Rap culture has become so popular that even those who until recently did not strive to look like performers of this music are now wondering - how do rappers dress?

Despite the fact that rap artists are shown daily on TV in clips and various programs, the question of how to dress in this style remains open. Meanwhile, this style trend has become especially popular in last years- this is not defiant clothing, characterized by special convenience and unique details.

The history of the emergence of rap style

For the first time, the style of dressing as rappers now prefer appeared around the 70s of the last century in the poor neighborhoods of New York. Then the main feature of this style was not the clothes themselves, but the way they were worn. For example, already then there was a tendency to wear jeans and trousers without a belt, lowering them to the hips so that underwear could be seen. In this case, it was possible to use ordinary things, such as T-shirts and sweatpants, which were bought not in an expensive boutique, but in cheap shops or even in the market.

According to one theory, the world owes the appearance of rapper clothing to US prisoners. They couldn't wear belts, and their uniforms didn't always fit, so their trousers kept slipping down. And after leaving prison, they continued to dress in this way, showing those around their area who was in front of them.

Today, the reference style has become very popular and is a special style direction in clothing, closely related to the musical direction of the same name. Rappers all over the world prefer this particular style not only for their performances, but also for everyday life.

What clothes to choose?

You can understand what rappers are wearing just by looking at several representatives of this subculture. There is nothing special about their attire - they are comfortable things that look quite massive or loose. Such clothing should allow free movement, as the rap style is considered ideal for breakdancing.

But not only convenience distinguishes the attire of rappers - their outfits also have features in design. Here, both monophonic models and decorated with various inscriptions and drawings can be used. Usually, in the design of rapper T-shirts, special printing on fabric is used - prints, since this method of applying images allows you to transfer absolutely any wishes of consumers to T-shirts and sweatshirts.

Speaking about what rappers wear, there are several main elements of their outfits:

• 1. Pants and jeans. Standard for this style are wide pants-pipes that are worn not at the waist, but at the hips. Sweatpants are most commonly used, but denim options are also popular.
• 2. T-shirts and T-shirts. It is almost impossible to imagine a rapper without a loose T-shirt or tank top. Moreover, such things are usually decorated with prints or stripes.
• 3. Hoodies and hoodies. Wide zip-up sweaters, hoodies or sweatshirts are also considered must-haves - they must be present in the wardrobe. Especially popular models with a hood. The fashion to wear products with a hood originated among graffiti lovers - such a detail helped to quickly hide the face.
• 4. Jackets. The main options for outerwear for rappers are sports jackets with bright and original prints. Such things perfectly complement the whole image. Often jackets are used not only in cold weather as a special element of the image.
• 5. Hats. The rapper style has a fairly large selection of hats - these are baseball caps, bandanas and swag style hats. And if bandanas are gradually fading into the background, then baseball caps and hats have been popular for many years. A feature of baseball caps is a straight visor.
• 6. Shoes. Most often, rappers choose sneakers. They can be different - high or short, made in the most different colors. Most people think that white high top sneakers are the way to go.
• 7. Accessories. Without accessories, it is difficult to get complete and really stylish look rapper. For this, wristbands, chains with pendants are used.

Using various combinations of such things, you can get a lot of different images rap style.

Rapper style for a girl

Rapper style is not only a male option, the fair sex also fell in love with this way of dressing. How do rappers girls dress? A feature of the female version of this style is the addition of grace and femininity. For this, tight T-shirts, short skirts are used. Girls, dressing in a rap style, also prefer distressed jeans, as well as short shorts made of such material.

Girls also need to use accessories, but unlike men, they have much more choice, because they can wear earrings and bracelets.

Types of style directions of rap culture

There are many styles that are generally referred to as rap culture. Nak, R&B is considered the most popular direction. The difference between this clothing and rapper clothing is that it is designed not only to be comfortable, but also to seduce, since R&B music is considered club music. This style of rap culture is somewhat glamorous, although generally similar.

More recently, there have been people who call themselves baggers. Outwardly, they are not much different from rappers, but they have an important feature - they belong to non-traditional sexual orientation. In their wardrobe, there are always loose T-shirts and sweatshirts with hoods, as well as wide trousers with tapered cuffs at the bottom.

Backpackers, on the other hand, prefer a minimum of clothing (rappers often dress in several layers), as freedom of movement is important to them - they travel a lot and comfortable things make trips much more pleasant. And in any case, their outfits must be absolutely comfortable, so they prefer loose T-shirts and pants, comfortable T-shirts and shorts.

Whatever style of rap culture you choose, they have the same basis - freedom and convenience combined with original design.

