Kendall + Kylie Get Slammed for Superimposing Their Faces Over Vintage Hip Hop Tees

Premium-priced throwback T-shirts have become a thing. Celebrities like Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Frank Ocean, Kanye West and Kylie and Kendall Jenner are often spotted in pricey vintage tees sourced from Patrick Matamoros’ Chapel or L.A.-based retailer For All to Envy. Not ones to let a lucrative trend pass them by, on Wednesday, the aforementioned Jenner siblings released a limited-edition 15-piece collection of hand-picked, one-of-a-kind vintage tees via their Kendall + Kylie label. Whoever scouted the shirts certainly has good taste: some of the tees feature album art from revered rock bands like Metallica, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Doors, others the faces of iconic rappers like Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. Each tee is priced at $125, which, by current standards, could be considered a deal.

Image: Kendall + Kylie The only catch? Superimposed over the front of each tee is either Kylie’s Instagram post from January 29 (in which she poses in a nude bikini and cornrows), a close-up of Kendall (in which she wears hoop earrings) or the Kendall + Kylie logo. Needless to say, Twitter users are up in arms over the collection. While any vintage tee collector would be distressed to see such sought-after tees desecrated in this manner, most critics are galled by the fact that Kendall and Kylie are likening themselves to late, great rap icons. (Kendall is a two-time offender: she called Tupac her “spirit animal” during her Vogue “73 Questions” video.)

Tupac did not fake his own death to be put on a shirt with Kylie & Kendall Jenner
— Moreno (@Moreno) June 29, 2017

Someone get Kendall & Kylie the Fux outta here… use your own face or ass on a tee smh I hope she’s giving proceeds to Bigs & Pacs family — Premium Pete (@PremiumPete) June 29, 2017

someone please get kendall & kylie and get them out of business like YOU GONNA DISRESPECT PINK FLOYD & TUPAC LIKE THAT? pic.twitter.com/fL8rmryZdD — lyssa (@Lyssuhh7) June 28, 2017

If I see you wearing a Kendall+Kylie shirt with their faces on top of Biggie and Tupac… just know that I’m legally obligated to punch you. — Sidra (@ByeGuys17) June 29, 2017

Kendall & Kylie are disrespectful af for putting their faces & initials over pictures of biggie & tupac! did Kanye okay this?! pic.twitter.com/L3RwFrDSj9 — Silvia (@_BraveHeart) June 29, 2017

So who’s gonna start flaming Kendall and Kylie for putting their trash initials over Tupac’s face? pic.twitter.com/0O6VhI9mUE — keely (@KeelyRink) June 28, 2017

Not to mention that fact that both cornrows and hoop earrings are culturally appropriative. Per ID contributor Erica Euse: “Hoop earrings have a very long history dating all the way back to the ancient Sumerians from modern-day Iraq in 2600 B.C. Different variations of the hoop have been adopted by a range of cultures around the world, from the Hmong women of Vietnam to the Gadaba tribe of India, as Vogue points out. But, in America, the style has often been adopted by women of color in an effort to reclaim their culture and celebrate their history. Hoop earrings became especially popular among African American women during the Black Power movement in the 1960s when many were embracing Afrocentric dress. From activists like Angela Davis to artists like Tina Turner, more women were adopting an African-inspired look that embraced natural hairstyles and hoop earrings.” Neither Jenner sister has addressed the social media furor. Nor will they be obliged to. While the collection has its haters, it has just as many fans: at time of publishing, only three of the 15 shirt styles remain. See Kendall + Kylie’s vintage tee collection for yourself in the slideshow below.

All Images: Kendall + Kylie

[ via Fashionista ]