The Recording Academy Faces Backlash for Calling Virgil Abloh a "Hip-Hop Fashion Designer"

Over the weekend, The Recording Academy paid tribute to the late Virgil Abloh with. However, they immediately faced backlash for labelling the prolific innovator as a “hip-hop fashion designer” during the Grammys “In Memoriam” segment.

Abloh, who was the artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton and his own brand, Off-White, broke barriers across various industries and solidified himself as a multi-hyphenate. With a lengthy resumé, the designer had a long list of achievements that includes his collaborations with Nike, Ikea, creative direction for many of Kanye West‘s albums, as well as receiving a Master of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology. The ceremony also made no mention of the fact that he was previously Grammy-nominated for Best Recording Package for his work on JAY-Z and Ye’s Watch the Throne album.

Fans immediately took to Twitter to express their disapproval of the label and reminded The Recording Academy that he was more than just a designer. One fan pointed out, “Virgil’s tribute should’ve just been something along the lines of ‘GRAMMY Nominated Visual Artist and Fashion Designer.’ Including the word “hip hop” was unnecessary.” Take a look at some reactions below.

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