ASAP Rocky says the artist formerly known as Kanye West “deaded that shit” when he saw the late Virgil Abloh working with him for free.
In a new interview with Jason Lee, seen below, the Don’t Be Dumb artist shared the recollection as an aside while looking back on an early encounter with Rihanna, with whom he now shares three children.
“I’m used to chilling with Virgil and them in Harlem like, you know, skateboarding, all that shit,” Rocky said. “That’s what they did. Virgil and them learned to DJ in ASAP Lou’s house. That’s where Been Trill was invented. He had a DJ collective named Been Trill. So, long story short, right? ASAP [Mob] and them was heavy with Virgil and them until Kanye deaded that shit when he started seeing Virgil did my album cover for free, did my tour, creative—all that for free.”
Lee interjected in an effort to get Rocky to clarify whether he was suggesting Ye was “jealous,” but Rocky declined to go that far.
“Ye, you my man, but they told me he deaded it,” he said. “They say he deaded it.”
Again, Lee tried to get Rocky to specify whether he was alluding to outright jealousy; and again, Rocky declined.
“He deaded it,” he added. “Deaded it. He was like, ‘It’s quiet.’ We still was hanging, but all that them n***as being with n***as every other day, it was quiet.”
If you’re reading this, it’s unlikely you need a reminder of Ye and Abloh’s extensive shared history. Highlights from their fruitful collaborative relationship include the near-mythical Pastelle line (originally poised to be Ye’s first clothing line), the cover art for Yeezus and Watch the Throne, art direction for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and more.
For Rocky, the undeniably influential designer and all-around artist helmed the 2013 video for “Fashion Killa,” co-starring Rihanna, and served as creative director for his debut studio album, Long. Live. ASAP.
Abloh went on to lead menswear at Louis Vuitton, a role he held until his death at the age of 41 in 2021 after a private battle with cancer. In a 2018 interview with Naomi Campbell, Abloh said the larger dream that made his LV tenure possible was “just as much” Ye’s as his own.
