Why do we act surprised when we Know the Hip Hop lifestyle is a fraud?

Louis Vuitton head honchos reached out to the editors of XXL magazine to express their displeasure at the cover featuring Rick “I ain’t no CO” Ross wearing a fake pair of Louis Vuitton shades. As if XXL editors are experts at distinguishing a rapper’s fake bling and fake accessories from the genuine articles.

Dear Editor:

We were dismayed to see the cover of the May 2009 issue of XXL Magazine, which features a photo of Rick Ross wearing a pair of sunglasses prominently featuring counterfeit Louis Vuitton trademarks. Because the photo has generated considerable confusion among your readers and Louis Vuitton customers among others, we feel it is important to clarify several points.

The first is that the sunglasses Mr. Ross is wearing were not made by Louis Vuitton, and in fact, are counterfeit. Louis Vuitton did not grant permission to Mr. Ross or to whoever did make the sunglasses to use our trademarks. The second is that no affiliation, sponsorship or association exists between Rick Ross or XXL and Louis Vuitton. The third is that counterfeiting is illegal.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to correct the confusion.

Is it any wonder that boutique labels and high end brands wish to distance themselves from Hip Hop? Expect Gucci to reach out to Sean Combs any day now to discuss that Pucci jacket he wore on the season finale of MTV’s Making the Band.

Source: RealTalkNY via XXL

Shauny

I’ll just do a copy/paste from my other comment about this topic.

Why is LV putting this much attention on someone like Rick Ross? Do they really think he told someone to make him some knock off shades? I bet this fool went to some store and the sales person told them they were custom made sunglasses. I’m willing to bet you that he was thinking he paid “custom made dollars” for those knockoffs. They are freaking sun glasses what are they $600-$700 tops for LV, are you kidding me? Why is this a story? LV know that are not checking for a damn XXL cover. GTFOOH

So again, someone at LV checking for a XXL cover…seriously?
http://myspace.com/dannyblaq dblaq

I guess he doesn’t wear his shades like “Bawsss”. On the road to riches, and diamond rings… Fake Ni99az do fake things.

This is crazy, so you put your face on a national distributed magazine with some knock off shades that you bought on Canal street for like $30. Does he have a stylist? or did you just say I wanna wear my Luis shades? How you gonna have song about Luis, then don’t wear the real deal then get dissed by the brand. It’s not looking good mayne
LadyJustice

those glasses aint even cute.

he supposedly “never takes these off”
http://myspace.com/dannyblaq dblaq

@Shauny

I don’t blame Luis, plus it was an attorney. You will be surprised to what extent companies will go to protect their brands! To them it is an advertisment to buy more fake ish, especially if they are saying that they don’t even make that style of shades.

If you think about it on ebay they have task teams to weed out anybody that tries to sell knock offs, Disney does it, Nike, etc. You don’t want anybody else claiming your ish, blatantly advertise it when it ain’t even your ish.
Krysi J

He never had a credibility problem huh?….he does now. Dawg how the hell you take a photo on the front of a magazine cover with some fake azz LV shades….AND they called you out on da shyt…”never shop from clearence, don’t make me embarassed”….??? Those are Ross the Boss’s words. Either that or somebody set you up to look the fool, because you are considered a fake, and so they offered you fake LVs to take pics in for your cover…sounds like a credibility problem to me.
Daisy

Krysi- I was waiting to see what you had to say on this matter..lol
Nina

This is funny to me and dblaq is right about companies protecting their brand especially on the cover of a mag with shades they don’t even make…LOL
carmelita79

maybe he didnt know. dont they have stylist at the photo shoot that dress you? i bet 50cent wrote that email because he mad ross sold some records and no one is checking for 50 cent anymore. not even white boys
Kymystry

thats all he could afford on a C.O. salary … fake fat bastid
Krysi J

Daisy, you know I’m appauld…lol! I think somebody set him up seriously…..Rick False just got put on blast! I guess the industry wants him to know he is no longer the BOSS! LMBAO…….somebody TRIED that man, doe AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Got ’em good too! That cover has such an irony to it….they quote him saying he has “never had a credibility problem, still don’t”, and yet he is getting questioned about the credibility of his LV shades by the actually BRAND he adores so…LAWD on the COVER OF A MAGAZINE…!!LOL!

a riot! lol.
musicluvher

You can look and tell that they are knockoffs.
He’s not the first and he will not be the last “rapper” frontin like they are really able to afford designer stuff.
Lala11_7

LV is MAD…because…well…THEY WON’T BE GETTING THE MONEY FROM FOLKS GOING OUT TO BUY THESE FAKEY FAKES!!!

Which is why…if I’m buying “those types of glasses”…I’m going to ‘Nordstrom’s’ or ‘Macy’s’…if I EVER have a nervous breakdown and decide to invest $400+ into some plastic frames with a designer name…(will NEVA happen)
Shauny

@dblaq
You’re right, they should be checking for fake merch but come on, a XXL cover? Even I haven’t looked at an XXL in a minute.

