American rapper Lil Yachty and Ghanaian-American fashion designer Big Hommie Flee are embroiled in a dispute over a fashion design, igniting controversy within the global fashion scene.
Big Hommie Flee, a US-based designer with strong ties to Ghana through his work, is recognised for his innovative designs that seamlessly fuse contemporary fashion with African identity.
He is the founder of two distinct fashion brands: Ghetto University of Tema and Flee Market Global.
One of his most iconic and widely recognised pieces is a bandana featuring the vibrant red, yellow, and green colors of the Ghanaian flag, intricately adorned with traditional Adinkra symbols.
This Flee Market Global design has been sported by numerous international celebrities, including Stonebwoy, Amaarae, Burna Boy, Fela Kuti, and A$AP Rocky.
The conflict erupted when Lil Yachty, through his own fashion brand, Concrete Boys, released a bandana design that also incorporated the red, yellow, and green color scheme, which is widely associated with Ghana and Pan-African identity.
Big Hommie Flee quickly took issue with the similarity, accusing Yachty of copying his original design concept.
Lil Yachty addressed the accusation during an interview on “Ghetto Runways.”
He stated that upon first being accused, he chose not to react publicly and instead reached out to Flee privately via social media to clarify the situation.
“I told him I didn’t copy him. This is a style I’ve been doing since I was young. I don’t copy people,” Lil Yachty explained.
He added that after their direct conversation, Flee “kept going in circles and even started threatening me. So, I told him, ‘I’m in New York and I’m outside.'”
Big Hommie Flee, while not claiming exclusive ownership of the red, yellow, and green colors themselves, maintains that the specific concept of applying them to a bandana in the unique style he created is his original idea.
He believes that if Lil Yachty intended to produce a similar item, it should have been a collaborative effort rather than a design that appears to imitate his established work.
Flee’s core argument is that he invested time in building a brand and visual identity deeply connected to his Ghanaian roots, and Lil Yachty’s design mirrors this without proper acknowledgment.
However, Lil Yachty remains steadfast in his assertion that he developed his design independently and therefore owes no credit or collaboration to Flee.
The dispute revolves around ongoing discussions within the fashion industry regarding intellectual property, cultural appropriation, and the fine line between inspiration and imitation.
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@fleemarketglobal Bigghomieflee responds to Lil Yachty…🇬🇭🌍🙏🏿❤️ #lilyachty #bigghomieflee #fashion #viral #streetwear #sneakers #fypage #lilyachtyinterview #bandana #ghettorunwayspodcast #culture #fypシ゚viral #fypシ゚ #foryoupage ♬ original sound – fleemarketglobal
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