Brilliance Limited · Limited Art Apparel

SMOOTH CRIMINAL

50 pieces

They accused him of being the criminal. The industry was the guilty party.

$79.99 Shipping calculated at checkout

Edition of 50 · Numbered as it's pressed · Closes permanently

The Work

07.26.68. The day he was signed into the music industry. For some that was the beginning of the stardom. For others it reads as a life sentence served in public.

He was my favorite artist growing up. I felt a connection to him before I understood why. He was raised a Jehovah's Witness, the same as me, and I heard something in the music that sounded like it knew what that costs. This piece is about how smooth he was. It's also about who the actual criminal was.

The gold teeth are deliberate. They're how the industry markets Black youth in entertainment now: the shine sold back to you as identity while you're being moved as inventory. The portrait asks a simple question. If he arrived in 2026 instead of 1968, what would they have made him look like? Same voice. Same machine. Different packaging.

Printed front and back with a layered DTF process, pressed to order by hand. The illustration, the record, and the press are the same pair of hands. No fulfillment house has ever touched this garment.

What's Included

  • — Smooth Criminal TeeNumbered and pressed to order by Tree
  • — Numbered collector's art printThe original artwork, matched to your piece
  • — Certificate of AuthenticityNaming your piece and its number
  • — Digital downloadSmooth Criminal, written, produced, and recorded by Tree of Lyfe

Specifications

Edition
50 pieces, numbered
Fit
Oversized box
Sizes
S to 3XL
Color
Black
Fabric
7.0 oz, 30 singles cotton
Print
Layered DTF, front and back
Made
By hand, in the USA
Paired release
Smooth Criminal
Details
7.0 oz, 30 singles, 100% combed ring-spun cotton, soft-washed. Oversized relaxed fit, drop shoulder, side-seamed. Reinforced neckline with a 1-inch 1x1 ribbed collar. Single-needle edge stitch, tear-away label. Layered DTF prints front and back. WRAP-accredited blank. Made to order by Tree in the USA.
Size and fit
Oversized relaxed fit. For a standard fit, size down. Chest measured flat one inch below the armhole, length from high point of shoulder to hem, in inches. S: chest 22, length 28.25. M: 24, 29.25. L: 26, 30.25. XL: 28, 31.25. 2XL: 30, 32.5. 3XL: 32, 33.5. All sales are final, so confirm your size before ordering. Unsure? Email inquiries@blmtd.com.
Shipping
Made to order. Ships in 7 to 10 business days, with tracking sent by email once your piece leaves the studio. Domestic US shipping, rates calculated at checkout.
Returns
All sales are final. Every order is inspected and packed personally. If your piece arrives damaged or is not what you ordered, email inquiries@blmtd.com within 7 days of delivery with photos and it will be replaced.

What buyers say

Brilliance Limited · BLMTD.com Artist-made · Numbered editions · Never restocked