Killer Mike Sticks Up For Lil Yachty Amidst Controversial ATL Fashion Debate

Lil Yachty really set the internet on fire. The rapper made several public appearances during the last few days of July, each time making a statement that incited debate. He got pushback for defending Drake in the Kendrick Lamar battle. He was chastised for leaking a song he couldn’t get a sample cleared for. The most notable Yachty, controversy, though, stemmed from his comments about fashion. He claimed that Atlanta sets the fashion trends in hip-hop, which led to lots of criticism from rappers living in the rest of the country. One of the few rappers who seemingly agreed with Lil Boat was Killer Mike.

Killer Mike hopped on Twitter on August 1 to set the record straight. He referred to the Yachty debate as “lame,” but did provide examples of Atlanta setting trends. He pointed to his Dungeon family mentor, Big Boi, in particular. “I have Zero Interest in this lame ass debate,” he wrote. “BUT Big Boi Started the Throw Back Jersey Trend with that cold a*s Houston Astros Jersey.” He then noted that Ye, despite his Chitown roots, gave proper credit to the Outkast rapper. Ye’s impact on hip-hop fashion goes without saying, but Killer Mike said it regardless. “Kanye (Atlanta Born) set the record straight on that, God Bless Him,” he wrote. “Honorable Mention the ‘Flip Flop’s and Sox’ look was Some sh*t from the Dungeon Family.”

Mike included a photo of Big Boi rocking the aforementioned Astros jersey as proof. A Twitter user went the opposite direction and claimed that Phife Dog actually started the throwback jersey trend. Killer Mike respectfully disagreed. “[Phife] was a sports fan and inspired us all,” he wrote back. “With that said, the Throw back Era is Something Big Boi who is also like us a Tribe Fan Started in 98 with that Black Ice Vid Houston Jersey. Long Live Tribe and Kast.” The rapper continued to go back and forth with fans about the specificity of throwbacks, and the relevance of sports merchandise within the genre.

Killer Mike and Lil Yachty are about as far apart as artists can be. That said, the former has also repped Atlanta in his music and art. During a 2023 appearance on the Hip-Hop Made podcast, Mike claimed that the ATL has influenced every element of popular culture for decades. “When they say Atlanta influences everything it’s true,” he declared. “If you’re talking about Black culture in America, you talking about ATL, Georgia, and I’m not just talking about the last 25 years… I don’t think you can talk any Black culture — Rock n’ Roll, Blues, and Gospel — without talking about Atlanta.” Yachty may have ditched the internet due to the East Coast backlash, but he’d be pleased to know Killer Mike is in his corner.