Jay Z's line at Barneys isn't for the masses

By Tenisha Mercer
www.HairNista.Blogspot.com

I cheered Jay Z's decision to actively participate in the "shopping while black" investigation at Barneys, after young, African American shoppers at the upscale department store reported they were racially profiled.

Jay had a lot at stake -- his line, Jay Z's New York Holiday, was scheduled to debut. But is this what I've been cheering?

A $695 ski mask? Anyone NOT see the irony in that -- the man who has personally investigated racial profiling claims makes a $695 ski mask that you KNOW you'll get profiled in, any and every time you wear it? As if cops are going to say, yo, that's a $695 cashmere ski mask?

I just gotta ask a few questions:

1. Who has the dough to drop on a expensive ass cashmere ski mask, of all things?
2. You would probably get racially profiled if you wear this thing in the store. So don't buy it and then put it on and return back to the Barneys. You're just asking for it, because even I'd be scared of you. Even one of Jay's youngest fans is crying foul.
3. Is this more to come of Jay Z's line at Barney's? The line has $1,000 T-shirts. Can't think of a T-shirt on earth that I'd pay that much for. The highest item? A $58,000 crocodile coat.

Sure, Jay Z managed to get more money from Barneys to go toward his Sean Carter Foundation andh he's heightening the discussion about retail racial profiling. I'm just not so sure if the folks he's fighting so hard for can even afford his clothing.

What do you think?