NJ Bloodline have publicly alleged that their merchandise was recently bootlegged through a Shopify store they believe is either operated by, or connected to, Joe “Hardcore” McKay, as reported by Lambgoat. McKay is best known as the founder of the annual ‘This Is Hardcore Fest‘ and as the vocalist for Shattered Realm.
According to the band, they began investigating the source of the unauthorized merch after discovering a bootleg design being sold through the “Die With Your Boots On” online shop. On January 3, NJ Bloodline took to social media to address the situation and share their findings, writing:
“Livebytheboot Instagram page and their bootlegging ass website ‘die with your boots on’ still has the fake a** Tiger Style t shirt on their site. Do not buy from these grifters. You aren’t supporting NJBL by buying from them.”
The band continued to document their efforts publicly as they pressed further into the matter. According to NJ Bloodline, those efforts ultimately led to the shirt being taken down from the Shopify store. They addressed the removal in a social media update shared on January 4, stating:
“The bootleg Tiger Style tshirt has been removed from the ‘die with your boots on’ website. It’s never cool to bootleg IP from artists. Don’t buy bootleg s**t.
Bootleggers… you are parasites that devalue art. “
On Tuesday, January 06th, the band publicly accused McKay of being involved with the bootlegging, writing:
“As it turns out, the bootlegger of our Tiger Style shirt is non other than Joe ‘Hardcore’ McKay.”
“After finally talking with him he says this is normal in the scene today. He blamed us for not making our own merch. His friends run the site and do the printing. We got him to pull the thumbnail on the homepage but the shirt page is still active.”
“He’s avoiding us now and won’t respond to repeated texts and calls to remove the shirt.”
“Do not support Joe Hardcore, as he is a lying grifter. This is as unhardcore as it gets.”
The band provided further details regarding their stance:
“Joe hardcore is a bootlegger.”
“If he had nothing to do with it, then he wouldn’t be able to get the thumbnail on the homepage of the fraud site pulled down.”
“We had an agreement that he would pull it down on Sunday before 6pm.”
“Judge for yourself on whether not he is a lying grifter.”
They went on to add:
“Proof Joe clowncore is a bootlegger. How can you have the site remove the shirt by an agreed upon time if you ain’t involved? Shady bi**h #joehardcore #thisishardcore #njbloodline #njhc #bootleggers”
As of now, McKay has not issued a public response to the allegations leveled against him by the band.
