Dear Reebok: Dump Rick Ross!

The disturbing line in Ross’ song, “UOENO” is as follows:

“Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it/ Took her home and enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.”

Ross is currently the face of the Reeboks Classics series, a line of sneakers that takes pride in its roots and history. “It takes a lot to make a classic” declares the tagline across Ross’ face, boasting that the shoes are authentic and influential, like rap music. Protesters believe that if fashion and music are as influential to young people as we know them to be, allow them to convey the message that sexual violence is “cool” would be totally uncool.

UltraViolet, the organization for gender equality, organized a petition for Reebok to drop Ross from their campaign, which gained 51,000 signatures within 15 hours of going live.

“We are appalled that Reebok would pay a spokesperson who brags about enjoying drugging and raping a woman,” said Nita Chaudhary, co-founder of UltraViolet. 

The rapper recently responded to the backlash in a radio interview: “I would never use the term ‘rape’ in my records and as far as my camp. Hip-hop don’t condone that, the streets don’t condone that, nobody condones that,” he said. As if not using the word “rape” means we can all go home now.

A past Reebok advertisement for women’s wear

Many petitioners are actively boycotting Reebok: “If Rick Ross represents Reebok more than female athletes, perhaps it’s time I disposed of my Reebok products and look for a brand that better reflects what it means to be a woman and an athlete,” says Jen Brown, a runner and UltraViolet member from Kalamazoo, MI. “I’ll be sure to pass this information about Reebok along to my friends, male and female, who run, bike, and paddle.”

See the petition here.

via FitzGibbon Media, DefPenRadio.com
images via Rick Ross Official Site, ThatsEnuff.com, Business Wire India