50-Cent rips Floyd Mayweather for supporting Gucci in spite of blackface sweater protest
The two men, who apparently are not exactly buddies, are going to a new level in their online quarrel
No stranger to ripping on people who give him an opening, 50 Cent is lampooning boxer Floyd Mayweather for supporting Gucci in spite of a boycott with high-profile stars including 50, T.I. andSpike Lee, protesting the brand after it released what many have called a blackface sweater.
Mayweather has said he marches to the beat of his own drum and dropped thousands of dollars at Gucci on Monday night.
READ MORE: Gucci pulls $890 ‘blackface sweater’ from stores after complaints of racism
He also posted a meme of Floyd in the blackface sweater with the caption: “get the f–k outta here Champ!”
The Gucci sweater, which has since been removed from its stores and Website, depicts blackface according to T.I., who called the clothing item straight “racist,” according to TMZ. The sweater features a pull-up neck and bright red lips as a cutout for the mouth.
But Floyd is unbothered. He told TMZ Sports he does what he wants to do – and that includes going on a shopping spree at the Gucci store in Beverly Hills this week to prove it.
“I’m not no follower, I do what the f–k I wanna do,” the retired boxer told TMZ. “You know when everybody else, they say, ‘Everybody gonna boycott?’ I say, guess what, this boy gonna get on a yacht and live life.”
READ MORE: 50 Cent trolls reality star after judge orders her to pay $30,000 in revenge porn suit
This seemed to anger 50 Cent, who took to social media to tell Mayweather that he needs to hire a publicist because he’s been “saying all the wrong sh*t.”
The rapper also tweeted a video of him burning a Gucci shirt and says he’s donating all of his Gucci to the homeless because he won’t wear the brand anymore, according to TMZ.
“I gotta get rid of all the Gucci I have at home. I’m not supporting their brand anymore,” 50 said in the video.
This isn’t the first row between Fif and Mayweather. In the past they’ve taken social media shots at each other with Instagram posts dealing with each others careers and with the rapper even questioning the boxer’s literacy.
For Gucci’s part, Alessandro Michele, the brand’s creative director, said racism was the farthest thing from what was intended by the balaclava sweater.
READ MORE: Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele responds to blackface controversy
“The fact that, contrarily to my intentions, that turtle-neck jumper evoked a racist imagery causes me the greatest grief,” Michele said in a letter to Gucci’s 18,000 employees, which was first reported by the website Women’s Wear Daily. “But I am aware that sometimes, our actions can end up with causing unintentional effects. It is therefore necessary taking full accountability for these effects.”
Michele said the sweater design was actually in tribute to Leigh Bowery, an Australian performance artist, club promoter and fashion designer known for his flamboyant makeup and costumes, according to NBC News.
