Kanye West will have to shell out $1 billion if he wants to sell 'White Lives Matter' t-shirts, says owner

Ramses Ja stated that if West tried to sell any of his 'White Lives Matter' shirts, their lawyers would sue him

PUBLISHED NOV 7, 2022

Kanye West can't use 'White Lies Matter' phrase as the rights are owned by Ramses Ja and Quinton Ward (Victor Boyko/Getty Images For Kenzo, CNN screenshot, Twitter/CandaceOwens)

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Kanye West would need to come up with $1 billion if he wants to sell "White Lives Matter" products in the United States, according to the owners of the trademark. Ramses Ja and Quinton Ward, two black radio DJs from Arizona who have stated that supporting groups that fight for the rights of black people is their top priority, purchased the WLM trademark in October.

The owners told TMZ that they don't want to sell the rights, but a 10-figure offer might cause them to reconsider. Ja, according to TMZ, believes that supporting groups that fight for Black people's rights is most important, thus a $1 billion offer would compel them to rethink their decision because they could accomplish so much good with that amount of money. Ja stated that if West tried to sell any of his shirts, their lawyers would sue him, but it could be challenging to obtain those rights by West given that he is no longer a billionaire.

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West lost a significant amount of business relationships, including those with Adidas and Balenciaga, as a result of his antisemitic outbursts. Additionally, Ja stated that Ye hasn't gotten in touch with him about the trademark rights, reports TMZ. West's effort to sell any of his "White Lives Matter" shirts would therefore be a risky affair.

Ja and Ward stated that they didn't purchase the trademark in an effort to make money off of it, but instead expressed the hope that the term "White Lives Matter" will no longer be used as a term in and of itself. West caused a stir in October by attending Paris Fashion Week with Naomi Campbell while wearing a White Lives Matter t-shirt. The Anti-Defamation League labelled the phrase as a statement of hate because it reframes the Black Lives Matter movement.

For a month, West has been stirring up controversy with his "White Lives Matter" shirts, but he has not been able to sell them in the United States since he doesn't possess the rights. Ja and Ward told TMZ they are seeking a "unique" solution because US law mandates that a trademark be used in commerce in order to be sustained.