Diplomat affiliate
Juelz Santana is branching out beyond music and stepping into the world of fashion
with his new clothing company, the Z-Line, due out this fall.
The rapper will
then launch Mazia, a clothing company licensed by Z-Line Clothing, Inc. The
line signals the MC’s desire to become "a driving force in the urban market."
"Mazia will
be a vengeance against all other brands that have taken the style from my generation
and attempted to duplicate what we do naturally," said Santana (born LaRon
James). "Other labels have tried and just haven’t gotten it right because
they were missing that key ingredient: me."
Lawrence Arthur,
of Z-Line Clothing, added that Mazia’s mission is to "hit the fashion industry
over the head with a look that is overzealous, powerful, and magnetic."
But Mazia isn’t
Santana’s first nonmusical venture. The Harlem rapper has also partnered with
H3Enterprises, Inc. (HTRE), a publicly traded company dedicated to the hip-hop
culture and lifestyle.
As part of a multifaceted
agreement, Santana will become a financial partner in the company in addition
to hosting H3’s first Cyber Sports One-on-One challenge during NBA All-Star
Weekend in Houston.
"It’s great
to add another home-grown Harlem hero to H3," stated HTRE President/Founder
Brian "H3" Peters. "Juelz is the future of Hip-Hop and a bonafide
star."
These new aspirations
are just the latest business dealings for Santana, who became a financial partner
in a new HipHopSodaShop with HTRE last week. A new shop, licensed by HTRE, will
open on 125th Street in Harlem, with Santana serving as co-owner.
Santana, whose
sophomore album What the Game’s been Missing! has been certified gold,
is also expanding his recording studio, Santana Studios, and continuing to assist
his mother, Deborah James, with running the family’s Harlem-based clothing store,
Santana’s Town.
"Cam’ron
and I are extremely proud of Juelz and his desire to become more than just an
artist," said Santana’s manager Joseph "Big Joe" Sherman of New
Era Entertainment. "To make a mark that can not be erased is something
that Juelz aspires to do and his new ventures are a reflection of his goals
being reached."
