Michael B. Jordan Accused Of Cultural Appropriation After Announcing Rum Brand

Actor Michael B. Jordan announced that he’s the latest to throw his hat into the ring of celebrity-owned liquor brands. Subsequently, he was met with swift backlash and claims of cultural appropriation over the name.

People took issue with the name of the rum brand, J’OUVERT. According to an explanation on the rum box, the same is “Derived from the Antillean Creole French term meaning ‘daybreak,’ J’OUVERT originated in the pre-dawn streets of Trinidad, as celebration of emancipation combined with Carnival season to serve as the festival informal commencements. Crafted on those same islands, J’OUVERT Rum is a tribute to the party start.”

Critics are questioning what ties Jordan has to Trinbagonian culture and for trademarking the name.

“Michael B Jordan got to trademark “J’ouvert,” and it was allowed?” one user questioned.

Michael B Jordan got to trademark “j’ouvert” and it was allowed?
When Kim K tried to trademark Kimono what happened?
Nah, sumn haffi do

— 🇻🇨CoconutCrescendo🎶 (@TheMizzCandy) June 20, 2021

Another user questioned whether or not the trademark was a joke.

https://twitter.com/KrissyMoniz/status/1406477120315011076?s=20

One Twitter user brought up future implications of using J’Ouvert as the name of a rum. 

imagine trying to explain what jouvert is to someone and they go “oh michael b jordan rum” 😕 https://t.co/kmTtYuBRYb

— nika🦦 (@spxcyy) June 20, 2021

Another user referred to Jordan as gross, with a reminder that one of his most prominent roles to date was centered around being anti-colonization. 

For someone whose largest role to date was centered on an antagonist fiercely against colonization, TRADEMARKING THE TRINIDADIAN WORD J’OUVERT IS EXACTLY THAT SIR.

Gross, Michael B Jordan.

GROSS.

— Nyssa (@kneezurr) June 20, 2021

And another tweet questioning his ties to the culture.

Michael B Jordan never been to jouvert or mass. But has the nerve to want to profit off West Indian culture and call it Jouvert Rum…. pic.twitter.com/RT8O3InIwm

— 🛍️De-aesthetic | IG:_iamdda 🇻🇨✨💅🏾🐰 (@_iamdda) June 20, 2021