In a past interview with ET Canada, Metallica frontman James Hetfield did not hold back when addressing the controversial fashion move made by the Jenner sisters. The rock icon expressed his frustration over Kendall and Kylie Jenner’s infamous attempt to sell vintage-style T-shirts featuring their own faces superimposed over classic band logos, including Metallica.
Speaking while on the road with Metallica’s WorldWired Tour, which was launched in support of their 2016 album Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, Hetfield made it clear that he found the Jenner sisters’ actions disrespectful to the legacy of metal music.
“I guess what they were thinking is, ‘We can do whatever we want,’” Hetfield remarked in the interview. “To me, it’s disrespectful. We’ve spent 36 years working hard, doing our best to keep a really close connection with people, [to] make every note count. And someone just throws something up over something that we feel—not that it’s sacred or anything, but show some respect.”
The backlash against the Jenner sisters was immediate when they first launched their controversial T-shirt line, which featured their faces and initials over iconic band logos, including Metallica, The Doors, Pink Floyd, and The Notorious B.I.G. Fans, musicians, and even family members of deceased artists called them out for exploiting music culture for profit.
Following the widespread outrage, the Jenners quickly pulled the merchandise from sale and issued an apology. “These designs were not well thought out, and we deeply apologize to anyone that has been upset and/or offended, especially to the artists, their families, and the fans,” the statement read.
Despite the apology, the incident left a sour taste in the mouths of many rock and metal fans, reinforcing the ongoing debate about fashion brands appropriating rock and metal culture without respecting its history. For Hetfield and countless other musicians, it wasn’t just about the imagery—it was about the hard work and passion that goes into making music, something they felt was reduced to a mere fashion statement.