Each person is a fan or supporter of a particular subculture. Even if a man or woman is already over thirty, there was still a time when they were passionate about the music of a certain genre. One of the fashion trends is rap culture, which is very fond of young people. About, how rappers dress and what styles they can use in clothes, we will tell you.

There is a version according to which the clothes of the rappers originated from the prison uniform, where the rap was invented by black prisoners. In general terms, fans of rap culture can wear the following wardrobe items.

• T-shirts and hoodies big size. Speaking about male representatives of rep culture, these things are loved by them because they are comfortable and do not constrain movements, and also visually expand the silhouette. Even a skinny guy will seem somewhat larger in such attire, what can we say about broad-shouldered, inflated men. If the rapper is going to have a showdown with another rapper clan, then wearing large T-shirts or hoodies will create the illusion of an increase in the number of people who are present at the “meeting”. T-shirts can contain various inscriptions that are relevant to hip-hop culture, images of the “main villains” of the rap world.
• Wide pants. Low-slung wide pants are another fashionable feature of the image of the rapper. It can be tight jeans with an abundance of patch pockets with Velcro fasteners, decorated with hanging chains or not having them. It is believed that initially the pants were wide to carry weapons, alcohol and drugs in them. Due to the fact that the number of cargo was large, the pants became lowered, as we know them now.
• Cap. The reference cap has a straight visor and is worn over a bandana - a special scarf made of spandex. Such a scarf also has the name dyuregi. The scarf is necessary so that the reference cap does not fly off from it. The cap itself is part of the rapper's ammunition. In a hand-to-hand fight, when falling, a straight visor will not allow you to smash your head on the asphalt.
• Jackets. Rappers prefer jackets that are the same size as T-shirts. It can be an Alaska jacket, a voluminous down jacket or a leather jacket.
• Sneakers, sneakers. Sneakers have a large instep, are wide enough, can be lace-up or Velcro. If we are talking about sneakers, then it should be noted that they can only be white. For cold weather, rappers wear Timberland boots - rough boots in beige tones, brand Timberland.
• medallions. Various medallions indicate that the rapper belongs to a particular clan. Each clan has its own medallion, which is worn on a long chain around the neck. The medallion can be in the form of a throwing star and at the same time be a means of self-defense, and it can also have the name of the brand of clothing that the rapper prefers or the name of the rapper himself.

The reference style of girls largely coincides with the men's style - wide trousers, timberlands, T-shirts. However, there are some differences, for the adoption of which no one in the hip-hop environment will condemn the fair sex.

• Trousers. Like men, ladies wear wide trousers, but a low waist is acceptable for them. A girl can wear wide track pants, jeans or pants made of other fabrics.
• T-shirt. Ladies do not need to give extra volume to look wider. On the contrary, it is much more important for the fair sex to emphasize the beauty of female curves and wear a tight-fitting T-shirt that reveals mouth-watering forms. T-shirt or T-shirt should be short to show a flat tummy. Over a top or T-shirt, you can wear a hooded sweatshirt or a short cardigan.
• Puffed vests, decorated with fur. They can be worn by rapper girls over tops, T-shirts, T-shirts.
• Decor. A girl should be irresistible, especially if she is a benchmark girl. Various inscriptions and shiny elements decorated with rhinestones or sequins are welcome.

The most popular styles of rap culture in our country are the following subcultures:

• R&B This culture is known as an independent one, but hip-hop influenced them and therefore a separate direction was born. Representatives of the R&B rap movement listen to "neo-soul" easy option turnips, do not wear baseball caps and oversized jewelry that “clean” rappers go crazy with. The clothes on them have more pronounced, rather than baggy forms. It can be low-waisted denim trousers decorated with narrow or frequent holes, straps with buckles on which your own name is depicted, sneakers, boxing shoes and large glasses. To enter the ranks of representatives of such a subculture, you must have high incomes, since expensive branded clothing and jewelry are welcomed in this environment. Such people are not interested in the biography of rap artists and the history of culture, so they can quickly lose interest in rap and choose a different style of clothing and worldview.
• Backpackers. This group does not have clear signs by which it would be easy to identify the supporters of such a movement. In the worldview of backpackers, there is a willingness to travel and a lack of any attachment to the terrain. Backpackers do not care where they go to travel, the very fact of such an event is much more important for them. Representatives of this "party" love non-commercial rap, relevant for the 90s of the last century. a characteristic feature in the image of the supporters of this movement is a backpack that is worn over the shoulder. Backpackers shun popular music played on radio and television and hate luxury. The main requirement for their clothing is that it should be comfortable in order to travel freely. It can be sneakers, a jacket with a hood, loose khaki pants, a spacious T-shirt. To get into such a "circle" you need to be distinguished by a rich mind and high abilities.
• Baggers. These people don't breakdance, don't draw graffiti, and don't even listen to rap. They only like the style of clothing that real rappers choose. Baggers wear wide sweatpants, which are tucked into high sneakers, jackets and vests with hoods, wide T-shirts. Bagger pants don't hang around or collect dirt like rappers do. Trouser legs are either tucked into shoes or have cuffs or elastic. The most important thing is that this layer of people refuses smoking and drinking alcohol.

