Hip-hop has always been more about just the music. It’s the bravado, charisma, personality and clothing. Rappers have always cared about how they dress, and how they’re portrayed to their fans. Since the 1980s, when the genre really started to take form, artists cared more and more about what they wore.
Here is the evolution of hip-hop fashion throughout the decades.
The New York rapper popularized the B-Boy style with the Kangol bucket hat, gold rings, gold jewelry and other fly wear.
Public Enemy moved like they were their own militia. So naturally, they dressed like that as well, wearing camouflage and military fatigues to compliment their “fight the power” mindset that came across in their music.
Salt-N-Pepa was all about bright colors, bold statement and outfits that stood out. Along with jewelry, their outfits consisted of bold patterns, African prints and Kente cloth.
This Compton rap group was all about wearing all Black. So naturally, they aligned with the football team of Los Angeles at the time, the Raiders. Hats, jackets, jerseys you name it. If it was all Black, NWA had it on.
Wu-Tang clan took a different route and made their own brand, Wu-Wear, which could be seen all over their albums covers, music videos and magazine covers.
What gets more 90s than Will Smith in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? The rapper and TV star was known for wearing Jordans with no laces, snapbacks, jerseys, overalls and many other things. When I think about 90s fashion, he’s the first person I think of.
Being the hip-hop mogul that he is, P. Diddy became one of the first to bring his own brand, Sean Jean, into the mainstream and keep it there. He was known for wearing the valor Sean Jean sweatsuits.
Maybe not the most well-known rapper when it comes to fashion. But when he broke onto the scene with his debut album, “Get Rick or Die Tryin’,” everyone wanted to be and dress like G-Unit. Naturally, 50 Cent created a brand. They even collaborated with Reebok for their own shoe.
Pharell style in the early 2000s was unique for rap artists. He was the skater. So he wore a lot of trucker hats, BAPE, BBC, and crazy all-over print shoes.
The 2010s is when Kanye west really became an icon in the music industry. His popular line of Nike, Louis Vuitton and eventually Adidas sneakers was a must-have for anyone who was into hip-hop and streetwear.
He’s called Pretty Flack for a reason. Maybe the best-dressed artists in hip-hop. Rocky is known for wearing luxury fashion brands like Issey Miyake, Raf Simmons and Rick Owens and styling them with casual sneakers like Adidas Stan Smith and Jordan fours.
Nicki Minaj ran the 2010s. Not only was she the most popular female rapper, she was one of the most popular rappers in the world. She solidified herself as a rockstar. At this time in rap, we were past the times of wearing baggy clothes. Nicki was the baddest woman in the game and she knew it and liked to show it.
Travis Scott has become the hype king thanks to his collaborations with Nike. His shoes are almost impossible to get your hands on unless you want to pay 20 times the price.
Lil Nas X’s style continues to evolve. When he first broke into the music industry he was obsessed with dressing like he was a cowboy. Now, he’ll wear whatever he damn-well pleases. There’s no box for this rap star.
