In the last two years, Nettspend has become one of the faces of a new generation of hip hop artists. But, like his predecessors, fashion is a huge part of his music. “It kind of comes naturally,” he explains. “I trust the people around me, but it’s always hand in hand.”

Alyssa Hardy

Alyssa Hardy

It’s not just in videos or concerts that fashion intersects; he’s also walked the runway for both Miu Miu and Gucci. But when asked which type of performance he prefers, “Definitely the stage,” he says. “I make the runway my stage.”

Alyssa Hardy

The event was mostly for his fans, another moment in Nettspend’s admitted commitment to them. When his last album was delayed, he made a tip line for his fans to air their grievances. On this evening, fans crowded onto Wooster Street around the car Nettspend was sitting in. One fan takes off her sneaker and passes it through the crowd until it reaches him through the passenger-side window. He signs it, and they screech with excitement. “I love all my fans so much,” he says. “I wish that I could see them and be with them every day. I like to take care of people.”