I agree with Sandra on one thing in here though, there is a lot of stuff out there that is questionable that I’ve seen celebs, socialites wearing. I wonder if we’ll get more letters.

I just think it was poor shopping skills on his part. I willing to bet he doesn’t have a stylist and obviously didn’t buy those from a LV store. He better go get his money back now…lol
Krysi J

and 50 is rich, he don’t give a fukk about anybody checking for him. Rick Ross, ain even on 50 level mentally or financially ask RICK’s BABY MAMA!
ReadTheBlog

Hasn’t it been said that Monica wears bootleg LV clothes and purses?

And those shades aren’t even a good fit on Ross. I wouldn’t buy ‘custom – off the shelf’ nothing if it didn’t fit me exclusively – sorry
iscream

Good for LV can’t wait to see them start calling chicks out for rocking fake bags.

LMAO @ Puffy Poochie jacket. You must be a riot to hang out with.

Sandra or somebody please tell me that I read it wrong. Lauren London is 5 months pregnant with Lil Wayne’s baby? What about Nieva wasn’t she rocking an engagement ring.

Wanye must be a monster in bed. He pulls some pretty girls to be looking like a Grimlin.
Krysi J

Lauren London is 5 months pregnant with Lil Wayne’s baby? What about Nieva wasn’t she rocking an engagement ring.
——————————————————–

That rumor about Laura London sounds old, its probably just making its way around the net again. As for Nivea, damn he proposed after her participated in the new baby mama’s labor and delivery of his son?
Shauny

RTB – I guess that’s why I don’t get the letter to the editor and this big hoopla over some shades, yeah he’s a dummy for not going to a reputable store to buy them but do you think he though they were fakes…hell no. When he can get real ones for a few hundred dollars, why by fakes and pose on a cover. Makes not sense. It’s just another way to embarrass and try to bring dude down. Still rooting for the underdogs, keep your head up lil Ricky..lol

Let me stop, last time I talked about Rick Ross I ended up cyber fighting..SMH at the thought of the nonsense.
mizzdallas

Gm!

I’m sooo tired of this Fake Fat Bastard, nobody set him up he is on a youtube video talking about how he gets LV custom made shades just for him so he already knew they were FAKE just like him…. Movin >>>>>>

Where is Charles?

C-error only sold $21,921 for the first week according to Hitsdailydouble… And people talk about my Diva Brandy heck at least she sold over 70k… lol!
Daisy

@ice did you see Irv last night?

Hey Mizz

@Krysi again you never let me down..lol
iscream

@ Krisy I don’t know. Pancereport usually doesn’t report on false stories. they’ll usually blind item it. Its being reported that one another celeb slipped it up and confirmed it to ybl. I don’t know.. Time will certainly tell.

@ topic I haven’t read a magazine in a while but don’t they usually print in the back; the clothes and accessories the artist is wearing. Maybe that’s why Louie decided to step in and speak up.
Krysi J

keep your head up lil Ricky..lol
———————————-

you must mean Ol’ big swole, big worm, fatter den E MF ..lil Ricky. LMAO!

50 must’ve paid the stylist on set of this cover shoot. Dayum….LOL! SMH…on A MAgaziNe cover….so sad.
Shauny

Krysi you a fool! o.k Big Worm fits perfectly.
KaraZ

What an idiot! Life isn’t a music video for fecks sake, if you can’t afford to be a designer brand whore, don’t fake it! He looks a damn fool with his portly as$
http://myspace.com/dannyblaq dblaq

@Shauny

XXL does have a large readership at least 500,000 so if only 10% would be buying those shades because of Rick Rawss. that’s 50,000 people buying the knock off, If they only spend $10 that is $500,000 big ones. I know I can do a lot with that
Sharonda

Pucci?I know there is a designer name Emilio Pucci.
iscream

Hey Daisy good morning

I did see it. Irv is a fat cornball but I like the way he steps up to the plate for Deb’s daughter and claims her as his own.

Still don’t know why she allows him to come over and have dinner with them and things of that nature. She is stifling her growth.

@ MizzDallas (straight face) are you serious? 12,000… lmmfbao DIZZAM. All that promotion only 12K. SNL, Leno none of that helped? RIP C ERRORS CAREER!
What did Christte sell?
mizzdallas

** e-waving @ daisy!!!

@ice
Christte michele is right behind C-error $21k
Shauny

Isc
I didn’t see Irv yesterday but I watched the first episode. Irv is on and off with Angie IMO. I noticed in the first episode that when Deb said she was taking the kids to counseling he was like you aren’t taking (whatever the boys names are ONLY). I’m like so what, he’s saying she can take Angie? I know Angie isn’t his but I’m like dang, he should’ve say she couldn’t took none of them if he was making that statement.

