A$AP Rocky’s Cultural Impact Earns Him the NAACP’s Vanguard Award for Fashion

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A$AP Rocky has made a career of turning creative risks into cultural blueprints. His impact will be recognized at the 57th NAACP Image Awards, where the 37-year-old Harlem native, born Rakim Athelston Mayers, will receive the Vanguard Award for Fashion on Feb. 28 in Pasadena, Calif. A$AP Rocky“This year’s Vanguard Award honoree, A$AP Rocky, embodies the power and evolution of Black artistry,” said Karen Boykin-Towns, vice chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors, in a statement. Honoring A$AP Rocky with the Vanguard Award celebrates his lasting influence, and the legacy he continues to build.”The 57th NAACP Image Awards will air live on BET and on CBS. Last year’s Vanguard Award went to Essence Communications, Inc. for championing Black women and culture for more than 50 years.