Two black radio hosts have revealed they own the trademark phrase ‘White Lives Matter’, stopping the artist formerly known as Kanye West or anyone else from cashing in on the controversial phrase.
Ramses Ja and Quinton Ward, Phoenix-based activists and hosts of nationally syndicated radio show Civic Cipher, announced their trademark rights in a recent interview with radio station KRRL-FM.
“We are federal trademark holders for White Lives Matter,” Ja said. “If you want to sell this shirt, you’ll have to knock on my door or deal with Morris, my attorney.”
It comes weeks after West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, appeared at a Paris fashion show in a shirt that read “White Lives Matter,” a slogan created in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Days later, amid angry backlash over the jersey, West was banned from his Twitter account for posting rants attacking Jewish people in a meltdown that has cost the superstar rapper billions in business deals.
Ramses Ja (left) and Quinton Ward (right), Phoenix-based activists and hosts of the nationally syndicated radio show Civic Cipher, own the White Lives Matter brand.
West drew angry backlash when he appeared at a Paris fashion show wearing a t-shirt that read “White Lives Matter,” a slogan created in response to Black Lives Matter
Ja and Ward explained that the trademark for “White Lives Matter” was originally registered by one of their listeners, who assigned it to them in a recently concluded lawsuit.
“This person who first got it didn’t really love owning it because the purpose wasn’t necessarily to get rich with it; The purpose was to make sure other people didn’t get rich from this pain,” Ja told news site Capital B.
Yes and Ward say they plan to enforce their trademark rights to ensure any use of the phrase ultimately benefits black and brown communities.
“We know that phrases like ‘White Lives Matter,’ ‘All Lives Matter,’ and ‘Blue Lives Matter’ continue to damage and dilute the narrative that Black Lives Matter was intended to establish,” Ja told Capital B.
“These phrases all stem from Black creativity and effort, so we’re all in favor of using this as a measure for Black people to keep a little ownership,” he added.
A review of federal records confirms that Civic Cipher LLC is the owner of the White Lives Matter trademark, which was first registered Oct. 3.
Yes and Ward say they plan to enforce their trademark rights to ensure any use of the phrase ultimately benefits black and brown communities
A review of federal records confirms that Civic Cipher LLC is the owner of the White Lives Matter trademark, which was first registered Oct. 3
That means West will be legally banned from selling his controversial shirts, which he debuted at a runway show alongside conservative commentator Candace Owens last month.
However, the trademark doesn’t stop West from wearing the phrase on his clothes as long as he doesn’t try to cash in on it.
Last week, West said he lost $2 billion in a single day when business partners rushed to dump him over his anti-Semitic outbursts.
He claimed in a tweet that he wanted to do “Death 3 vs. JEWISH PEOPLE,” misspelling the phrase that describes the US military’s readiness levels.
The music and fashion mogul has seen lucrative trading partnerships put on hold as companies including Adidas and Gap fled after his vile comments.
West will be banned by law from selling his controversial shirts, which he debuted at a runway show alongside conservative commentator Candace Owens last month
“I lost $2 billion in one day. And I’m still alive. This is love speech,” West wrote on Instagram Thursday in a post that has been liked over a million times.
‘I still love you. God still loves you. Money is not who I am. People are who I am,” reads the post, which credits Emanuel Ari, the CEO of entertainment company Endeavour, who has urged companies to sever ties with the rapper.
German sportswear giant Adidas said Tuesday it was ending its partnership with West after his “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous” comments.
Adidas also announced it would end production of the hugely successful ‘Yeezy’ line, which it designed with West, and ‘stop all payments to Ye and its companies’.
The move is expected to cost around a quarter billion dollars from Adidas’ profits this year alone.