The Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards aren’t usually known for their sparkling one liners — usually it’s just a lot of sparkling gowns and platitudes. This year, however, the Council (sounds official) had the genius Issa Rae on hosting duties. As one might imagine, she wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to thoroughly roast Kanye West and his recent “slavery is a choice” comments. With Kim Kardashian West in the audience, Rae unleashed “I’m about as fashion as Kanye is black — only when it’s convenient.” At this point, we imagine Kardashian West was wishing she’d left her crop top at home for the night and turned down the inaugural Influencer Award, especially when Rae continued “That joke was my choice, just like slavery.”
Rae spoke through her clothing as well as her words, wearing only black designers, such as Pyer Moss, and wearing a belt quoting a particularly choice Boris Gardiner song.