Though it seems to be formulaic in the rap industry, name-dropping fashion designers is something that the best (and worst) of them have done for decades and is yet another way of determining modernity and what's "in" for many a listener. However, I'll take a neutral stance on this issue considering my line of work has me name-dropping designers multiple times every day, so who am I to criticize?

In the last week, Justin Timberlake made his return with "Suit & Tie," featuring Jay-Z, and A$AP Rocky dropped his debut album, Long. Live. A$AP. What do the two have in common? Both have prominent references to designer names. "Tom Ford tuxedos for no reason/All Saints for my angel/Alexander Wang, too," raps Hova. As for A$AP, I'll spare you the lyrics, because you'd be hard-pressed not to find a label reference in "Fashion Killa."

Rappers dropping designer names in lyrics isn't anything new. Jay sang about Chloe glasses in 2000. Redman sang about Calvin Klein on a Biggie track in the '90s, and the trend, no doubt, dates back much further. Read More