Reebok Dumps Rick Ross, Says Report
So Reebok allegedly gave gossip site TMZ an exclusive report telling them that they have now officially fired Rick Ross from his endorsement deal because of the controversy over the lyrics of “U.O.E.N.O.” The site quotes a Reebok statement that said: “”Reebok holds our partners to a high standard, and we expect them to live up to the values of our brand. Unfortunately, Rick Ross has failed to do so.”
In the now-infamous song, Ross raps about adding a date rape drug to a woman’s champagne so that he can take her home “and I enjoy that. She ain’t even know it.”
I’m sure he expected some publicity, but maybe not the level of outrage that he actually attracted from rape survivors. As The Inquisitr previously reported, members of Ultra Violet, a women’s advocacy group, organized a protest to demand that Reebok yank the endorsement. Nita Chaudhary, one of the co-founders, said, “By holding Rick Ross up as something to aspire to, Reebok is sending the message that raping a woman is cool — and that’s a dangerous message to send the boys and young men that Reebok markets to.”
Rick Ross may just have an entirely peculiar idea of what looks cool to other people. In January, he was involved in an odd incident in Florida where he allegedly got shot at while he was driving his Rolls Royce, causing him to crash into a building. At the time, 50 cent alleged that the whole incident was fake, and I’ll freely admit that I’m still a tad skeptical — even though the local police later confirmed that the bullet holes they found in his car were real.
In any event, a pro-rape song is not the kind of publicity that wins friends and influences people, and it probably really isn’t quite what Reebok had in mind when they signed him up.
As you might imagine, Twitter has a lot to say.
Wow, Reebok dropped Rick Ross. heaintevenknowit.
— Turntable Whisperer(@DJScratch) April 11, 2013
Rick Ross rapping about slipping a pill in a woman’s drink and taking advantage of her. But yall still love him right? #idiots
— Jay (@1Word_Respect) April 11, 2013
Reebok got rid of Rick Ross for not “living up to the brand.” They’re selling athletic gear, and only now noticed he looks like a manatee.
— ItsTheReal (@itsthereal) April 11, 2013
There is a lot of fat-shaming in the tweets celebrating Rick Ross losing his Reebok deal.
— L.D. Williams (@PopeDashLXIX) April 11, 2013
While that’s true, again, Reebok is an athletic brand, so the whole thing was kinda whackadoo from the start.
All that sloppy walrus Rick Ross had to do was apologize but naaaah. Worst year ever.
— Alejandro NIGlesias (@AlejandroDaGr8) April 11, 2013
On the other hand, “slappy walrus” probably does cross a line.
I have no sympathy for Rick Ross. He’s still going to be a multi-million dollar rape glorifying rapper even WITHOUT the Reebok endorsement.
— Anti_Intellect (@Anti_Intellect) April 11, 2013
Reebok may regret they ever heard of Rick Ross. But the tweets are priceless.
[Rick Ross photo by Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com]
