This Summer, activist Shaun King announced the upcoming launch of his clothing brand, A Real One.
This month, King unveiled the first items from his clothing line… a range of hoodies. However, social media raised its eyebrows at the hoodie’s $150 price tag.
King says the price tag is appropriate because, finally, the world has a fully Black-owned hoodie. He says it’s never been done before.
“It’s the only fully Black owned hoodie in the world. Made by Black owned businesses in Tanzania, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Atlanta,” King wrote via Instagram.
“This is our 100% Organic White PROTOTYPE Hoodie for @aRealOne,” he continued. “Our Organic Black on Black PROTOTYPE Hoodie is made of 100% organic cotton that is harvested by Black farmers then produced and manufactured in Africa. The printing for this hoodie is done exclusively by Black owned print shops in the United States. “
If it’s true, then this is quite a feat. However, on social media — his claims have already come under scrutiny.
Not to mention that King’s racial identity has been called into question more than a few times by his peers.
According to Daily Kos, Kentucky public records show that King’s father listed on his birth certificate is white. But King says that the man registered on his birth certificate is not his biological father.
”The reports about my race, about my past, and about the pain I’ve endured are all lies,” wrote King at the time. “I refuse to speak in detail about the nature of my mother’s past, or her sexual partners, and I am gravely embarrassed to even be saying this now, but I have been told for most of my life that the white man on my birth certificate is not my biological father and that my actual biological father is a light-skinned black man,” he said.
CNN news anchor shared that he had texted King to ask him directly whether he is Black or white.
“Initially, he did not answer but later referred to himself as biracial,” Lemon said. “But then when I asked him if that’s what it shows on his birth certificate I did not hear back from him. No answer on that.”
Regardless, King’s hoodies appear to be selling well. At this time, A Real One hoodies can only be purchased privately.
