Defending Jay-Z's Cristal Statement

I know this topic has been overanalyzed to death, but since everyone is taking the time to espouse their views of the Jay/Cristal beef (which is in my opinion more entertaining than the Jay/Cam beef), I might as well throw in my $0.02. 

I respect everyone's opinion, and all sides have valid points, but we as hip hop are losing sight of how monumental this past week has been.  Jay-Z went with his gut and made a business statement, and the business world at large actually listened.  Intentions and symantics aside, the alleged offender was forced to respond.  This wasn't Jay concocting a media circus press conference or attempting to destroy a brand's credibility in 16 bars.  This wasn't Jay proclaiming he was a politician striving to cure cancer and the problems of inner city education.  This was Jay expressing that he genuinely felt offended and dropping a press release about a business decision.  Notice I used the word business three times in this paragraph.  Jay indirectly reminded naive and reluctant boardroom leaders across all industries that urban consumers are a legitimate market force, against recent accounts that the culture isn't the marketing influence it used to be.  Hip hop heads read The Economist too.

And to the naysayers that say that a hip hop boycott of an upscale alcohol product (not limited to but including Cristal) wouldn't affect the said alcohol producer's bottom line:

"While it is difficult to assess the hip-hop influence on Louis Roederer's bottomline, consider that in a 2004 article the makers of Courvoisier were said to have experienced a 30% spike in sales following the first [lyrical] references of the liquor. It was "the largest increase the 300-year-old brand had experienced since Napoleon III named it the "official supplier to the Imperial Court."

Claire Coates, a spokeswoman for the Cognac National Interprofessional Bureau, says the hip-hop influence helped American sales reach more than 40 million bottles last year, worth $1 billion. Young blacks accounted for 75 percent of those sales." [Trendpoint]

This topic (at least for me) has officially been deaded.

Comments

[Clyde Smith]

Do you know which kinds of Courvoisier at what price saw increased sales in the States?

Do you know how much was by the drink at what cost?

I can afford some forms of Courvoisier. I can't afford Cristal.

Whatever the issue with Jay-Z, you're faking a research base for your argument and you know it.

I'm sure business people are paying attention but where's your evidence for that? It's a good assumption but this wasn't covered by the business press, it was entertainment news.

[Hashim]

Why are people assuming hip-hop = black = poor?

[Clyde Smith]

Who's assuming that?

[Clyde Smith]

I guess that's pointed at me, huh? He's drawing on research that doesn't prove his point. That's my point. I'm not making the equation you're assuming.

This is very weak. I hate this kind of half assed use of research.

[Urbonics CEO]

He's headed in the right direction though. To demonstrate the rap/champagne consumption correlation and,by extension, the potential impact of Cristal boycott, he could site this study from December:
New York-based Scarborough Research found that people who have attended a hip-hop concert are 77 percent more likely than the general public to buy Champagne. And a recent study by New Media Strategies, a research company in Washington, D.C., showed that 60 percent of consumers who consider themselves hip-hop fans are likely to buy products mentioned by rappers.

[Clyde Smith]

Urbonics, the problem is he stopped way too soon and pretended to be done.

Champagne does not equal Cristal. You have to look at the actual figures, the costs of the products, etc. to make comparisons.

You can't assume that a boycott of a really expensive product is going to have the same impact as the boycott of a product that ranges widely in price. That's a place to start, not to stop.

For all I know, a Cristal boycott might be even more effective, but no one's presented evidence in any media account on this topic that I've seen that can allow you to draw conclusions either way.

Obviously I'm proposing that a Cristal boycott would be ineffective and have discussed that quite thoroughly at ProHipHop but I've made it clear that that's what I think and that much of it is speculation.

People are making easy assumptions that fit what they want to believe rather than staying within the limits of their evidence. It's fine if you say it's what you think but can't prove but once you start claiming you've got proof of something you don't, you're headed in the wrong direction.

[dj mirateck (michael miraflor)]

Hashim- I feel the same frustration.

People that make that equation have never been to the 40/40 club and seen how people kill a week's paycheck on Cristal. I've been there (and was obviously the shortest person in the club). I've seen it. It's part of the culture.

Black = hip hop = poor = frugal simply is not true.

[dj mirateck (michael miraflor)]

If I wanted to do a thorough, number laden spreadsheet and research presentation about how a hip hop wide boycott of Cristal would potentially affect the bottom line, I would. But that was not my intention.

This is not a f*cking economics research blog. It's a hip hop blog and my intention was to express my opinion that Jay-Z's boycott of Cristal was a purely economic move that has a very real chance (as in potential) to disrupt Cristal sales. I apologize to those who feel like that opinion has to be substantiated and verified by a 3rd party research firm and quarterly financial statements. Really.

Good frickin Lord I feel like I'm in a freshman college classroom listening to sheltered suburban 18 year olds fight over inner city economic policy.

[Clyde Smith]

I can't believe you refer to me in the third person when I'm speaking to you directly, Michael. I'm out.

