Exodus and Slayer guitarist Gary Holt recently addressed longstanding myths about his infamous ‘Kill the Kardashians’ t-shirt business. While the shirt has been profitable on a modest scale, he has not made more money from it than from Exodus records. “I felt so bad when I was at the Back to the Beginning concert because I had a genuine Kardashian watching my show on the side stage,” Holt said, recalling an awkward moment with Kourtney Kardashian. “I always said it’s more about killing America’s world’s fascination with celebrity than anything. I got no beef with them whatsoever.”
Holt shared positive experiences with members of the Kardashian family. He met Travis Barker and later sold a guitar to someone working for Kylie Jenner Beauty, describing her as “a really, really nice person.” The shirt’s message was never meant literally. A friend originally created it for him.
The ‘Kill the Kardashians’ shirt has become one of the most recognizable symbols in the ongoing cultural clash between the metal community and celebrity pop culture. The controversy originated when Holt began wearing the provocative shirt around 2015. A friend named Jack created it, knowing of Holt’s strong dislike for the Kardashians and their influence on popular culture. What started as a personal statement quickly evolved into viral merchandise through No Love Apparel, sparking widespread debate about the message and its implications.
The shirt’s origins were rooted in Holt’s frustration with celebrity culture and the appropriation of metal aesthetics by those unfamiliar with the music itself. The controversy intensified significantly when Kendall Jenner wore a Slayer shirt at Coachella in 2014. Many in the metal community viewed this as disrespectful appropriation of band merchandise by someone who didn’t genuinely support the music. This moment became the catalyst for Holt’s response, transforming the shirt into a statement about gatekeeping and authenticity within metal culture rather than a literal threat against the family.
Despite the provocative wording, Holt has consistently maintained that his criticism targets the system that elevated the Kardashians to prominence rather than the family members themselves as individuals. The shirt became a symbol of satire and anti-celebrity commentary. It represented broader frustrations within the metal community about how pop culture icons were commodifying and trivializing metal imagery without understanding its significance. The back-and-forth between Holt and the Kardashian family even escalated when Kim Kardashian created a response shirt reading ‘Kill Gary Holt,’ turning the controversy into a meme-like cultural exchange.
Over the years, Holt has reiterated that he doesn’t actually hate the Kardashians as people. His criticism is directed at the celebrity obsession and commercialism they represent. His willingness to engage with members of the family in positive ways demonstrates that his criticism has always been directed at celebrity culture itself rather than personal animosity. The shirt controversy ultimately became less about the Kardashians and more about a guitarist’s commentary on authenticity, respect for metal culture, and the absurdity of celebrity worship in modern society.
