When fashion designer Karl Kani met Tupac at a Beverly Hills hotel, he asked the rapper how much he would charge to star in an advertising campaign. Tupac famously replied, “I ain’t gonna charge you man, you Black. I don’t charge my people for nothing”
Tupac starred as the primary face of Karl Kani streetwear apparel. He did not take a single dollar for his modeling or commercial appearances.
Instead of asking for money, Tupac requested that his crew and his “Thug Life” slogan be incorporated into the high-profile print advertisements.
His motivation stemmed entirely from a desire to see a Black-owned enterprise succeed in a highly competitive, mainstream fashion market
