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Zedekiya Okutoyi

@zeddieloky

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Scientific Creator @blkburdgenes @genesbyblkburd @blkburdgenessport @naroknyc

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How it all began!

Jay-Z was spotted wearing the @Blkburdgenes Future Vintage Collectible T-shirt of the 19th century Riyadha Mosque and Islamic Center Lamu, which is one of the main attractions of the Archipelago, as he left a restaurant in Santa Monica, California, on March 30, 2021, according to CNN.

The leaders of the Riyadha mosque had objected to the T-shirt, saying it could not be worn in “sacrilegious places” such as bars.

Worshippers became angry when they saw photos on a WhatsApp group of US music mogul Jay-Z wearing the mosque-printed T-shirt.

Mr. Abubakar Badawy, the secretary general of Riyadha Mosque and Islamic Center, said, “Many people were angry about this and thought that the officials who run the mosque were involved.”

Lamu is a UNESO-listed world heritage site and the 19th-century mosque is a major tourist attraction. It is one of the oldest continuously functioning Islamic educational institutions in East Africa, with manuscripts dating back to 1837.

#BlkburdGenes #JayZ #HOV #RiyadhaMosqueLamu #LamuArchipelago #UnescoWorldHeritageSite #FutureVintageCollectibles #Lamu taken in Lamu Island, Kenya by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

LA for Lamu Archipelago #TBT @Easymoneysniper in @BlkburdGenes LA Future Vintage Collectible 👕 styled by @Nchimunya.

#LamuArchitecture #FutureVintageCollectible #BlkburdGenes #KevinDurant #Lamu #NBA #Vintage taken in New York, New York by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

Just vibes @VogueBusiness

📸 @lainezim

#ArtBasel #VogueBusiness #BlkburdGenes #Meta #Web3 taken in Miami Beach, Florida by @zeddieloky

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4 years ago

“AFRICA IS AWAKE” FVC 👕 taken in Africa/Nairobi by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

“10 years of embracing timeless style and mastering the art of dressing up as a Man Of Nash!

Here’s to a decade of sophistication, elegance, and sartorial excellence. Cheers to many more stylish years ahead! 🎉👔 #ManOfNash #DecadeOfStyle #TimelessElegance @alexandernashnyc” taken in Alexander Nash by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

Cheers to @bradleytheodore, a visionary artist and modern-day Basquiat! Wishing the genius behind the vibrant strokes of art a birthday as colorful and inspiring as his masterpieces. 🎨✨ #ArtisticGenius #BradleyTheodoreBirthday #KenyanArtTour #BTH #BradleyTheodore taken in Nairobi, Kenya by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

Happy Bornday, @bigjimmoowombee! Countless laughs and memories bind us as brothers. Here’s to celebrating you today, my brother and business partner. Cheers! 🎉

#BlkburdGenes #ATCG taken in Génes by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

Last week, @blkburdgenes welcomed @djimoserodio, the founder of @silvi.earth, to Kenya as part of our ongoing collaboration to support forest restoration efforts. Our journey took us to Kakamega Forest Station, where Silvi is actively engaged in propagation work alongside local Community Forest Associations (CFAs). Silvi also introduced the locals to their innovative technology.

Additionally, we had the privilege of visiting the South Western Mau ecosystem in partnership with @rhino.ark & @kenyaforestservice, assessing their progress in restoring the SW. Mau Forest with the assistance of CFAs from the Ogiek community. Silvi played a vital role in educating the community about their Measurement, Reporting & Verification methodologies, by registering several tree species they had helped plant.

Stay tuned for the upcoming release of the Kakamega Forest FVC 👕! @blkburdgenes x @silvi.earth x @rhino.ark x @kenyaforestservice!

