During Paris Fashion Week, Ye, previously Kanye West, organized a “secret” catwalk event in which models donned T-shirts with the words “White Lives Matter.” Ye intended to sell the shirts before handing off crates at homeless encampments in Los Angeles, never formally releasing the design.
Anyone attempting to sell a White Lives Matter shirt or utilize the slogan for monetary advantage will now be served with a cease-and-desist letter from two Black radio DJs applying for the trademark.
Civic Cipher, a radio show headquartered in Phoenix, is hosted by Ramses Ja and Quinton Ward. A podcast listener contacted them and informed them that they had obtained the White Lives Matter trademark but believed that the phrase’s protection should be kept in the hands of Ja and Ward.
“The listener did not want to be associated with this in any way, but they recognize the importance of ownership,” Ja said. “You can prevent bad things from happening by owning it. You can shape the outcomes.”
“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 said. “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.”
Following their conversation with the listener, Ja and Ward took the opportunity to consider what it would mean for them to be the two who held this trademark. It’s a trademark with a lot of clout: According to the Anti-Defamation League, the phrase is a “racist reaction” to the Black Lives Matter movement. The slogan is also used by white nationalist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan.
“We both had to sit with that for a while because the optics surrounding something like this can get away from you,” Ward said. “We have positioned ourselves in such a way to where if it overwhelms us, there are more things that we can do in the future. But at present, if we’re being asked to be the protectors, then we will do that. We will rise to that calling, and we will do our best to do right by everyone. You know, obviously, again, we feel oftentimes the greatest need is in the Black community, specifically with Black women. And so that’s where we focus a lot of our efforts and our energy. But we are brothers and sisters to all men and women on this planet.”
On October 28, the trademark became theirs, granting them sole ownership and the ability to sue anybody who uses the term for monetary advantage. Owning a slogan like White Lives Matter may result in harsh comments from the hosts on what they should or should not do with their trademark ownership.
“That was part of the scary thing about being assigned this trademark. Ramses and I walked 4 or 5 miles that day just kind of trying to wrap our head around what just happened,” Ward said. “And we understood that there was going to be some responsibility that came with that, some backlash, some people that don’t understand. But we’re equipped to have those conversations.”