Bad and Boujee: The Rappers Who Changed the Jewelry Game

Hip-hop and rap aesthetics have been molded and formed by some of the most influential style icons in music's history. In this blog, we're discussing some of the most important fashion trailblazers and rappers who changed the jewelry game.

The Migos

Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff are three rappers who have revolutionized the jewelry game with their custom designs and pendant pieces. Together as the Migos, these rappers stack their style and challenge each other's fashion to constantly evolve and add new ideas and dimensions to their chains, necklaces, and rings.

Some of their most recognized pieces include Takeoff's solar system chain, Offset's raindrop pendant, and Quavo's diamond embedded watch collection. Their descendant aesthetics match their "Bad and Boujee" lyrics and inspire new performers to customize their style.

The Notorious B.I.G.

The Notorious B.I.G. was one of the leading rappers to set trends and popularize gold chains in rap and hip-hop. His choices in gold chains and rings elevated his rap style and made his fashion the standard for other upcoming rappers and performers to emulate. One of his most iconic statement pieces was a gold pendant with the face of Jesus.

This custom Jesus pendant was far more than a statement piece, though. This necklace became a symbol of success and a reflection of the Notorious B.I.G.'s contributions to rap. Jay-Z has since worn a version of this golden necklace every time he's released a new album to honor the Notorious B.I.G for his career inspiration.

Run DMC

Run DMC's success in the early eighties cultivated new trends for custom gold chains and bands. The most influential jewelry Run DMC popularized was gold rope chains. These chains were unique to their style because they included intricate and detailed designs with bold weight and thickness. Rope chains are made up of smaller, thin threads of gold that weave into thicker, glowing golden ropes. These necklaces swept the industry as a leading trend for gold chains and are still considered an old-fashion statement piece of vintage hip-hop style.

Slick Rick

Slick Rick was one of the first rappers who completely changed the jewelry game. When Slick Rick, or MC Ricky D, first began to gain popularity in the rap scene, he revolutionized rappers' use of jewelry. He established a culture of decadence and excess that hip-hop still embraces today. Slick Rick popularized large layers of heavy gold, silver, and diamond metal jewelry with studded chains, watches, bracelets, and rings. Slick Rick's style in the big, bold, and glamorous still holds an impression on the chains and jewelry rappers wear today.  

These artists found new ways to use jewelry to elevate their style and change the standards of rap culture. Here at Gold Presidents, we offer countless chains, pendants, rings, and jewelry to help you find your own style. We offer the best in iced out chains and pendants to help you elevate your fashion and explore the trendsetting energy from these influential stars. To learn more about fashion trends or browse our jewelry, check out our website.