I’m hoping Deb wakes up this season because she’s a big reason of why I didn’t want to watch them again. She wants to be taken care of instead of getting out there and doing it herself. She may be scared but she needs to try. She will realize that she can do it.
Daisy

@Ice That is why I wish I could hand Deb a clue through the TV. Bless her heart. Irv does get props for raising Angie as his own. His sons are cute.
http://myspace.com/rayne215 spongebobfan

so why does irv have a show hes so irrelveant *yawn* ill try charm school
Daisy

@Shauny I think Irv didn’t name Angie becuase he knew Deb was/is mainly worried about how the boys will deal with the divorce. I think Angie is older and already knows the deal although Deb wants to act like she is in denial herself. Irv sees Angie as his own IMO.
Krysi J

Oh yea, I didn’t even say anything about CiCi

hmmmmm, lets see…..

*begining of promise*

girl you can’t denyyyY
the flop fantasy RiIIde
I told you they won’t buy
its true, true…

u fukked up dis TiiIme
Gurl 50 liIIed
its the unemployment lIIiine
SOOn..soon.

Now listen, you been dropping singles for a while now, and your sales look kinda lonely…you need somebody to talk to, inform you, and transform you….but who?
teecee

i wont ever understand blk folk and there obsession with LV. you would swear they were in the hood helping out the people, but they dont and blk folks throw them their hard earned money like a crack head to a dealer, blk folks we have to do better and not judge our self worth by a label.
Krysi J

Theres nothing I won’t do……………..
to spend my bread for you……….
that CD is the fool…..

I promise, I’ll bootleg all day for you gurllllLLL
iscream

@ Shauny I did peep that comment he made. *sigh* at all the women out there who rely on a man for happiness. Get a back bone Deb! I hate the message she is sending to her kids. Get a freaking job if only part time. Thru the DIVORCE she can get alimony & child support.

I can’t. Deb make my blood boil with her stupidity. & I wish she would get a make over because she looks so damn plain jane and homely.

@ Mizz I was hoping Chrisette would do her thing. Keri Hilson must be somewhere lol @ Ciara’s numbers…
Daisy

@Teecee I don’t do LV, Gucci etc. none of that moves me I don’t like any clothes/bags with logos all over them just TACKY IMO!
Mspeng

That letter sounds as fake as those glasses are supposed to be.
Shauny

Daisy – I think he does see Angie as his own too, don’t get me wrong. That’s one of the few reasons I kind of like Irv. I caught when he said that and those were my thoughts, I may have went over most others heads.

And the Charmed School girls are relevant?
iscream

Krysi you are a damn nut…. lmao that was good. Maybe CiCi needs to holler at you. At this point she can use the help from anyone. Justin sure didn’t help her.
http://myspace.com/tamarlese Peachizz

@Sharonda Says:
Pucci?I know there is a designer name Emilio Pucci.
There is a designer name Emillio Pucci, I can’t speak for Sandra but i think she mean “Pucci” meaning the knockoff fake jacket from “Gucci”.
Although I don’t think Rawsss went out and brought the shades, i really think he got them from a stylist!
Going down,down dowwwwwwwwwwwwwn!
http://myspace.com/tamarlese Peachizz

@Sharonda Says:
Pucci?I know there is a designer name Emilio Pucci.
There is a designer name Emillio Pucci, I can’t speak for Sandra but i think she mean “Pucci” meaning the knockoff fake jacket from “Gucci”.
Although I don’t think Rawsss went out and brought the shades, i really think he got them from a stylist!
Going down,down DOWN!
flyqtnva

@Shauny
**Girl whats wrong with you yo…you know damn well he know what real LV shades are….he talk about it enough,,,and if he dont know he needs to stop braggin. You makin excuses for dude….he so WACK….
Daisy

@Shauny I caught that as well but I explained why I felt he didn’t name Angie at that time. They ALL need counseling anyway so it doesn’t matter..lol

@Ice I like the Love Sex and Magic song…lol Good luck in the future CiCi cause you are surley going to need that and more.
kwallace577

well i know that when i was at the paper our fashion writer got a letter b/c she had a pic of some lv luggage and it was straight from THEIR site, she gave them credit, went through all the proper channels and STILL got grief from them. they don’t play. and like i said it was a picture of REAL luggage.

if that jacket is not real i think sandra is right about gucci too.
flyqtnva

I told my kids to get me Chrisette Michele for Mothers day but my husband said when they went to get it they oly had her first disc @ target….Whats up with that????
keely107

I dont get it, everything is fake these days from the pretenders we call friends to hair all over folks head, why is THIS a big deal?
Daisy

Aww Keely I am a true friend to the end..lol Loyal to a fault but I am working on that.
Charles

Deaddd @ ciara flopping worse than brandy
Shauny

@fly there is nothing wrong with me Thank You. You should’ve caught me earlier. I’m done with the whole Rick Ross comments. People seem to get caught up in their feelings when discussing him.
http://myspace.com/rayne215 spongebobfan

I heard ci ci did 72,000 not 22?
http://myspace.com/rayne215 spongebobfan

if she only sold 20k and her last album did 338,000 her label not doing something right.
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com attorneymom

The dummies are the ones that buy overpriced designer items. “Buy some god___ land.”

I am still mad at my aunt for paying $60 for COACH flip flops. WT__?
Kat

lmao @ rick FALSE! i was done after the big tigger interview on bet….that’s when i knew he was phoney bologna!

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