For years, Kanye West and Virgil Abloh were two names that felt almost impossible to separate when talking about Hip-Hop’s takeover of the fashion world. Before Abloh became the founder of Off-White and made history at Louis Vuitton, he was part of Ye’s creative circle, helping turn some of the rapper’s biggest musical eras into full-fledged visual worlds. Together, they were among a generation of Black creatives determined to force their way into spaces that weren’t exactly welcoming them with open arms.
But their relationship was apparently more complicated than the public knew. During a recent appearance on The Jason Lee Show, A$AP Rocky claimed Ye was responsible for cooling his once-close relationship with Abloh. Rocky remembered spending time with Virgil and his crew in Harlem and said A$AP Mob was “heavy” with them before Ye allegedly “deaded” the situation after seeing how much creative work Virgil was doing for Rocky. Abloh served as creative for Rocky’s 2013 debut album Long.Live.A$AP and directed the Rihanna-starring “Fashion Killa” video.
Jason Lee repeatedly asked whether Rocky believed jealousy was behind Ye’s actions, but Rocky stopped short of putting that label on him, stressing that Ye was still “his man.” Still, the story adds another layer to what we now know about Ye and Abloh’s friendship. Years later, Ye himself would acknowledge experiencing jealousy when Virgil reached one of fashion’s highest positions.
Their story is bigger than jealousy or a falling out, though. Ye and Virgil spent years dreaming about entering an industry that rarely gave Black men from Hip-Hop that kind of access, and both ultimately helped change it. Their relationship included friendship, mentorship, collaboration, competition and, at times, obvious tension. Even during its messiest chapters, it remained one of the most consequential creative partnerships of their generation. Here’s a look back at the complicated relationship between Kanye West and Virgil Abloh.