Our goal is simple; we will provide a single product with a purpose.  Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context.  Currently, in America we are in a crisis; through the creation of this Free Thugger hoodie we will enable the exploration of the intersection of race, justice, mass incarceration, hip-hop, and fashion.  This hoodie will empower consumers to say who you are and what you stand for without having to speak.

We believe that slavery has been perpetuated since the end of the American Civil War through the lens of mass incarceration which amplifies criminalizing behavior and suppressing the voice of the disenfranchised through unethical policies employed by municipalities at the local, state, and federal levels of government.

10% of all proceeds from this product line will be donated to prison reform non-profit organizations.  It is necessary to ensure that the human rights of prisoners are protected and their prospects for social reintegration increased, in compliance with relevant international standards and norms.

Imprisonment disproportionately affects individuals and families living in poverty. When an income generating member of the family is imprisoned the rest of the family must adjust to this loss of income. The impact can be especially severe in the Hip Hop community.  In Atlanta and other major cities throughout America Hip Hop is under attack.  The recent indictment of YSL is a perfect example of the manifestation of unethical and subversive policies used to impoverish members of the Hip Hop community and their families by reducing their future potential economic performance.

According to Urban Dictionary, a thugger is a conspicuous black male who wears pants around his knees and backwards baseball caps.  This characterization of the black male identity is often used to identify the disproportionate targeting of minorities in the aforementioned policies.  We are not promoting Free Young Thug, or Free YSL.  We are screaming out for other victims like the unfortunate and innocent YSL members who are currently in jail due to their associations.  There are countless instances like this particular use case.

Free Thugger is a Hip Hop product and is meant to be counter cultural as it were.  It is a triple entendre, a technique prevalent in Hip Hop culture.  Free Thugger has three meanings.  

Free Thugger can be considered a cry for the release of Young Thug, often referred to as Thugger, leader of YSL.  

The second is the intended meaning; free thugger, a cry to release any poor disenfranchised black or brown individual who has not had a fair chance to prevail in this country because of who they are, where they come from, and what they represent.

The third meaning and potentially the most powerful; a free thugger is a disenfranchised individual who is free thinking and owns their identity while disregarding society’s perception of them as a troubled citizen.

The offensive nature of the phrase “Free Thugger” is a key aspect of the marketing strategy behind this product.  The consumers of this product will get it; outsiders won’t.

At the core of Hip Hop is the art of sampling.  Using inspiration from great artists is a consistent theme of Hip Hop.  This product is Hip Hop and the goal of the product is to synthesize the cultural and legal implications that has been a core principle of the Hip Hop design ethos since its inception.