Popular rapper Snoop Dogg recently faced criticism online for his promotion of his wine brand 19 Crimes at a local Kroger during Black History Month. Moreover, the small town grocery store featured promotional posters and messages that many found particularly insensitive.
According to WSB-TV Channel 2, patrons at a Kroger on Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree City, Georgia are not happy with the promo stunts. There’s a life-size cutout of Snoop promoting 19 Crimes, and next to it is the bulletin board that caught people’s ire. For example, its featured phrases like “Dream Like Martin” and “Say it loud, I’m Black and proud” struck many as a slap in the face.
Furthermore, the promotional posters stood next to bottles of bubbly from Dogg’s label and also Black Girl Magic Wine. Even if they were selling a million bucks for a dollar, people didn’t take kindly to the messages. “I just felt that it was offensive,” former president of the local NAACP Johnnie Jones told WSB-TV Chanel 2. “They really promoting alcohol. Proud of drinking wine? No. We’re proud of the Tuskegee Airmen whose shoulders I stand on.”
Also, he said the store should honor leaders like Atlanta’s first Black Mayor or the first Black Mayor of Fayetteville. “We need to be thirsty for knowledge,” he added. In addition, other customers chimed in on the signs in the report. “It’s very negative,” added Michael Drummond. What’s more is that some defended them and didn’t see a problem with them. “I didn’t think there was anything wrong with showing a display of Snoop,” customer Pam Lewis shared. “I mean, if you want to drink wine whether it’s Black History Month or not it shouldn’t really make any difference.”
Some customers say selling wine has nothing to do with celebrating Black History Month. https://t.co/fdC3KNnqw0
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) February 17, 2023
