Westside Gunn has never been shy about his love for luxury fashion, and he definitely has some thoughts about where Off-White is headed without its late founder Virgil Abloh.
As spotted on Complex, the Griselda rapper took aim at the brand on his new Denny LaFlare-produced song “ZILLA,” rapping, “Virgil rolling in his grave, they got Off-White in Costco.” While Gunn’s delivery is predictably blunt, his hot take isn’t coming completely out of left field. Earlier this year, Costco Canada began selling Off-White pullover hoodies for roughly $60, considerably less than the hundreds of dollars consumers have traditionally paid for pieces from the luxury streetwear label. The hoodies subsequently disappeared from Costco’s website, along with a social media post promoting them.
The pricing shift comes as Off-White continues navigating its post-Abloh era. Bluestar Alliance acquired the brand from LVMH in 2024 and has since pursued a more accessible pricing strategy, including launching L/AB c/o Off-White, a lower-priced line featuring apparel and sneakers below $200. The company has also collaborated with PacSun.
There is certainly an argument that bringing Off-White to more consumers is simply an evolution of the business. But Gunn’s criticism speaks to something bigger: exclusivity was once a major piece of the brand’s identity. Abloh built Off-White by deliberately blurring streetwear and high fashion while insisting that the label belonged in the designer conversation. Seeing that same name attached to a $60 Costco hoodie understandably feels like a dramatic change from that positioning.
Gunn also has a considerably deeper connection to Abloh than your average fashion critic. The Buffalo MC was supporting Abloh’s work long before their eventual friendship. Gunn previously explained that he followed Virgil’s trajectory dating back to the Pyrex Vision era and saw his success as inspiration for his own Fashion Rebels ambitions. The two eventually met in 2019 after years of mutual respect, with Gunn’s constant fashion references helping put him on Abloh’s radar.
One of those references became a classic Griselda moment. On “Dr. Birds,” from the group’s 2019 WWCD album, Gunn famously rapped, “Told Virgil write ‘Brick’ on my brick.” The bar became so synonymous with the song that Hype Williams later incorporated the visual into its music video.
Their relationship soon moved beyond name-drops. Abloh designed the artwork for Gunn’s acclaimed 2020 album Pray for Paris after inviting the rapper into his world during Paris Fashion Week. Gunn later used another Abloh-designed cover for 2023’s And Then You Pray for Me, released nearly two years after the designer’s death. So when Gunn talks about how Abloh’s vision is being handled, there is some history behind the opinion.
“ZILLA” is also apparently the beginning of another chapter musically. Gunn revealed that a new album is on the way, describing the forthcoming project as “grimey, dusty, soulful” and jazz-inspired while promising an official announcement soon.
Meanwhile, the noted sneaker obsessive has another fashion moment arriving almost immediately. His latest Saucony collaboration, the Grid Jazz 9 “Awesome Gods,” releases August 28 for $225. The appropriately outrageous sneaker mixes cheetah, zebra and other animal-inspired faux-fur panels with leather moccasin-style laces and Griselda’s signature scorpion branding. Due to how the materials are cut, each pair is designed to have a slightly different appearance.
Fittingly, the sneakers release on Westside Gunn Day, the annual August 28 recognition he received in his hometown of Buffalo. Between another album on the horizon and his latest Saucony drop, Flygod clearly still has one foot in Hip-Hop and the other firmly planted in fashion.
Check out Westside Gunn’s new song “ZILLA” below.
See social media’s initial reaction to Off-White on the shevles of Costco below.
