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

Published

9 years ago

January 15, 2018

umeektv

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.

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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Kylie Jenner Launches Khy “After Dark,” a 16-Piece Winter Collection Inspired by L.A. Nights

Published

1 week ago

October 27, 2026

We Speak Media

A woman with dark hair pulled back, wearing a black fur coat, stands at night with blurred city lights behind her.

Kylie Jenner’s fashion label Khy has its winter moment. The brand launched “Khy After Dark,” a 16-piece eveningwear collection, worldwide on Tuesday (October 27), sold exclusively through the brand’s own web store at khy.com.

The capsule is built for the hours after sunset. Khy describes the drop as inspired by Los Angeles after hours — “a love letter to L.A. nights” — and Jenner echoed the theme in her launch post: “LA nights have always been such a big part of my inspiration and i loved bringing that feeling into this collection.” The lineup leans into moody, after-dark glamour: sculpted tailoring, plush faux fur, layered knitwear, oversized bombers and animal-print accents across coats, dresses, cardigans and tops. The standout piece is the floor-sweeping Marmont Sculpted Coat. The campaign, photographed by Quentin de Briey in the Los Angeles hills, puts Jenner herself in the collection’s statement outerwear against the city lights.

After Dark also underlines how Khy does business. Rather than running on traditional celebrity endorsements, the label operates through designer collaborations, partnering with creative founders and peer brands — including footwear label Gia Borghini and Francesca Aiello’s Frankies Bikinis — to merge their aesthetics with Jenner’s vision. The winter drop keeps up a rapid release cadence: earlier this year Khy expanded into warm-weather staples with the silk-and-jersey “Dear Summer, Love Khy” line, then returned to swim with Frankies Bikinis on their second collaborative capsule, “Fever Dream.”

The timing is deliberate. The launch caps a headline week for Jenner, who made her runway debut at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on October 18 wearing the $50 million Jacob & Co. diamond Fantasy Bra — and now channels that fashion spotlight straight into her own label. Khy After Dark is available now at khy.com.