[dj mirateck]

Clyde- Nothing personal. I just hate it that you are accusing me of "faking a research base for an argument."

Maybe I'm naive for expressing what you may think is a half-assed argument based on indirect research, but that was not my goal.

[Urbonics CEO]

>>Obviously I'm proposing that a Cristal boycott would be ineffective and have discussed that quite thoroughly at ProHipHop but I've made it clear that that's what I think and that much of it is speculation.

Heres some stats to (somewhat)support your argument as well,Clyde:
"Today annual sales exceed 200,000 nine-liter cases, including Champagnes Louis Roederer Cristal, Cristal Rosé, Brut Premier, Brut Rosé, Brut Vintage, Vintage Blanc de Blancs, Extra Dry, Grand Vin Sec, and Carte Blanche. Louis Roederer exports 70 percent of its champagnes primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom. The United States imports approximately 50,000 cases each year."

My research hit a brick wall when it came time to examine what percentage of those sales were of Cristal, and what percentage of US Cristal sales were by the urban market. The unavailability of key data like that makes speculation on the impact of Jays boycott difficult at best, useless at worst.

[rafi]

It doesn't really matter what the numbers are. The move is still significant even if we can't pinpoint the numbers. Jay-Z has been supporting the product for ten years, he's one of the most recognized celebrities in the world and his moves make waves across all race and class strata.

I'd argue it's not significant enough to spend a whole week and ten posts on before dismissing it Clyde but it's still significant for the reasons Michael mentions.

[Clyde Smith]

Ok, thanks for responding to my comments directly, guys.

I would just repeat myself at this point and start to sound like those KRS Stans that visit me every time Adisa or KRS's name comes up on my blog.

Take care.

[Hashim]

to clarify what I meant...it seems like Clyde feels that the price of Cristal puts it out of reach of the hip-hop audience, and Jay-Z's actions won't affect the wealthy purchersers of Cristal.

My point is, it's incorrect to assume that the people who Jay-Z influences don't buy/can't buy Cristal.

[aussie]

i am with Clyde on this one. hashim, no one is saying that hip hop fans dont buy cristal, im sure that many people do kill their paychecks on a bottle as mirateck said, BUT the quantity purchased is not that large. 50,000 cases a year to the U.s. which only a small portion of is cristal means limited quantities, the simple fact is its hard for most people to even get their hands on a bottle. why? because its already spoken for by the very wealthy and up scale restaurants.
I agree 100% with hovas actions, and think the dipshit at roederer should be sacked. Jay is sending out a positive message, setting an example that hopefully will be followed in other areas of life, as for the impact on roederer? nil.

[P-Matik]

Someone over at Davey D's site just "ethered" this whole topic.

[dj mirateck (miraflor)]

Hadji Williams ethered me I guess, and from him, I accept it.

http://www.netweed.com/hiphoplogic/2006_06_01_archive.html#115096460384783333

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[Rizoh]

Why can't we put sentiments aside and view this issue for what it really is - promotion...on both ends. The more we echo our woes without resolve, the worse for hip-hop as a whole. There are better ways we could all be assisting with the advancement of the cause...
Sure, even I was guilty of giving this issue some unecessary light, but, I retraced my steps by laying the whole thing to rest as quickly as I had picked it up.

[Billy Sunday]

The truth is that the impact on the Cristal brand will eventually be felt as rumors leak and become morphed and someone says that Cristal doesn't care about Black people.

Jay-Z's entire facade is built upon supporting conspicuous consumption. To that end he will never rap about mutual funds or community redevelopment. His audience is similiar to 50 Cent's core group. Middle class kids who can afford to put their parents further into debt by purchasing the things that he espouses. The working class and lower class fans of his music don't have a real world economic foundation because their lives are from check to check. There is no savings account to dwinle off from the purchase of a bottle of Cristal. These folks are the collateral damage caused by his rhymes. As if a ride inside an expensive car with an expensive bottle of champagne is the marker of a successful life.

Jay-Z is a cultural hustler like so many before him and so many to follow. He has influence for sure, that is why we sit here and debate his next moves.

Hell in a Hermes handbasket is the future of Hip-Hop.

[obifromsouthlondon]

the bottom line is respect and not consumer power. yes some folks can afford the pissy and others will blow a week's wage for cheap props irrespective of their music tastes. and yes cristal ain't gonna feel this "boycott". but a statement has been made and will force these vampires to consider their responses about those that (freely) publicize their products (sic).

fuck the maths.

[ben]

"...puts it out of reach of the hip-hop audience..."

Isn't cheap cristal $300+ (and most likely considerably more in a bar)? I think it's fair to say (though I haven't done ANY research) that MOST humans can't afford that; never mind the "hip-hop audience."

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[DAMM!!!]

