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Rapper Jay-Z Decides to Boycott Cristal
Jun 15, 5:42 PM EST

The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Rappers have long proclaimed their love for Cristal, frequently mentioning the high-end champagne in songs and popping the corks of the clear, gold-labeled bottles in music videos and at nightclubs.

But the makers of Cristal don't seem to feel the same way about hip-hop — at least that's how rapper-turned-record executive Jay-Z sees it.

Now president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Records, the multiplatinum rapper has decided to boycott his once-beloved bubbly over comments from Frederic Rouzaud, managing director of Louis Roederer, the company that produces it.

In The Economist magazine, Rouzaud said the company viewed the affection for his company's champagne from rappers and their fans with "curiosity and serenity."

Asked by the magazine if the association between Cristal and the "bling lifestyle" could be detrimental, Rouzaud replied:

"That's a good question, but what can we do? We can't forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Perignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business."

The comments left a bad taste in Jay-Z's mouth. The rapper said he would pull Cristal from his small chain of popular sports lounges — where bottles of Cristal sell for $450 and $600 — as well as from his personal flutes.

"It has come to my attention that the managing director of Cristal, Frederic Rouzaud views the `hip-hop' culture as 'unwelcome attention,'" Jay-Z said. "I view his comments as racist and will no longer support any of his products through any of my various brands including the 40/40 Club nor in my personal life."

Jay-Z plans to replace Cristal — which a club spokesman said it could never stock enough of — with Krug and Dom Perignon at the Manhattan and Atlantic City locations of his 40/40 Club. (There are plans for clubs in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong, according to the club's Web site.)

Rouzaud did not return a message seeking comment. But it was the writer of the article, and not Rouzaud, who used the phrase "unwelcome attention." After Rouzaud's comments about Dom Perignon and Krug, scribe Gideon Rachman wrote: "Both Dom Perignon and Krug have had their share of unwelcome attention, too."

Still, Jay-Z spokesman Ron Berkowitz said his client remains offended.

"They're trying to distance themselves from the hip-hop community," Berkowitz said.

"The hip-hop world certainly helped elevate the presence of Cristal. At the end of the day isn't the goal for any company to sell bottles?"

Cristal, which Roederer considers its "jewel," began appearing on the lips of many hip-hop devotees following an onslaught of mentions in rap songs starting in the 1990s.

Jay-Z's adoration goes back to at least 1996, when he rhymed on the song "Can't Knock the Hustle": "My motto, stack rocks like Colorado/Auto off the champagne, Cristal's by the bottle."

Others with a fondness for Cristal include Sean "Diddy" Combs, Kanye West and Trina.

According to Agenda Inc., a brand strategy agency that tracks mentions in Billboard's top 20 songs, Cristal ranked No. 8 in 2005, behind brands such as Mercedes, Nike, Bentley and Rolls Royce.

Louis Roederer was founded in 1776 and is still family-owned, according to its Web site. Cristal was created in 1876 exclusively for Tsar Alexander II. Roederer stopped making the champagne after 1917 but started again in the 1940s.

Boycotts aren't new to hip-hop. In 2003, Pepsi agreed to give $3 million to charity after Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons threatened a boycott because the soda company canceled an endorsement deal with rapper Ludacris in the wake of complaints from commentator Bill O'Reilly.



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[Edited 6/15/06 20:56pm]

Interesting... lets face it a lot of rappers of late have spent a lot of time, money & cd space pumping up a bunch of material shit without thinking of anything but how cool the shit is supposed to make them or how they look in said material shit. Is Jay really & truly surprised that a company would take or leave his (& other artists) business? That not everyone deep down is just thinking about the green? I mean really?

The only thing shocking is that so much effort would be put into making these companies richer in the first place.

He should boycott Befonce. I know I will.

I posted about this subject a little earlier today calling it "dumb shit", and thats what it is. I mean all the crap going on in the world and this is the stand Jay Z takes, this is almost as "dumb" as the parents that were going to boycott, because they wanted to make cell phones illegal in classrooms and parents wanted their kids to carry their phones. I mean Jay, u couldnt take a stand on Iraq or Katrina or do something that actually means something. Boycotting "cristal" wow what a stand to take, and the funny thing is that im sure someone is writing a Rap about this stupid shit right now and this will make the cover of a newspaper as opposed to someone marines getting killed today in iraq, mainly because to america, people dieing in Iraq is old news to them, Jay Z boycotting Cristal now thats some meaningful shit. Hey Jay go visit earthquake victims overseas and see what they think of your Cristal boycott, LAME!
[Edited 6/15/06 21:16pm]

lastdecember said:

lastdecember said:

Great post!

