While Virgil Abloh is best known for his work with Off-White, and most recently, with Louis Vuitton, his impact on music and the music industry is undeniable. His designs graced the covers of some of the most iconic albums of the last twenty years, and his ability to flow between disciplines and maintain his status as a fashion mogul and one of the most sought after DJs in the world inspired a generation to be everything they could be creatively.
Since his death on Sunday, tributes to the late legend have poured in across all social media. Drake, Frank Ocean, Young Thug and so many others from the combined world of fashion and music paid their respects to Abloh, sharing memories and the reasons why Virgil inspired them to achieve greatness.
Yesterday, Chicago rapper Vic Mensa released “What You Taught Us,” a record dedicated to Abloh. Reminiscing about past experiences alongside Virgil and what he meant to the culture, and to Chicago specifically, Mensa spends two minutes painting a picture of a man who was larger than life and determined to open every door he could for future generations.
On “What You Taught Us,” Mensa pens a beautiful tribute to Abloh, a man who meant so much to the fashion and hip hop communities, and whose legacy will live on through the art he created, and the art he inspired.
Quotable Lyrics
You showed us we could all be designers
Have our own destinies of our legacies, our environment
From Chicago streets to Paris fashion weeks
Above and beyond
The limitations they placed on us
That’s what you taught us