Rapper Lil Uzi has sparked an intense debate over masculinity and femininity in Hip-Hop.
The Philadelphia rapper teamed up with Marc Jacobs to introduce the limited-edition 40th Anniversary Tote Bag in collaboration with the estate of the late American artist Stephen Sprouse.
The new Stephen Sprouse x Marc Jacobs tote was announced accompanied by images of Lil Uzi in oversized shorts striking a pose.
Lil Uzi was styled by Alastair McKimm and photographed by Nick Newbold holding the vibrant green tote, which features Sprouse’s signature graffiti print.
The tote bag captures the essence of Sprouse’s vibrant graffiti art with the quote, “Grant me the serenity to chill.”
However, Lil Uzi’s involvement in the advertising campaign garnered the most attention, which is most likely the goal.
Lil Uzi’s management company, Roc Nation, and Marc Jacobs’s official Instagram account posted the photos.
People debated the rap stars’ involvement. Some claimed Hip-Hop was deliberately being feminized, while others blasted Marc Jacobs for not using a woman in the campaign.
One user offered an opinion about the music genre of the related post, saying, “To each his own… just stop calling this HIP HOP. This is Pop music I wish him well.”
Legendary rap veteran DJ Chuck Chillout expressed his disapproval. “Straight ridiculous this is NOT HIP HOP,” he wrote under the image.
One user, g1vontae, suggested a viewpoint that society often favors self-embarrassment over self-empowerment, hinting at a belief that actions such as men dressing in traditionally feminine attire might be seen as an opportunity for ridicule rather than a liberating choice.
Another user wrote “This ain’t rocnation it’s fruitnation.”
Another said, “If you asked @jayz @biggsburke and @duskopoppington in 1996 what the Roc Boys would look like in 2024…I don’t think this is what they had in mind. Who is running s### over there anyway?? Tf.”
Rah Digga,” simply stated, “I’m just here for the comments,” accompanied by a popcorn emoji as the mayhem in comments unfolded.
