Daniel Edwards Releases Jay-Z Totem Pole Sculpture in support of Occupy Wall Street

As this Occupy Wall Street movement grows more out of control, more out of focus and looks for more ways to draw attention to itself, Jay-Z continues to be a target.

After the debacle last week with the “Occupy All Streets” T-shirt that Jay-Z was criticized for he’s become a target.  At first the media (including me) reported that Roc-A-Wear pulled the shirts down because of the backlash when supporters heard that Jay wasn’t sharing profits, but we shortly found out that the shirts were just sold out.  HA!

Now an artist Daniel Edwards uses his talents and creates a Totem Pole of Cheap-ness.  It’s basically a sculpture that has the heads of famous money hungry characters – all of them cartoons with Jay-Z the biggest and at the bottom.  Richie Rich is on top, followed by Scrooge McDuck, then Mr. Burns from the Simpsons and then Jay-Z , complete with Mr. T style gold chains with a huge Money symbol medallion.

In Daniel Edwards’ own words he explains why he made the piece,

 “I think Jay-Z has made himself a face of [the] Wall Street that Occupiers are protesting against. Maybe Jay-Z is striving to be in the one percent? Which is why I chose the composition of a totem pole because I thought it would resemble the number one. Rap stars who turn ‘Scrooge’ have to suffer some damage to their street credibility.”

Daniel Edwards is famous for his work in pop culture that create controversy.  In the past he’s done a sculpture of the disembodied head of Ted Williams, an Amy Winehouse memorial and a Presidential bust of Senator Hillary Clinton.

Occupy Wall Street has become more of a nuisance then a movement.  It started off as a noble effort but there are no clear intentions, no clear objective, no leader and no list of demands.  Their intention in the beginning was to get media hype, which they achieved after days of the media ignoring their efforts.  Since the media couldn’t ignore them now they are putting a spin on the news they are reporting; largely portraying the protesters as a bunch of hippies with no goals in life.  Media is controlled by big business, so if they really want a voice they need to be ultra organized and a leader would have to be super strong, and well spoken– until then they will keep getting blasted.

Daniel Edwards working on the Hillary Bust

I will tell you what is NOT a solution:  Putting one of African American’s most inspirational, influential super-stars on a totem pole, with chains around his neck like a slave.  Not Cool.  I don’t care how talented of an artist you are.  Jay-Z’s rise to stardom from his Marcy upbringing to a mogul, his marriage to Beyonce and its representation of a successful African American marriage is serious.  All eyes are waiting for this man to fail, f*ck up, get arrested or cheat.  They are the modern day Huxtables and the last thing we need in a society that is striving for positive role models is for some Occupy Wall Street nonsense.

I’ve said it before, Jay is bigger then this, bigger then a T-shirt and bigger then Occupy Wall Street – He might even buy the sculpture, mass produce it, and sell them as Jigga-Poles.

-COSMO