Celebrity designer Virgil Abloh has recruited Wu-Tang Clan legendĀ GZAĀ for his 2022 Spring-Summer Louis Vuitton Fashion Show, which included an accompanying film titled āAmen Break.ā The show, which premiered earlier today (June 24) at 8:30 AM ET, also included musicians Lupe Fiasco, Saul Williams,Ā Shabaka Hutchings, and more.
Titled āAmen Breakā ā after a famous drum sample that influenced hip-hop and became the foundation for electronic music genres like drum ānā bass ā the film features many artists in a continuation of Ablohās ongoing celebration of Black creative talent. With this in mind, āThe film reflects on a historic moment in Black art and culture when electronic music and hip hop emerged like twins from the same egg, and trickled into every part of the globe,ā as told by Louis Vuitton. Some of those who appeared in the film included: Goldie, Issa Perica, Caleb Femi, Unknown T, JIM JOE, Kandis Williams, Thelma Buabeng, Octavia Burgel, Julian Eugene Tsukasa Williams, Damian Eugene Nagisa Williams, Shabaka Hutchings, Malik Le Nost, and more.
The narrative of the film, per a press release, is built on an āabstract interpretationā of the story of Lupe Fiasco, whose father organized martial arts studies on the South Side of Chicago as an alternative path for young people.
The soundtrack was curated by musical director Benji B, whose assembled collection of sounds references everything fromĀ GZAāsĀ Liquid SwordsĀ (including the track ā4th Chamberā) to Metalheadz-era drum ānā bass. GZAās classic 1995 album also informed the entire show, whichālike the cover artāincorporates a chess theme.