Methinks Jay Zzzzzz has a new album in the pipeline.

BlaqueKnight said:

THANK YOU...

This should be a lesson for ALL black folk that try and buy and floss the name brand shit...Mr. Cristal just bitch-slapped you and woke you up. Don't be so fuckin' materialistic and flossy to where his comments piss you off. I'm glad old dude said he didn't want Hip Hop's business, now maybe some of these idiot muthafuckas will wake up and write some shit that doesn't talk about what they drink, how big their spinners are, and what kinda purse they're rockin'.

StoneCrib said:

TALK!!!

can't they just drink beer for fuck sake and donate
the remaining $ 649,- per bottle to a charity?

StoneCrib said:

PREACH, CHILDREN!

....you all are on fire this morning, for real.
[Edited 6/16/06 3:19am]

StoneCrib said:

you right though!!!!

CalhounSq said:

Exactly. I could really give a damn about a wealthy rapper boycotting alcohol that he shouldn't have been practically endorsing anyway. And does he really think Krug and Dom Perignon feel any differently? Please. Stand up for something that matters and maybe you'll get my attention. Boycott something that might actually make a difference to someone other than your high-flossing friends.

StoneCrib said:

I'm not looking to be an aplologist for Jay-Z, but he has a point here. As a business owner, isn't the idea of running a business is to get as much profit as possible for your goods and services? Here's this Frederic Rouzaud guy, whose company has probably made a huge fortune over the last few years with Cristal, thanks to the hip-hop world, yet he comes out and badmouths his own customers. (Granted he's French, and the French people seem to do this regularly.) Why would any businessman with half a brain do this to his own customers? That's like killing the golden goose. What is this guy going to do if Oprah suddenly decides to listen to the hip-hop community and encourages the rest of the world to boycott their products? He should have kept his mouth shut and just taken all that cash.

The way I read this.....Cristal is boycotting hip-hop.

Graycap23 said:

Hmm. You may have a point. While Cristal has seen big business due to unpaid hip hop plugs part of me thinks they won't miss their money. They were private from the beginning and I'm sure Roederer has other financial interests. They may have gotten exactly what they wanted.

JackieBlue said:

Exactly. Tommy Hilfiger did the same thing.

728huey said:

I hear you, but it's called associationism. I've never heard of certain drinks, rides, clothes, etc. until I heard about them in rap songs. And so the connection is made.

Graycap23 said:

As maybe we all should.

728huey said:

BRAND recognition is important and they are moving in a different direction. They don't need hip-hop anymore. Dig?

Adisa said:

I'm with that. Any cd that contains the "N" word will not be getting a single penny from me from this point forward. i have 2 kids and they will just have 2 be mad at me. I'm sick of this mess. Another Step n fetch production.....

StoneCrib said:

talk! but you and i both know better...that shit ain't gonna happen, at least not in the near future.

CalhounSq said:

Let the congregation say AMEN!!!

Ottensen said:

Yes, yes, they are!! I'm going to see Dr. Cornell West and Tavis Smiley this evening at a Q&A and I'm sooooo going to bring this discussion up! Preach on, y'all!!

Important Info Edit:

Motorbabies, the discussion this evening for those interested is at Greater Grace Temple on 7 Mile just east of Telegraph. Doors open at 6. Discussion begins at 7. Hope to see you there!
[Edited 6/16/06 8:13am]

At the end of the day, Jay-Z raps about Cristal, Bentleys, and jet-setting because the public wants it. Biggie said it best, "I know Versace don't make suits for motherfuckers like me, but that's the best shit out there and that's what people wanna hear. So that's what I'm gonna talk about".

When people decide that they're sick of listening to this shit and are willing to put their money in another direction, that's when you'll see change.

It's about us, not them.

violator said:

I agree. My money is staying in my POCKET.

Well I'll stick with India on this one...

Keep your fancy drink, and
your expensive minks, I don’t need that to have a good time
Keep your expensive cars and your caviar
All’s I need is my guitar
Keep your Cristal and your pistol
I’d rather have a pretty piece of crystal

--Video

funkpill said:

Ottensen said: