“Big Boi Started the Throw Back Jersey Trend” — Killer Mike backs Lil Yachty’s controversial Atlanta fashion remark, mentions Kanye

Grammy Award winner Killer Mike defended Poland hitmaker Lil Yachty's controversial comment about Atlanta setting the fashion trends in hip-hop. During a Wednesday, July 24, episode of his A Safe Place podcast, Lil Yachty claimed that the New York hip-hop fashion scene copied Atlanta. In a July 29 Instagram Live, Yachty apologized to those offended by his comments but still maintained that Atlanta ran the culture at the moment.

Killer Mike took to X on Thursday, August 1 to note that the whole debate surrounding Yachty's comments was "lame" but still provided a few examples validating Yachty's point. Mike wrote:

"I have Zero Interest in this lame a*s debate BUT, Big Boi Started the Throw Back Jersey Trend with that cold a*s Houston Astro's Jersey."

He further noted:

"Kanye (Atlanta Born) set the record straight on that, God Bless Him. Honorable Mention the "Flip Flop's and Sox" look was Some s**t from the Dungeon Family."

Mike was quote retweeting an X user who asked XXL Magazine's official X account to name one fashion trend that came from Atlanta. To further prove his point, Mike also included a picture of Antwan André Patton, a.k.a. Big Boi, in an Astros jersey. However, one X user disagreed and claimed that Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest had started the throwback jersey trend. Mike replied:

"He was wearing current jerseys in the time and we LOVeD him for repping too. However those 300 dollars and up Throw backs are Antwan Patton. All day."

When the user once again replied that Mitchell and Ness stores in Philadelphia were rocking the throwback jersey trend before Big Boi and that the rapper might have been the first "southern" rapper to adopt the trend, Killer Mike replied that Big Boi made it a "national trend" as he was one half of Outkast, which according to Mike was the "Greatest Group of All Time."

---

"Everyone used to just kinda copy Atlanta": Lil Yachty on the New York fashion scene

Lil Yachty managed to ruffle more than a few feathers on the July 24 episode of his A Safe Place podcast along with guest star Cash Cobain. While talking about fashion during the episode, Yachty claimed that the New York fashion scene copied Atlanta. He said:

"I feel like New York didn’t have this — I don’t want to say identity — but everyone used to just kinda copy Atlanta."

The rapper claimed that, as far as style goes, New York was heavily influenced by Atlanta. He felt like New York fashion did not have "s**t going on." Yachty and his fellow co-host MitchGoneMad pointed out the popularity of brands like Purple, Amiri, and Hellstar in New York as a testament to its alleged fashion stagnation.

Lil Yachty further noted how the fashion of people from Queens and Bronx was not the same as in Manhattan and even questioned if they come to Manhattan to shop. The rapper also claimed that people from Atlanta, his hometown, currently dress terribly before praising his own style. He said:

"It’s just me, myself, and I. I stand on a hill alone. That’s all I know. I can’t speak for nobody else but myself."

Four days later, Lil Yachty released a TikTok video where he conceded that he said something about Bronx fashion but couldn't exactly recall what. He apologized to people from the Bronx but still doubled down on his earlier comments by claiming that lately, today's culture and trends come from Atlanta. He even mentioned how slang terms like “slime” and “twin” were from Atlanta.

On July 29, the rapper went on Instagram Live, where he further clarified his comments. He stated:

"When we’re talking about the history of fashion, I would never disrespect New York culture. Anybody that knows me knows I love Wu-Tang. I love Dipset. Real GOATs when it comes to this fashion s**t."

However, Lil Yachty stood by what he said earlier and was still adamant that "the culture right now" is run by his home state of Atlanta.