Daymond John denounced a scripted television series about the Hip-Hop fashion brand FUBU, which he co-founded in 1992. John declared he had nothing to do with the TV show, calling it an unauthorized production.
“It was news to me,” John told TMZ. “It’s not authorized. You can’t have a FUBU story without Daymond John, the founder and the CEO. I thought it was clickbait. It’s definitely not ‘For You By Me’ … It’s one of those unauthorized ones.”
Deadline reported on Radar Pictures and For Us By Us Studios developing a FUBU show on Monday (June 17). FUBU co-founder J. Alexander Martin is involved in the project.
“FUBU as always been about empowerment and breaking boundaries,” Martin said. “Partnering with Radar Pictures allows us to tell our story authentically and with the respect it deserves. We are eager to showcase the journey of FUBU from a small startup to a global brand, and the impact it has had on our culture.”
John said he wasn’t involved in any talks regarding the Martin-backed production. The Shark Tank cast member wanted to see FUBU’s story explored in film or television but disapproved of Radar Pictures developing the show.
“I haven’t had any discussions about that stuff,” John said. “I’m having discussions with people. And I’ve been talking about it for 10, 20 years ‘cause I think it’s a great story. But some people just take the liberty to—anybody can write a story! You can write the FUBU story, your understanding FUBU. I don’t know.”
He added, “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime story, so we’re waiting for the right people to do it. Because we only have one shot at doing it right, not unauthorized.”
FUBU was co-founded by John, Martin, Keith Perrin and Carl Brown. It grew from humble origins into a $60 billion company.
