The title of “hip hop designer,” given to the late Virgil Abloh at the 2022 Grammys, has been widely criticized.
For one, it speaks to the historic failures of the Grammys to appropriately recognize the contributions of Black artists. The most memorable recent example came when the voting body scrapped the term “urban” in 2020—which referred to records predominantly made by Black musicians—after Tyler, the Creator spoke out at the ceremony the year prior. “It sucks that whenever we—and I mean guys that look like me—do anything that’s genre-bending they always put it in a rap or urban category,” he said.
For many, pigeonholing Abloh specifically as a hip-hop designer carried many of the same connotations, minimizing his impact across a multitude of genres in a manner that could easily be interpreted as racially charged. While Abloh was certainly proud of his influence within the world of hip-hop, and the associations with the genre are far from derogatory, it felt like a flattening of his wider contributions to music culture.
The moniker also overlooks his contributions to music outside of the world of fashion, with no mention of the fact he himself had been a Grammy nominee, nor that he had an impressive side career as a DJ. The need for a short description is understandable, but including “DJ” or “producer” in addition to designer would have felt like a more fitting eulogy.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Grammys live: TJ Osborne gets emotional after Grammy winTJ Osborne has given an emotional speech at the Grammy Awards after winning an award with his brother John for their song “Younger Me.”.
Read more »
Grammys live: TJ Osborne gets emotional after Grammy winTJ Osborne has given an emotional speech at the Grammy Awards after winning an award with his brother for their song “Younger Me.” Osborne, who came out as gay last year, fought back tears as he reflected on the moment and the support he’s received.
Read more »
Grammys live: Olivia Rodrigo wins first Grammy AwardLAS VEGAS (AP) — The Latest on the 64th annual Grammy Awards, being presented Sunday in Las Vegas (all times local):
Read more »
Grammys live| Silk Sonic wins Grammy for song of the yearFoo Fighters have won three Grammys just days after the death of their drummer Taylor Hawkins, and BTS has arrived at the Grammys full strength after one of their members recently tested positive for COVID-19.
Read more »
Grammys live: Silk Sonic wins Grammy for song of the yearGet the latest on the 64th annual Grammy Awards here:
Read more »
Grammys: Full winners list, results from 2022 Grammy AwardsWinners include Jon Batiste, Olivia Rodrigo, Foo Fighters, Silk Sonic and Louis CK.
Read more »