, in fact, a whole scam artist, he’s not doing himself any favors with the launch of his new clothing line.
A Real One, the clothing line founded by the guy who many believe to be the fake one, is purported to be the only clothing line in existence that is completely Black-owned.
“We are not a fashion company that dabbles in confronting inequity,” King said in a quote included on the company’s website. “We are a freedom fighting company that does fashion. It took me nearly 2 years to figure out how to design, sell, package, and ship beautifully crafted clothing with Black owned providers from the seed to the shipping. Together, we can change the entire supply chain.”
Already, the King, who many believe is more Stephen than Martin Luther, is showing his willingness to ignore the fact that a lot of Black people see him as a walking red flag with a white boy fade by positioning himself as the face of what he says is a 100 percent Black-owned clothing line. But it gets even more eyebrow-raising once you take a look at the clothing line and see it took King “nearly 2 years to figure out how to design” plain black and white T-shirts and hoodies and sell them at prices working-class and lower-income Black people could never afford and wouldn’t spend even if they could.
@shaunking selling 150$ hoodie. Y’all can’t convince me he not a scammer pic.twitter.com/XKZUXSJUed
— FUCK__LAPD (@Xiomara_1227) October 17, 2021
— David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) October 17, 2021
That’s right, good people, King is selling plain black and plain white hoodies at $150 a pop—unless you’d rather have one with the company name stenciled across the chest, in which case it’ll cost you an extra 15 bucks. He’s also selling plain white and black tees for $50 or $65 if you want to rock the logo.
Unsurprisingly, the fine folks on Black Twitter are none too pleased.
It really bothers me that @shaunking is trying to guilt his demographic of predominantly working-class people of color into buying his $150 hoodie and $50 tall tee because the business is Black-owned. That moniker should be synonymous with quality, not expense.
— Queen Helene (@ms_paulaessi) October 17, 2021
Shaun King and this black ass black hoodie. Sir. pic.twitter.com/8iGgByorYA
— Abriana J. | Horse Biz Strategist (@theabrianaj) October 17, 2021
If anything, the hoodie has become a symbol of racial injustice, inequality, and every other in- word Black people have experienced in this country, especially over the past decade. And Shaun King is choosing to profit off it, then guilt the very same Black people into buying it.
— Queen Helene (@ms_paulaessi) October 17, 2021
not Shaun King charging $150 for a plain black hoodie
— spooky maya (@notfestivemaya) October 18, 2021
Shaun king be telling these folks ANYTHING. Bc ain’t no way It took you TWO YEARS to make a plain white hoodie?? $149.99 pic.twitter.com/zcEOXgWXEQ
— jiggaboo moon cricket (@Fiyasohollywood) October 17, 2021
If you look at King’s Facebook page, most posts related to the clothes he’s peddling begin with, “Yes, this is a plain black/white hoodie/T-shirt…” It’s almost as if he’s fully expecting people to take one look at what he’s selling and say, “Nah bruh, I ain’t throwing half my paycheck away for a clothing design with no design.”
Listen: If this company really is Black-owned and operated from the manufacturers to the designers to the shippers, then it’s hard to be mad if the clothing line ends up being a success, but, then again, are you really for the people if your product is this far outside of the people’s price range?
What do y’all think? Are you buying, or nah?
SEE ALSO:
Online Donations Sought To Pay For Shaun King’s Move From Controversial Home: ‘Here’s How To Give’
Tamir Rice’s Mom Blasts Shaun King, Calls Him ‘A White Man Acting Black’
[ione_media_gallery id=”3843694″ overlay=”true”]