Swag culture as a fashion trend in the culture of rappers

The word swag comes from Soulja Boy's song "Turn my swag on", which can be translated as "Check my style". However, this word does not have a specific translation. Modern youth under the meaning of the word "swag" understands a certain style, quite ostentatious, which is used by rappers. Swag looks can combine not only elements of hip-hop culture, but also features of glamour.

• Mikey. May have acid colors, bright crazy colors, street style lettering. T-shirts can be an order of magnitude larger, or they can fit the seductive figure of a woman favorably.
• Leggings. It can be leggings with a glamorous leopard print, bright pink, blue, green.
• Trousers. Swag-girls can use wide hip-hop pants as well as tight bright trousers as trousers.
• Hoodies. Actual large sizes, the presence of a hood.
• Baseball caps. The style of baseball caps is borrowed from the benchmarks. A straight visor can be decorated with the “Swag” inscription, decorated with rhinestones, sequins or semi-precious stones.
• Decor. All kinds of shiny elements are welcome. Moreover, the more of them, the better and more spectacular image! You can wear luxurious jewelry, expensive jewelry, gold-plated watches, etc.
• Shoes. Sneakers, patrols, sneakers, cute shoes with high heels and high heels. It is better that they are decorated with something shiny!
• Sunglasses. They can be worn even in cloudy weather to embellish your appearance and create an original image. Spectacles in colored plastic frames are popular.

The main attribute of swag-style is high cost. Cheap analog things cannot be worn, only expensive products from recognized world brands!

Dress like a rapper or be a rapper at heart, it's up to you. Picking up the next bow and adhering to a certain style of clothing, do not forget about your age and mood. If you are still young, then change fashion trends at least every day. If you already have certain established views, you can treat yourself to a reference “outfit” for at least one day!

A long time ago, only a few of the entire rap fraternity could boast of their own clothing line. To date, only the lazy have not acquired it. However, only a few rappers somehow got confused and produced worthy products. Most just fake their name/logo, because the loyal fans will wear it anyway. Even if those around you will smile maliciously. This is how your idols can set you up.

Started all the action Naughty by Nature. In their shop in New Jersey, they sold clothes with the band's logo. wu tang clan under the leadership of Oli Grant, they borrowed the idea and were very successful in the production and distribution of clothes with their own symbols. Other artists and bands immediately followed suit.

Your attention is invited to 25 clothing lines of rappers, from the most trashy (25th place) to the most interesting and successful.

25. Todd Smith

rapper: LL Cool J

Just wondering: has anyone else besides the guys in the photo worn this brand of clothing?

24. Shago

rapper: Bow wow

No comments.

23. P. Miller

rapper: Master P

Sneakers no limit- a kind of Frankenstein, assembled from parts And 1, Jordan, And Nike. Clothes again without comment.

22. TWIsM

rapper: Shaquille O'Neal

Despite the obvious successes and achievements of Shaquille in other areas, he did not succeed in this area. He is forgiven.

21. Rich and Famous

rapper: Snopp Dogg

Old Snoop better focus on eating the good things of nature. Clothes are not his element.

20. Last Kings

rapper: Tyga

No thanks.

19. Vocal

rapper: Nelly

And again no.

18. Bushi Sport

rapper: Busta Rhymes

Only Busta Rhymes wants to be dressed like Busta Rhymes. It is strange that such leather hats have not gained popularity among fashionistas. And now Basta looks like a Dominican barber.

17. Nostic

rapper: Jim Jones

Famous thrasher. This clothing would fit another name: "harmful" (noxious). By the way, Jones' new clothing line, vampire life, much better. Maybe. But we still love you, Jim.

16 Outkast Clothing Co.

Group:Outcast

In this line of clothes of all options the worst prevailed. To our great regret.

