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JAY-Z files trademark for ‘Jaybo’ character from ‘Story of O.J.’ music video

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He’s a not businessman, he’s a business, man.

JAY-Z is seeking to trademark Jaybo, the animated character who stars in the rapper’s “Story of O.J.” music video, according to documents obtained by the Daily News.

 The Jaybo trademark will allow JAY-Z’s company, S. Carter Enterprises, to use Jaybo for a wide range of merchandise including T-shirts, hats, mugs, tote bags, bumper stickers, candles, diaper changing mats, pocket watches and more.

One trademark request also gives JAY-Z, 48, the exclusive rights to use Jaybo in films and television series.

“The Story of O.J.”, the first video released off JAY-Z’s 2017 album “4:44,” was released on July 5, one day before the initial trademark requests were filed on July 6.

 In the video, Jaybo raps about race relations, gentrification and the importance of investing against the backdrops of cotton fields, a segregated bus and the Brooklyn Bridge.
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JAY-Z’s move to trademark Jaybo gives the rap mogul a rare opportunity to reappropriate and profit off a historically racist character.

Jaybo is a play on “Sambo,” which originates from the 1899 children’s book “The Story of Little Black Sambo,” which has widely been derided as racist.

It also affords JAY-Z a new revenue stream after it was reported in December that his music streaming service, Tidal, was losing tens of millions of dollars per year and could run out of cash in months.

“Story of O.J.” is nominated for three Grammy Awards later this month — Record of the Year, Best Rap Song and Best Music Video — in addition to JAY-Z’s five other nominations.

JAY-Z’s eight nominations makes him tied with Stevie Wonder as third most-nominated artist in Grammys history.

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OFFICIAL TRAILER RELEASED FOR “CALL ME MICKY,” EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY DOMINIQUE JACKSON

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New 22-minute documentary short follows Micky Angelo Petrillo after transitioning at 59, with the acclaimed POSE star helping bring his story to the screen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — NEW YORK: The official trailer for CALL ME MICKY, a new documentary short Executive Produced by acclaimed POSE star Dominique Jackson and directed by Andrew Rasmussen, has been released on YouTube ahead of the film’s upcoming festival run.

The 22-minute documentary follows Micky Angelo Petrillo, a larger-than-life New Jersey native who transitioned at 59 and is now discovering what comes next.

Rather than presenting transition as the conclusion of Petrillo’s story, CALL ME MICKY focuses on the life unfolding afterward — through Pride celebrations, open mics, friendships, storytelling and Petrillo’s increasingly public embrace of the man he fought decades to become.

Jackson also appears in the film, joining Petrillo for an intimate on-camera conversation about identity, visibility and what it means to finally live openly as yourself.

Internationally recognized for her commanding portrayal of Elektra on FX’s groundbreaking series POSE, Jackson is an actress, model, activist and producer who also served as an Executive Producer of the acclaimed documentary I’M YOUR VENUS, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival.

Petrillo is the author of the memoir Walking the Earth: First as a Woman, Then a Man.

While CALL ME MICKY captures one chapter of Petrillo’s much larger story, the film offers an intimate portrait of a man discovering that becoming yourself is not the ending — it may only be the beginning.

CALL ME MICKY is produced by CARDINAL, a New York City–based creative production company, and directed by CARDINAL co-founder Andrew Rasmussen.

The film begins its festival run this fall, with additional screenings and festival announcements forthcoming.

Watch the official trailer for CALL ME MICKY:

For more information, visit https://www.CallMeMickyFilm.com

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