Who is the motherfucker rollin through the hood?
Who is the motherfucker up to no good?
Y'all know it's the Repo Man
Who is the motherfucker up to no good?
Y'all know it's the Repo Man
--The Coup, "The Repo Man Sings For You"
According to the press release on the Rent-To-Own Industry website:
Created by Dallas ad agency Launch, the 15- and 30-second TV and radio spots feature Johnson discussing the values that shaped his success, both on and off the court. Visuals bearing testimony to his legendary career reinforce the message.
Johnson speaks to Rent-A-Center’s commitment to those same values. Citing Rent-A-Center’s 100% satisfaction guarantee, he calls attention to the availability of brand-name merchandise via an easy, worry-free experience without the need for credit or credit checks. Sharing the spotlight with Johnson are visuals of RAC merchandise and lifestyle shots of customers enjoying new furniture, appliances and electronics.
One has to wonder where that "100% satisfaction guarantee" went when one peruses the hundreds of angry customers from places like Ripoff Report or Consumer Affairs. Or you can take a specific case, provided by AllFinancialMatters.com--an Ashley furniture combination that would cost you $1048 direct from Ashley will cost you (when all is said and done) $2807 from Rent-A-Center. In 2007, Rent-A-Center settled a class-action lawsuit for in New Jersey for 109 million dollars. Let's throw in the fact that the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) calls their practices "predatory lending".
What the fuck is Magic Johnson, who was seen as being the new protoype of the professional athlete entreprenuer--one who was going to invest in minority communities, and not just spend wildly until he went bankrupt. He was going to change the way African-American business was done. Hell, from the Magic Johnson Enterprises website comes this: "For over 25 years, Magic Johnson Enterprises has been a leader in revitalizing and providing quality entertainment, products and services to ethnically diverse, urban communities. We know these communities because we embody them through a myriad of personal and professional experience. We understand the needs and challenges associated with our communities and we welcome the opportunity to champion and challenge others to join us in our commitment to growing, improving, and nurturing them." [emphasis mine]
Where the fuck does the fit with charging someone $1800 for a $600 computer, and then taking it away after they were late with a payment, having already paid $1500? (Rent-A-Center is totally willing to start over with you, with the exact same computer, from Payment 1, if you are willing/stupid/desperate enough). To be fair, Magic Johnson Enterprises doesn't have anything to do with Rent-A-Center, aside from Magic fuckin' Johnson.
Does Magic need the money? Well, no. As of January 2008, he was worth $800 million! Presumably, he lost some cash (as everyone else has in the past year) but probably not so much that he is actually partaking of Rent-A-Center's "services".
I should note that in recent weeks, African-American media sites have already been giving Johnson the business for his partnership with Jackson-Hewitt, who specialize in the early-rebate loans to Earned Income Tax Credit recipients at high interest rates. So this Rent-A-Center endorsement is his second dick move in 2009.
So, what the fuck, Magic Johnson? I don't expect every single business deal you make to be selfless, but there are ways to make money while actually helping your community. See Mo Vaughn, for example. And shilling for the likes of Jackson-Hewitt and Rent-A-Center? I'd call you a Stepin Fetchit for our generation's answer to the Robber Barons, but that would be an unfair insult to Stepin Fetchit.
Dr. Todd Boyd, The Notorious PhD, puts it better than I can: "What Magic Johnson has done is use his name and the celebrity he developed playing the game of basketball to become a very successful figure in his post NBA life. Considering again that this is the exception and far from the rule, he should be applauded vigorously...[Yet], has he really created anything or has he simply taken advantage of a spectacular NBA career in parlaying his name as a brand, using "the community" as willing dupes while he fattens his own pockets at their expense?"
Agreed, Notorious PhD.
In short--fuck you, Magic Johnson.
1 comment:
I can't pretend I'm not glad you've come around to my way of thinking about Magic. 'Bout damn time.
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