After all the controversy, Jay Z smells success.
The rapper/businessman’s charity, The Shawn Carter Foundation, earned over a whopping $1 million, a total that will successfully send many underprivileged kids to college through his joint venture with Barney’s department store in New York. The total stems from Jay and Barney’s 6-week collaboration with the regional luxury chain during the holiday season.
These numbers come after Jay was pressured by many to back out of the deal, but decided not to when Barney’s came under controversy for two incidences of racial profiling when two black customers claimed they were targeted as having shoplifted after rightfully purchasing items.
Excerpts from Jay’s official statement afterward read: ''I am against discrimination of any kind, but if I make snap judgments, no matter who it's towards, aren't I committing the same sin as someone who profiles?'' He continued “I am in a unique position to use my voice to affect change to this disturbing issue. The easy position would have been to walk away and leave policy making to others hoping that someone addresses the problem. … I will take this into my own hands with full power to recommend, review and revise policies and guidelines moving forward. I am choosing to take this head on.”
As a result, Jay decided to change the stipulations of the deal: instead of bagging only 25 percent of the profits for his charity, he demanded his foundation get 100 percent of the profits, ultimately amping up the profits quicker. Reports say that actress Gwyneth Paltrow alone spent around $100,000 on items from the collection. He also put in place a program “specifically convened to deal with the issue of racial profiling.”