They as unified boards of the advertising groups or whatever view us, the "Urban demographic" as the dumbest niggers and spics that ever walked in the face of the planet, why do you think they keep pedaling the Liquor in the projects and not in the suburbs, because to them, we don't know no better. Fuck keeping it real man, not even if my own race made that liquor, I still wouldn't fuck with it. you have Nike Getting rich off of niggers and spics while FUBU gets ridiculed as being a fad that just went away. who rocks FUBU nowadays except crackheads? Jay-Z didn't do anything but clear the field for his greedy ass to fuck us as well. that's how these companies operate, niggers and spics do operate on that barter system, but when it comes to Hip-Hop, that's when we want to splurge, because our own people are advertising white-owned shit for free. who knows who's getting paid for it. and we gobble it up becuase Jigga or Kanye mentions it. hell, even Biggie was doing that shit. come on, man, we are killing each other and these Goddamned companies are laughing all the way to the bank. I loved Public Enemy, atleast they weren't afraid to tell you what the fuck was up. I'm surprised they lasted that long on Def Jam because they have succumbed to the D'Evils of mighty dollar as well, killing off the only positive artist we have in order to clear the board and make way for the next ingorant-ass shuffling, jive-talking drug dealer to deliver that next shit. Hip Hop is dead. Jay-Z Just cleared the field for his ass to make more money, nevermind the fact that he got offended. He promoted violence against women as well as his own brothers, what the fuck is that, he wasn't an angel. Ya'll can ignore me if you want, but I can bet you that Cristal wouldn't be saying that shit if they weren't already comfortable with their regular revenue without the Hip-Hop Nation giving them some Head.......they just didn't want to dumb down their product. you would too if you witnessed the latest hedonism going on in Hip-Hop nowadays....Wake the Fuck up People, white people have to remind us that we are acting so fucking ignorant. GODDAMN!!!

[DAMN!!!]

Oh, and Jay-Z could've been doing as if to say "this is the time I can come and say this shit about Cristal" because noones paying attention to his Armadell, which is alot more potent than champaigne, come on, people, you have to realize that our own leaders love to pull under our eyes and pretend that they care about us when they are doing the same shit the white boys have been doing for years. Farrakhan been fucking niggers and spics for years, at first it was just blacks, but then he wanted to include latinos, a bigger piece of the pie to make more money, natural fucking fleecers like preachers who make you pay for they car notes, think about it!!!

[DAMN!!!]

who ever thinks that Jay-Z caters to the rich is bullshit, and yes, it's mofos like him that makes niggas and spics like us waste a whole months rent(by my states cost of living) by buying this shit. it used to be Moet and moet at worst cost like $30. ya'll mothafuckas need to stop supporting everything that ain't black, you have enough black companies out there and you just keep ignoring them, claiming they're too "ghetto" and yes, most of the hip-hop world can't afford Cristal, which does mean to say that everybody that listens to hip-hop is broke, and they're wasting they're money on shit they can spend feeding they're baby, but niggas and spics want to be players so they forget about their own fucking families and rejoice in the homosexual undertones of what hip-hop really is. JL King really got me to realize what the hell this "my Dogs" shit is about. I dont' need my boys to solidify my masculinity. I can do that by my damn self. all that hanging with ten, twelve niggas at a time, that's straight up homo shit. so, fuck you for thinking that niggas that buy cristal are broke, and fuck you for the ones that think niggas buying it aren't. it goes both ways, Hip-Hop needs a goddamned make over big-time. and I'm not 37 like Jay-Z so I'm not talkign like Chuck D but I remember Chuck D. schooling his people on the marketing biz. the song was "Burn Hollywood Burn".......look it up on Limewire, you might just learn something, ignant ass...raggedy ass, Niagras!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[Slaves-R-Us]

If Colonel Sanders was alive today, I'm sure he too would tell the niggers to quit eating at KFC. We are being over-run by niggers, their violence, and their parasitic nature.

If they want to take over a country, send them back to Africa an let them have a go at it.

[..]

mentioning the word business three times doesnt make u a business man. see, what you (as a economist reader) dont understand, roederer is not LVMH or any other group like that, they actually dont give a damn shit if some black guys spill out that precious juice or not. if not, then there's just more bottles left for the ones that really appreciate it. its gonna be sold anyway

[Tosin]

To th eguy that said cristal is hard to get and already taken buy the clubs and restaraunts, thats complete bullshit. The deli store up the street from my house that sells candy and sub sandwiches, orange juice, milk and eggs, sells cristal too. Its right there on the wine shelf near grey goose vodka and the other cheaper moremoderatly priced liqours. So yeah cristal is being sold everywhere not just in upscale areas. So if jay says dont buy cristal, then trust me there will be a substantial amount of people who will isten. Only someone who is not a hiphop fan woould argue that Jayz cant influence people to stop or start drinking something. every since jay z told everyone to stop drinkin cristal, he started advocating this champagne calleed Ace of Spades. I club alot, im in college i club all the time, and from personal experience form clubbin in st.louis, chicago, andnow in new york and new jersey, I HAVE NOT SEEN CRISTAL SOLD AT THE CLUB ANYMORE!! JUST ACE OF SPADES! That was Jay Z's doing..anyone who really clubs and really goes out can co-sign what Im saying