Kanye West Can't Sell White Lives Matter Shirt Due To Trademark

Two radio hosts recently revealed that Kanye West can’t sell his “White Lives Matter” shirts and there’s an interesting reason why.

Source: Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin / Getty

After Kanye West caused absolute pandemonium during his Yeezy SZN 9 fashion show by sporting a “White Lives Matter” tee, there’s still fallout afoot. The tee stole all the shine from everyone’s collections including his own and caused chaos. As previously reported it spurned a heated back and forth between Diddy and Kanye and it set the stage for a media tour that would end with Kanye West being dropped from Adidas and banned on social media. Kanye reportedly still planned to release the controversial shirt but that plan might have hit a roadblock thanks to two radio host and their listeners.

Kanye West’s “White Lives Matter” Tee Won’t Release After Trademark Is Given To Two Radio Hosts For Protection

If anyone including Kanye West thinks they will use the “White Lives Matter” phrase to make money, they apparently have another thing coming.

Hosts of Civic Cipher, Ramses Ja and Quinton Ward of Phoenix, AZ recently revealed they own the trademark for the phrase. An anonymous listener contacted the hosts and revealed they had the trademark but trusted it in the hosts’ hands. Now if anyone tries to profit off it and they’ll immediately be hit with a cease-and-desist letter.

“The listener did not want to be associated with this in any way, but they recognize the importance of ownership,” Ja told NPR. “You can prevent bad things from happening by owning it. You can shape the outcomes.”

“We talk about all the things that need to be talked about, right?” Ja told NPR. “This person listens to our show and says, ‘You know, who would be a better decider for the future of this thing that is now owned by me? Would be these gentlemen.’ And so that person reached out to us again, stipulated, ‘Hey, look, if anything ever happens in the future, monetarily, please, you know, donate half to these certain orgs.’ And we intend to do that if that day ever comes.”

According to TMZ, the hosts would be inclined to entertain an offer for the trademark but it will cost anyone interested over $1B.