Jewellery has long been considered a status symbol. However, for rappers and people in the hip-hop industry, larger than life chains and pendants represent something a lot more than just status – it symbolizes their growth in the industry.
Hip-hop comes from humble origins, with the most prominent names in the industry starting with nothing more than just some loose change in their pockets. Today, however, rappers such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Drake, and 50 Cent can be seen embellishing themselves with iced-out jewellery.
Fans tend to follow suit. To avoid cheap-looking or subpar bling, here are a few things you need to know to look like your favourite hip-hop artists.
Hip-Hop Pendants
Pendants are centrepieces for any chains, be it around your neck or your wrist. In particular, hip-hop pendants are explicitly made to catch everyone’s attention with bright, shiny metals and many diamonds.
The term ‘icy’ refers to the number of diamonds seen on jewellery. Pendants are asked to be embellished with as many as possible. However, they’re also made to represent or symbolize something personal for the artist.
Some artists would prefer pendants showcasing their careers or hits, while others stick to religious symbols.
Imitation pendants can be made to look as close to the real thing as possible. These pendants rest on thick base metals plated with sterling silver or gold. They’re embellished with imitation stones or coloured gemstones.
Chains
Hip-hop chains come in various styles and designs, but they are anything except minimalist. Most chains are box-linked chains pr diamond set chains. These chains take months and sometimes upwards of a year to design and create.
Some chains are curated for specific artists, while many would embellish standard box-linked chains in various ways.
Bling-Bling Watches
You might have seen your favourite artists sitting at NBA games adorning their flashy watches – often more than one on the same wrist. Iced-out watches are considered staples by many hip-hop artists, and they’re practically synonymous with the industry.
Several popular brands are looking towards curating watches for their hip-hop clientele. These watches are made out of genuine gold and are heavily covered with diamonds and gemstones.
Grillz
Grillz are somewhat similar to veneers, only they aren’t permanent and can be taken out. Grillz are solid gold or genuine metal built dental prosthetics that can be attached to your teeth.
This type of hip-hop jewellery became popular in the late ’80s, and while not as popular today – it has been making a come back. Some Grillz is made to attach to teeth permanently.
Conclusion
Hip hop jewelry is more significant than life statement pieces adorned by artists to showcase their growth and success in the industry. They symbolize where the artists started from and how far they’ve made it.
Finding hip-hop jewellery for yourself isn’t as tricky or expensive if you know what you’re looking for. It’s all about having a design in mind and learning a trustworthy name.
