Jay-Z testified in court in Manhattan on Monday for the second time after being sued by perfume company Parlux. The brand alleges Hov failed to meet his contractual obligations as part of a product launch for “Jay-Z Gold” cologne.
In the complaint, filed in 2016, Parlux Fragrances claim Jay-Z’s refusal to make promotional appearances cost them $18 million. They state the music mogul failed to attend the “Jay-Z Gold” launch at Macy’s in November 2013. They also say he failed in his contractual obligation to promote the cologne when he missed scheduled appearances on Good Morning America and in Women’s Wear Daily in 2013.
Jay-Z countersued claiming he is still owed $2.7 million under the deal and blames any failings on the company for its poor-quality work.
‘I’ve always had problems with the quality of lazy work that was coming from Parlux,’ he testified at the Supreme Court in New York City on Monday. He later added that the company does ‘crappy, lazy work’ promoting the perfume.
Jay-Z Says “My Name Is On It”
He called a commercial that featured a naked woman covered in liquid gold “B-rate.” He didn’t want to attach his name to the ad which he saw as inferior quality because “my name is on it,” he wrote in an email.
Additionally, he objected to the decision to sell the fragrance at Superdrug, a discount UK drug store chain, and argued it was a violation of their contract. “We are trying to build a brand,” he testified. “You’re almost cutting the legs off from the brand [by] putting it in discount stores.”
However, Parlux says Jay-Z “constantly threw sand in the gears.” Claims which Hov vehemently denies. When asked in court if he wanted the perfume to fail, he responded “Absolutely not,” and explained that the cologne failing would be a loss for his brand as the product carries his name.
“If I hurt Parlux and I hurt “Gold Jay-Z” — they are in my name,” he said. “I’m not going to cut off my nose to spite my face.”
Further, he added “My name is everything to me,” and said out of all the products in his brand the cologne was the only one to bear his name.
This story is developing.
Jay-Z is currently staring in the “About Love” campaign for Tiffanys with wife, Beyonce.
