Page 15 - Florida Sentinel 3-8-19

News From Around The Nation
FUBU Is About To Make A Comeback
More blood pressure drugs are being recalled after being found to contain trace amounts of a potentially can- cer-causing ingredient, one of a slew of recalls of medica- tions to treat hypertension.
Since last summer, drug companies have recalled hundreds of lots of blood pressure and heart medica- tion drugs after tests showed small levels of potentially cancer-causing impurities.
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration weighed in on the recalls of multiple generic angiotensin II recep- tor blocker, or ARB, drugs, on Friday, saying the impuri- ties may be the result of chemical reactions that occur in the drugmaking process or from the reuse of materials, such as solvents.
"Over the past few months, the FDA has conducted a
major investigation and has worked with drug companies to address the presence of impurities in these prod- ucts," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a state- ment.
The latest such cases on Friday had two pharmaceuti- cal firms expanding previous recalls.
Torrent Pharmaceuticals widened its recall to include 114 additional lots of losartan potassium and losartan potassium/hydrochloroth- iazide combination tablets,
the company announced late Friday. Earlier in the day, Aurobindo Pharma added 38 lots of Valsartan and Am- lodipine and Valsartan tablets to a recall that started with 80 lots at the end of De- cember. The recalled prod- ucts have expiration dates ranging from October 2019 to July 2020.
The expanded recall comes a day after Camber Pharmaceuticals recalled 87 lots of Losartan Potassium, a prescription drug used to treat high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Dis- tributed nationwide online and by pharmacies and re- tailers including Walmart and Sam's Club, the drug was found to contain trace amounts of a potential human carcinogen, the New Jersey drug company said in a news release.
Founders of FUBU, Keith Perrin, Daymond John, J. Alexander Martin and Carl Brown.
More Blood Pressure Drugs Recalled Due To Cancer Risk
There is no doubt FUBU continues to impact the cul- ture. With an episode of At- lanta dedicated to the Black streetwear brand, and a 2016 Solange song invoking the glorious "For Us, By Us" phrase, millennials have not forgotten what FUBU meant to the 1990s and early 2000s. In a renewed effort to reestablish the fashion brand's dominance, last week FUBU announced a collabo- ration with New York fashion powerhouse Century 21. The capsule collection will intro- duce 10 classic-inspired styles.
Founded in 1992 by Day- mond John, Keith Perrin, J. Alexander Martin and Carl Brown, FUBU had its most successful years during the 1990s and early 2000s but lost some influence due to business decisions — the company decided to retreat from U. S. markets. It started small with only $40 in assets that eventually grew into a $6 billion fashion empire.
"The biggest mistake we made with the brand was buying more inventory than we needed. This was around 2001," John told Complex. "I think overseas respects and values the hip-hop culture in America, and FUBU is syn- onymous with hip-hop and streetwear. But today I con- sider FUBU American clas- sics. I mean, there was a time when we had a really success- ful bedding line."
In the last few years, the brand gained popularity in countries like South Africa, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia and Korea as a skate brand.
The capsule will be the first new FUBU product fea- tured in the campaign dubbed "Can't Resist a Clas- sic." Century 21 Chief Mer- chandising Officer Michael Wolkoff believes the collab-
oration will reignite a love for the streetwear brand among fans of the original FUBU.
"Century 21 is so excited to be a part of this next chap- ter in the FUBU brand story," said Wolkoff in a press re- lease. "It is our passion to bring our loyal shoppers ac- cess to the iconic brands they love and this capsule defi- nitely fits the bill. We can't wait for original fans of the brand to line up as well as the next generation of shoppers to discover it in our store."
Fans had a chance to meet the founders March 1 at Cen- tury 21's downtown Manhat- tan location during a meet-and-greet.
The fashion brand's im- pact goes well beyond cloth- ing. When it emerged, it influenced music and TV. Speaking with Complex, Carl Brown said Century 21 would help reintroduce the brand to 18- to 34-year-olds. Perrin piggybacked on this idea to reaffirm the brand's commitment to serving Black culture at the highest level.
"FUBU was always built on hip-hop culture. When we came up with the name, we were thinking about how we spend so much money mak- ing other brands rich, but it wasn't only meant for Black people," Perrin told Com- plex. "We were trying to say that we are of the culture and for it."
The FUBU brand could also be expanding beyond fashion.
"We feel like we haven't touched the surface on how big it can be," said Brown. "FUBU is not just a clothing line. It's radio, television, and hotels. It's a lifestyle that can play [in] many categories."
This collection will be ex- clusively available online and at Century 21's brick-and- mortar stores.
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