Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at last dons pair of Cartier 'Buffs' sunglasses in Detroit salute

Brian McCollum
Detroit Free Press
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wears a pair of Cartier C Décor sunglasses — or "Buffs" — in a segment taped for the City of Detroit's Everybody vs. COVID-19 festival aired May 29, 2020.

Nearly a month after a Detroit rapper insisted on lavishing Michigan's governor with a pair of coveted sunglasses, Gretchen Whitmer finally threw on those Buffs.

Whitmer donned the prized Cartier C Décor frames in a taped segment that ran Friday during the City of Detroit's Everybody vs. COVID-19 online music festival — by way of introducing the Detroit hip-hop artist who got it all rolling.

Whitmer's nod to Detroit fashion was the culmination of a meme-rich saga that started in early May, when novelty rapper GMac Cash released the track "Big Gretch": The two-minute song paid tribute to the polarizing Michigan governor while declaring that her coronavirus response merited a coronation with Buffs — the local moniker for the Cartier line that has long been a Detroit hip-hop status symbol.

"Throw the Buffs on her face," Gmac Cash rapped on the track, one of several coronavirus-themed songs that have snagged national attention for the Detroit artist. The "Big Gretch" video featured a digitally enhanced image that plopped a pair of Cartier frames on Whitmer's visage.

Following the song's May 2 release, Gmac Cash quickly raised $2,950 for a set of Cartier frames in a GoFundMe campaign wielding the slogan "Big Gretch Has Earned Her Buffs From The City Of Detroit."

But Whitmer turned down the gift, and the money was redirected to New Era Detroit.

The sunglasses worn by Whitmer in Friday's video segment were "borrowed," said spokeswoman Tiffany Brown, "to show some love to Gmac and Detroit while she introduced him."

The Everybody vs. COVID-19 fest — which will continue at 7 p.m. Saturday — was arranged by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's office to reinforce coronavirus health messaging and 2020 census efforts.

Rapper Big Sean was among those who appeared during Friday's three-hour show, billed by the mayor as a "unity festival."

"Detroit is coming together," said Big Sean, who applauded residents for social distancing while warning "we're still not out of the woods yet."

Whitmer appeared later in the show to introduce a song medley by Gmac Cash, saying:

"These unprecedented times have impacted each of us in different ways, but one thing is clear: The enemy is COVID-19. Detroit knows this, and has led by example, and I'm deeply inspired by your spirit, collective resilience, courage and resolve to protect our communities."

Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.