FUBU
Encyclopedia
FUBU is a clothing company. It includes casual wear, sports wear, a suit
collection, eyewear
, belts
, and shoes for the African-American community in the sense of economic investment but not to be exclusively worn by African Americans. The name is sometimes considered a blackronym for "For Us By Us", implying the product line was produced for a primarily African-American market. The original meaning of FUBU was "Five Urban Brothers United," but the "For us, by us" line later took root as the clothing line expanded.
with a line of hats made in his house in Hollis, Queens, New York
. According to the company website, John mortgaged his own home for $100,000 and with that seed money he and his three friends Carl Brown, J. Alexander Martin, and Keith Perrin, turned half of his house into a factory and the other half into living space.
FUBU staff started the company for their local youth community. The founders intended to compete with sportswear companies such as Nike, Inc.
, then make products from the feedback. FUBU felt that Nike was profiting from the authenticity of New York street fashion without giving enough back to the African American community.. In targeting city youth and defining their competitors this way, although some people of other backgrounds wear their clothing . FUBU insists they are not intentionally exclusive, and their marketing targets all people.
s, rugby shirt
s, hockey
and football
jerseys
, baseball cap
s, shoe
s and denim
jeans
. All are embroidered with the FUBU logo. Most of the products, such as the jeans, are imported from around the world. FUBU has now expanded to include various lines such as Platinum FUBU, FUBU footwear for men and women, intimate apparel, active wear, swimwear, watches, FUBU suits, and FUBU tuxedos. The Platinum FUBU collection also includes the M.Ali, Fat Albert
and Harlem Globetrotters
clothing lines.
In 1995, South Korean company Samsung
invested in the New York-based clothing company.
At its peak, FUBU grossed over $350 million dollars in annual worldwide sales. FUBU have received several honors for their entrepreneurial achievements. These include two Congressional Awards, two NAACP Awards, the Pratt Institute
Award, the Christopher Wallace Award, the Online Hip-Hop
Award and a Citation of Honor from the Queens Borough President.
in 2001 and then an album by the 54th Platoon
entitled All or Nothin'
in 2003. Though both albums made it to the Billboard charts, neither was a commercial success and FUBU shut down its record label after the release of All or Nothin.
Suit (clothing)
In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...
collection, eyewear
Eyewear
Eyewear can refer to:*Glasses *Sunglasses*Contact lenses*Eye protection**Goggles...
, belts
Belt (clothing)
A belt is a flexible band or strap, typically made of leather or heavy cloth, and worn around the waist. A belt supports trousers or other articles of clothing.-History:...
, and shoes for the African-American community in the sense of economic investment but not to be exclusively worn by African Americans. The name is sometimes considered a blackronym for "For Us By Us", implying the product line was produced for a primarily African-American market. The original meaning of FUBU was "Five Urban Brothers United," but the "For us, by us" line later took root as the clothing line expanded.
History
The company was founded in 1992 by Daymond JohnDaymond John
Daymond John is an American entrepreneur, investor, fashion designer, television personality, and motivational speaker...
with a line of hats made in his house in Hollis, Queens, New York
Hollis, Queens
Hollis is a neighborhood within the southeastern section of the New York City borough of Queens. A predominantly African American community, the boundaries are considered to be the Far Rockaway Branch of the Long Island Rail Road to the west, Hillside Avenue to the north, Francis Lewis Boulevard to...
. According to the company website, John mortgaged his own home for $100,000 and with that seed money he and his three friends Carl Brown, J. Alexander Martin, and Keith Perrin, turned half of his house into a factory and the other half into living space.
FUBU staff started the company for their local youth community. The founders intended to compete with sportswear companies such as Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, then make products from the feedback. FUBU felt that Nike was profiting from the authenticity of New York street fashion without giving enough back to the African American community.. In targeting city youth and defining their competitors this way, although some people of other backgrounds wear their clothing . FUBU insists they are not intentionally exclusive, and their marketing targets all people.
Collection
The FUBU collection consists of T-shirtT-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, rugby shirt
Rugby shirt
A rugby shirt, often referred to as a rugby jersey, is a shirt worn by players of rugby union or rugby league. It usually has short sleeves, though long sleeves are common as well....
s, hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
jerseys
Jersey (clothing)
A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn...
, baseball cap
Baseball cap
A baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a rounded stiff brim. The front of the cap typically contains designs or logos of sports teams ,...
s, shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
s and denim
Denim
Denim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This produces the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim has been in American usage since the late 18th century...
jeans
Jeans
Jeans are trousers made from denim. Some of the earliest American blue jeans were made by Jacob Davis, Calvin Rogers, and Levi Strauss in 1873. Starting in the 1950s, jeans, originally designed for cowboys, became popular among teenagers. Historic brands include Levi's, Lee, and Wrangler...
. All are embroidered with the FUBU logo. Most of the products, such as the jeans, are imported from around the world. FUBU has now expanded to include various lines such as Platinum FUBU, FUBU footwear for men and women, intimate apparel, active wear, swimwear, watches, FUBU suits, and FUBU tuxedos. The Platinum FUBU collection also includes the M.Ali, Fat Albert
Fat Albert
Fat Albert may refer to:* Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, a cartoon show* Fat Albert , a 1973 comedy album by Bill Cosby* Fat Albert , a 2004 live-action film...
and Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
clothing lines.
In 1995, South Korean company Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
invested in the New York-based clothing company.
At its peak, FUBU grossed over $350 million dollars in annual worldwide sales. FUBU have received several honors for their entrepreneurial achievements. These include two Congressional Awards, two NAACP Awards, the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
Award, the Christopher Wallace Award, the Online Hip-Hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
Award and a Citation of Honor from the Queens Borough President.
FUBU Records
From 2001 to 2003 FUBU also established a record label, first releasing a compilation album entitled The Good LifeThe Good Life (FUBU album)
The Good Life is a compilation album released by clothing company FUBU in conjunction with Universal Records. It was released on September 11, 2001 and consisted of a blend of hip hop and contemporary R&B. The Good Life peaked at 52 on the Billboard 200 and 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.One...
in 2001 and then an album by the 54th Platoon
54th Platoon
The 54th Platoon was an American rap group who were the only artists signed to the short-lived FUBU Records. The group consisted of four members, JS, TL, Big Nut and Nu Black, all of whom came from New Orleans. 54th Platoon first released two independent albums in 1999 and 2000 entitled From...
entitled All or Nothin'
All or Nothin'
All or Nothin' is the debut album by rap group, 54th Platoon. It was released on September 24, 2002 as the only studio album released through the shortlived FUBU Records. On the album, 54th Platoon collaborated with several of hip hop's top producers, including Ty Fyffe, Lil Jon, Antwan "Amadeus"...
in 2003. Though both albums made it to the Billboard charts, neither was a commercial success and FUBU shut down its record label after the release of All or Nothin.
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
U.S. R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
||
| 2001 | The Good Life The Good Life (FUBU album) The Good Life is a compilation album released by clothing company FUBU in conjunction with Universal Records. It was released on September 11, 2001 and consisted of a blend of hip hop and contemporary R&B. The Good Life peaked at 52 on the Billboard 200 and 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.One...
|
52 | 9 |