15. Shady LTD

rapper: Eminem

Eminem is far from a hip-hop style icon, but there were times when Marshall wore a cap and a bike Shady LTD. In addition, he is a co-author of the coolest Nike Air Max. It is currently not possible to get such sneakers, as they are the object of adoration of many Em fans.

14. G-Unit

rapper: 50 Cent

Only corn balls(not very style conscious people) wore G Unit clothes.

13. FJ560

rapper: Fat Joe

Shirts, shorts and velor suits were very good. True, the clothing line itself lasted only about a year.

12. Akoo

rapper: T.I.

The few who wore clothes Akoo most likely got it for free.

11. TrukFit

rapper: Lil Wayne

Due to the indiscretion of Lil Wayne when writing lyrics, this brand of clothing is strongly associated ... with a blowjob. Better refrain from shopping.

10 State Property Clothing

rapper: Beanie Sigel

The feature of this clothing line is hiding places in which you can hide all sorts of good and bad things. This is where the positives end.

9 Sean John

rapper: Puff Daddy

Velor and cotton suits from Sean Combs are great. And yes, in the photo Riana in a pink suit Sean John.

8 Rocawear

rapper: Jay-Z

This is rock! Jigga and company just ruled the rap game back in the day. Rap, clothes, movies - Rock Nation just conquered everything and everyone. Your obedient servant still has a bike lying in the closet Rocawear.

7. Play Cloths

rapper: Pusha T

There are good solutions. Not as cool as Jay or Diddy. but Pusha was clearly trying.

6 Benjamin Bixby

rapper: Andrew 3000

Andre's clothing line, like his solo career, is one big lure, nothing more. She (like him) did not fully reveal her potential. Rumor has it that Kanye took off to Olympus, which made just a tectonic shift in hip-hop fashion.

5 Naughty Gear

Group: Naughty By Nature

The first line of clothing from rappers. The case when the band's logo simply printed on clothes looks very good.

4. Dipset USA

rapper: Cam'ron

Gang The Diplomats as part of Cam "ron and Jim Jones are together again, and they launched their clothing line. Bikes, hats and T-shirts look just great. If you ask the owner of this brand to name at least one track from Cam" ron's first album, and he will find it difficult to answer - kick his ass.

3. Yeezy Season 1

rapper: Kanye West

Clothes from the most Yeezus. Comments are superfluous. If you want to buy yourself something from his collection - correctly assess your financial capabilities. The things are not cheap.

2.Wu-Wear

Group: Wu-Tang Clan

This clothing has gained popularity back in those days when the concept of "street style" essentially did not exist. DJ Greg Street invited Raekwon to visit and showed him his coolest Woo clothing collection. The guest demonstrated remarkable abilities in folding the T-shirt.

1. BBC Ice Cream

rapper: Pharrell

Farrell managed to turn BBC Ice Cream into a popular street brand that can only be obtained in boutiques or on the official website. Fresh design solutions quality materials- nothing else is required. The first place rightfully belongs to him.

The founders of the rap genre, as well as the entire hip-hop culture, are considered to be black residents of poor areas of America. It was they who first put rhyming lines on the beat and were even able to make money from it.

It is not difficult to recognize a fan of rap music, as well as a rap artist, in a crowd. Representatives of this subculture prefer massive sweatshirts, baseball caps with a straight visor and wide trousers, often lowered noticeably below the waist. And this is by no means an idea of ​​eminent stylists who promoted a similar style of dressing to the masses during the promotion of another star. Loose pants are a historically established and entrenched image, born far from a good life.

Style dictated by poverty

In places where hip-hop culture was born, no one had the opportunity to dress in expensive stores. They put on what they had to, not really thinking about the combination of colors and relevance. fashion trends. And the hardest thing was to get proper children's clothes. If adults could somehow protect things, then teenagers climbing walls, basements and attics easily turned not the best pants and T-shirts into holey rags in a matter of weeks.

The only way out of a situation where a teenager has absolutely nothing to wear is to pick up something from the wardrobe of older family members. And no one really looked at the dimensions. The main thing is not to be too small, and if it’s too big, it’s not scary, it will grow.

Over time, spacious things became familiar, and even growing up, young men preferred massive hoodie T-shirts, preferring them to the white-collar style.

Habit from behind bars

Wearing wide pants is a habit from childhood. But the loose belt that allows the trousers to hang low, exposing the underwear, is a touch of prison life, which also influenced the development of hip-hop clothing style.

In order to prevent suicide, and also to deprive prisoners of the opportunity to use belts as weapons and even murder weapons, which often happened, prison guards forbade the wearing of belts. The progenitors of the rap subculture were frequent guests behind bars, poverty often pushes them to crime. And as a result of the symbiosis of a difficult childhood and no less difficult life in adulthood, the habit of wearing wide trousers was born, lowering them below the waist, and later the habit of black rappers grew into a wholesale fashion.

