The Best Louis Vuitton Lyrics and References in Hip-Hop

From 50 Cent's “Ghetto Quran” to Pop Smoke's “Christopher Walking”, these are the best Louis Vuitton rap lyrics & hip-hop references of all time.

Best Louis Vuitton References in Hip Hop and Rap
Complex Original
Best Louis Vuitton References in Hip Hop and Rap

This year, Pharrell became Louis Vuitton’s creative director of menswear. It was a monumental moment for hip-hop culture. After hip-hop culture inspired luxury brands for years, one of its most stylish icons was finally put in the driver’s seat. And it was especially fitting that Louis Vuitton was the first house to do this. 

There is definitely no shortage of brand references in hip-hop. In fact, we've heard rappers mention sneaker brands, alcohol companies, and even tech conglomerates like Apple and its counterpart, Microsoft. But of course, there have also been plenty of fashion label mentions. Often, they name-drop labels and designer names to prove their style is unmatched and to show their fashion knowledge. In the '90s it was Versace, Tommy Hilfiger, and even Ralph Lauren. But one brand that remains timelessly fresh in the eyes of rappers is Louis Vuitton. 

Whether it was belts, Takashi Murakami duffel bags, or Louis Vuitton sneakers by Virgil Abloh, MCs have been shouting out the French fashion house left and right. Cam'ron did it to show how he showers his girls with gifts. 2 Chainz vowed that when he died, he would be buried inside a Louis Vuitton store. And of course, Kanye West, the Louis Vuitton Don himself, certainly referenced the brand more times than we could count. Louis Vuitton has definitely enjoyed great success in the realm of rap. Here are some of the best Louis Vuitton references in hip-hop.

Sir Mix-a-Lot "Swap Meet Louie" (1992)

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Lyrics: "She says 'I wanna make your girlfriend look good' / Start buying all your Louie in the hood / And you’re sprung, on the two for one / Fake Louis is at the swap meet, son"

One of the best, and funniest, songs from Sir Mix-A-Lot’s 1992 album Mack Daddy has to be “Swap Meet Louie.” The entire track is an ode to anyone who’s gotten finessed when buying Louis Vuitton at a swap meet or flea market. Yes, that Louis Vuitton bag being sold for $50 on Canal Street is just too good to be true. There were a lot of LV references in this song, so it was tough to narrow it down to just one line. But this one's pretty funny and true. Chances are, you know someone who's shopped at the swap meet for a monogram belt or wallet. 

50 Cent “Ghetto Quran” (1999)

50 Cent Wearing Louis Vuitton

Cam’ron “Soap Opera” (2004)

Cam'ron in Dapper Dan Louis Vuitton Bootleg

Kanye West "Last Call" (2004)

Kanye West Wearing Louis Vuitton

Kanye West "Stronger" (2007)

Kanye West Wearing Louis Vuitton

Jay Z "Jockin' Jay-Z" (2008)

Jay Z Wearing Louis Vuitton

Kanye West "I'm The Shit (Remix)" (2009)

Kanye West With Marc Jacobs of Louis Vuitton

Big Sean on "Fat Raps (Remix)" (2010)

Wale "Lotus Flower Bomb" (2011)

Wale Wearing Louis Vuitton

2 Chainz "Birthday Song" (2012)

2 Chainz Wearing Louis Vuitton on Stage

Pharrell on "Pretty Flacko (Remix)" (2012)

Pharrell Williams Wearing Louis Vuitton

Skepta “That’s Not Me” (2014)

Skepta Wearing Louis Vuitton

Lil Uzi Vert “Seven Million” (2016)

Lil Uzi Vert Wearing Louis Vuitton

Travis Scott “High Fashion” (2016)

Travis Scott Wearing Louis Vuitton

Playboi Carti “Run it Up” (2019)

Playboi Carti Wearing Louis Vuitton

Westside Gunn “Scotties” (2019)

Westside Gunn at the Louis Vuitton FW20 Runway Show

Pop Smoke “Christopher Walking” (2020)

Pop Smoke Wearing Louis Vuitton

Lil Durk and Gunna “What Happened To Virgil” (2022)

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Lyrics: “Louis down, man, this shit came from Virgil / Oh my God, what happened to Virgil?”

In November of 2021, Virgil Abloh tragically passed away from cancer at the age of 41. It was a shocking loss not just for fashion but for the hip-hop community at large. During his entire tenure at Louis Vuitton, Abloh tirelessly advocated for hip-hop culture. Whether it was through highlighting underground artists like Reggieknow or platforming subcultures like graffiti, Abloh generously used his platform. In 2022, Lil Durk and Gunna released “What Happened to Virgil.” The song was a standout on Durk’s 7220 album and was less about fashion and more about dealing with traumatic losses. The video for the song was filmed by Cole Bennett and inspired by Abloh’s posthumous Fall/Winter 2022 Louis Vuitton show. It was an apt tribute to Abloh’s legacy. 

Tyler, the Creator and Nigo “Come On, Let’s Go” (2022)

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