#BlkburdGenes #Silvi #RhinoArk #KenyaForestService #Reforestation #KakamegaForest #SouthWestMauForest #Forest #Fashion #Technology taken in Kakamega Forest Station by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

𝒁𝒆𝒅𝒆’𝑲𝒊𝒂𝒉 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒂𝒔 “𝑻𝒛𝒊𝒅𝒒𝒊𝒚𝒚𝒂𝒉𝒖” - 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔; 𝑮𝒐𝒅’𝒔 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆.

𝑼𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒁𝒆𝒅𝒆’𝑲𝒊𝒂𝒉 𝑳𝒐𝒌𝒚 𝑭𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑽𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 👕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒎𝒚 34𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓!

𝑾𝒆'𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 34 𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑭𝑽𝑪 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 & 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐'𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. 🎉👕

#𝑻𝒛𝒊𝒅𝒒𝒊𝒚𝒚𝒂𝒉𝒖 #𝒁𝒆𝒅𝒆’𝑲𝒊𝒂𝒉𝑳𝒐𝒌𝒚 #34 #𝑭𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝑽𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔 #𝑩𝒍𝒌𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒅𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔 #𝑭𝑽𝑪 #𝑫𝒆𝒚𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚 #𝑮𝒐𝒅𝒔𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 #𝒀𝑯𝑾𝑯 #𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 taken in Nairobi, Kenya by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

“Lamu UNESCO World Heritage Site, FVC 👕 @blkburdgenes”

📸 @kofmotivation

#LamuUnescoWorldHeritageSite #BlkburdGenes #FutureVintageCollectible #Lamu taken in Miami, Florida by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

"Embracing the passage of time, for within it, our masterpiece unfolds. We’re done crafting magic for our upcoming collection, soon to be unveiled! @Blkburdgenes x @Silvi.earth”

👕 x 🌳 #KKFFVC ✨⏳

“In the frame: @Bigjimmoowombee, lens by @Lainezim, @Voguebusiness #Event @Artbasel

#TimeTouchedArtistry #UnveilingCreativity #BlkburdGenes #Silvi #SilviEarth #Reforestation #KakamegaForest #FutureVintageCollectible #VogueBusiness #ArtBasel taken in Miami Beach, Florida by @zeddieloky

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3 years ago

"From Controversy to Understanding: Embracing Lamu Culture and Heritage 🕌👕✨

As the Creative Director of @Blkburdgenes, I embarked on a visionary journey to design a future vintage t-shirt that paid homage to the rich history of Lamu. Our goal was to create collectibles that celebrated historical sites and significant moments, including the iconic Riyadha Lamu mosque.

However, our artistic endeavor unintentionally sparked controversy when Jay-Z was spotted wearing Blkburd Genes Future Vintage T-shirt showing Lamu's Riyadha Mosque on March 30, as he came out of a restaurant in Santa Monica, California, angering the Muslim sheikhs and the Lamu community. I took full responsibility for the oversight and immediately offered a sincere apology. Fortunately, the Muslim clerics and community in Lamu graciously accepted our company's apology.

Seeking to bridge the divide and foster understanding, I traveled to Kenya to meet with the Muslim clerics early in the year. I humbly explained our company's mission, emphasizing our dedication to promoting cultural heritage and tourism awareness through our unique designs. Witnessing the t-shirt showcasing the magnificent Riyadha Lamu mosque, the community recognized the genuine intent behind our work.

To our delight, the Mosque’s Secretary-General Abubakar Badawy, embraced our efforts wholeheartedly. He saw the potential of our designs in enhancing the rich Lamu culture and raising awareness about this historically significant site. With his approval, we were encouraged to continue our creative endeavors responsibly, respecting the sanctity and importance of the landmarks we feature.

BLKBURD GENES remains dedicated to creating future vintage collectibles that not only celebrate history but also unite communities through mutual respect and appreciation. Our journey continues, propelled by the spirit of cultural enrichment and responsible artistic expression. Together, let's embrace the beauty of diversity and create a world where heritage and creativity coexist harmoniously."

#BlkburdGenes #FVC👕 #Lamu #RiyadhaMosqueLamu #JayZ taken in Lamu Archipelago by @zeddieloky

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