By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
The controversy surrounding retail giant Barneys New York has made headline news for the last week and many developments came from 19-year-old Trayon Christian speaking out about being racially profiled just minutes after he purchased a designer Ferragamo belt from the store. Christian claims he was stopped by plainclothes NYPD officers and even arrested after they accused him of making the purchase on a fake debit card. When the officers could not prove that the card was fake, he was eventually released. But he’s filed a lawsuit against the NYPD and Barneys because he says cops repeatedly harassed him and asked him numerous times how a black man could afford such an expensive belt.
Jay Z immediately became a target of the controversy because he recently inked a deal with Barneys for a Holiday collection and the launch of a cologne. One of his own fans created an online petition demanding that he denounce his affiliation with Barneys, but Jay Z released a statement in which he claimed he didn’t want to be too hasty to cut ties. His statement didn’t go so well with a lot of his own supporters. But interestingly enough, Trayon Christian says the rapper’s choice to stick with Barneys disappointed him too. He tells PIX 11 News:
“I thought that he [Jay Z] could relate to what had happened…to what happened to me.”
When asked by the reporter if he’s disappointed Jay Z decided to keep working with Barneys, he says:
“Right.”
In related news, Trayon’s attorney says Ferragamo actually stepped up and did the honorable thing by mailing him the same exact belt he was racially profiled over. Trayon returned the belt the day after he was accused of buying it with a fake debit card, so he was touched the company sent him over a new one once they heard about his terrible experience at Barneys.
Check out the video below:
Me too. Smh.
Well I think a lot of us are. But it is what it is. I can’t say I’m surprised he didn’t end the deal.
I am too! I still love him though!
I would have been shocked if Jay Z did end that deal. LOL!
Well Jay Z had to do what he felt was best for his charity. Don’t hold it against him y’all. 🙂
Well we knew by that statement that he was quitting a damn thing. LOL.
Exactly! When I tell you I’m so mad at myself right now. Chris Johnson on my bench with 29 points. #fantasyfootballproblems LOL!
Yeah I saw that he balled out today! It’s funny because I read somewhere where a writer predicted he would ball today but I can’t remember which site it was.I laughed and thought yeah right. I need to figure it out because I’m going to start going to it for Fantasy advice. LOL.
Well he’s always been a sellout so people shouldn’t be surprised he sold out once again. That’s what he does best.
Well people can’t force him to do something he doesn’t want to do. That’s not who he operates.
*how he operates*
Well it was the NYPD’s fault right? So why should he walk away from Barneys? Doesn’t make any sense if they weren’t responsible.
Exactly.