Rappers know more about branding than you do—here's proof

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably noticed that rappers aren’t only making music.

They’re now running fashion brands. Or they're at least receiving the title of “Creative Director.” Depending on the brand, this can mean anything from “actual decision-maker” to “glorified marketing stunt.”

Last month, ASAP Rocky became the creative director of Ray-Ban, adding another name to the growing list of hip-hop artists stepping into these roles. He joins Pharrell at Louis Vuitton, Lil Yachty at Nautica, and Tyler, the Creator at Lacoste—all artists who have long been influential in style but are now making it official.

So, why is this trend a thing? And what can brands learn here?

1. Hip hop doesn't follow trends, it sets them.

Hip-hop is fashion. Always has been. From Run-D.M.C. making Adidas cool in the 80s to Kanye single-handedly reviving dad shoes, rappers have dictated style forever. Unlike traditional fashion execs who study consumer trends from a distance, these artists set the trends in real-time, often without trying.

A rapper wearing a brand can do more than a million-dollar campaign. Just ask Rick Owens, whose entire cultural cachet in the 2010s came from A$AP Rocky name-dropping him in his breakout hit, "Peso". The visuals for Ye’s “Wolves” doubled as a Balmain campaign, putting the brand back on the map after years of collecting dust.

2. These artists understand branding better than most brands.

The best rappers do more than make music. They literally build worlds. Think about Tyler, the Creator—his music, clothing brand Golf Wang, visuals, and even the way he talks all feel cohesive. That’s branding.

The same goes for Pharrell, whose entire aesthetic—bold colours, statement pieces, unique textures and silhouettes —has carried through every project he’s touched, from Billionaire Boys Club to his current reign at Louis Vuitton. These artists instinctively know how to turn a style into a movement—which is exactly what fashion brands crave.

3. Authenticity is currency (and they have it in spades).

People can smell a forced collaboration from a mile away. (See: every out-of-touch luxury brand trying to “connect with the youth” by throwing a random TikTok influencer in a campaign.) What makes these rapper-creative director pairings work is that they actually make sense. Tyler x Lacoste felt right because his preppy-meets-skater style already had a country club-meets-weird-kid vibe.

Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton? A no-brainer given his decades-long friendship with the brand and former CD, the late and great Virgil. And ASAP Rocky designing sunglasses? The man is barely ever seen without them. It was inevitable. When a rapper steps into the role organically, it feels less like a gimmick and more like an extension of their already-established taste.

My fave artist/brand collabs:

• Pharrell at Louis Vuitton

• Tyler, the Creator x Lacoste

• Lil Yachty x Nautica

• ASAP Rocky x Ray-Ban

So, what can we learn here?

The best brand partnerships don’t sell products. They create moments. Rappers as creative directors are a natural evolution because fashion and music have always been connected. The difference now is that brands are finally recognising their influence. If this trend continues (and it will), we’ll see more artists stepping into these roles—but the real winners will be the brands that actually let them cook.

-Sophie, Writer