Hip-hop is not only music, but also a whole culture: graffiti, breakdance, streetball and, of course, fashion. Born in the 1970s in the South Bronx, it has gone from the style of a poor gopota to the "bow" of the most successful people industry. figured out how it happened.

The image of a modern rap star is unthinkable without a powerful car and an expensive suit. Jay-Z, P.Diddy, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and many more became regulars fashion shows and rightfully considered icons of style. The names of clothing brands are found in almost every album of a self-respecting rapper, and sometimes they even become the names of songs like the track "Tom Ford" from Jay-Z, "Louis Vouitton" from or "Old Chanel" from Wiz Khalifa. But 20 years ago things were different.

Rappers preferred sports jerseys, bandanas, oversized pants and hoodies. And at the dawn of hip-hop in the 80s, the masters of recitative from the New York Bronx could be distinguished from the “clear boys” from the Sverdlovsk Khimmash only by skin color: sports suit Adidas with indispensable stripes, sneakers and panama. And it's not at all that modern rappers have betrayed the notorious old school.

Young and poor

Since an African-American woman didn't give up her seat on the bus on December 1, 1955 white man, the United States was swept by a wave of struggle for the civil rights of the black population. Young African Americans united in parties and public organizations, some of them decided on armed struggle. The growth of black self-awareness required its own counterculture, which became hip-hop. The date of his birth is given as August 11, 1973, when DJ Kool Herc first publicly performed music that modern critics would call old school rap.

But hip-hop immediately went beyond the purely musical genre. DJ Afrika Bambaataa formulated five components of hip-hop: rapping, DJing, breakdancing, graffiti and knowledge. By the latter, he meant the ideology of the struggle of blacks for their rights. She had to determine the topics for creativity. Clothing, on the other hand, was given exclusively applied significance: to be comfortable for dancing, to have large pockets that could hold spray cans of paint, and to hide the face. After all, no one gave young people the right to paint the walls of buildings or arrange sessions in in public places.

Another important condition is the low price, because the popularity of even famous rappers and DJs did not go beyond African-American areas. Because of poverty, many blacks wore clothes large sizes, which would be guaranteed to fit all family members: residents of poor areas did not have money to buy jeans for each child.

The most popular brands in the hip-hop environment in the 1980s were expensive by ghetto standards sportswear: Le Coq Sportif, Adidas and Puma. Panama hats Kangol have gained cult status, without which it is difficult to imagine Run D.M.C. - one of the first stars of hip-hop. The object of real worship was Adidas sneakers superstar. Rappers wore them without laces, break dancers preferred thick laces in the color of Adidas stripes, and in Queens they were combined exclusively with red sweatpants. Outside of this part of New York, sweatpants were worn only for recording in the studio, earning them the nickname "studio pants". But not only Queens broke the foundations. In Compton, Los Angeles, total-black came into fashion, the guys from N.W.A. became its main popularizers.

As money poured into the hip-hop industry, two styles emerged: B-Boy/B-Girl and Flyboy/Flygirl. The former stuck to their roots and tried to look like typical break dancers, as hinted at by the "B" in the title. The second tried to become "bappies" - black yuppies. Popular in this group were U.S. Polo, Timberland and Tommy Hilfiger. The latter even gained cult status thanks to his charity event: Hilfiger personally came to the poorest parts of Harlem and the Bronx to distribute things to those in need.

The real phenomenon of the era was Dapper Dan - the best couturier in Harlem. The designer, whose real name is Daniel Dan, cut things from famous brands and created new works from these pieces with large inscriptions with the name of the brands. All hip-hopers tried their best to show that they were wearing expensive things. The Gucci inscription was especially popular. By the end of the 80s, wealth already allowed rappers to look towards jewelry. It was then that men began to wear thick gold chains, and girls - large gold earrings.

gangster and racist

The appearance of the rapper was a continuation of his music. By the end of the 1980s, hip-hop was transforming from a dance and entertainment genre to a keenly social one. The main theme was the difficult life in the ghetto - poverty, racial inequality and social injustice. Civil rights activists, especially the Black Panthers, have become heroes and inspirations for many. Reflection of these processes in fashion are African motifs and military. Traditional african kente ornament, bright colors, leopard print and characteristic hairstyles like braids and voluminous afros coexisted with military uniform black, peakless caps and the colors of black nationalists: black, green, yellow and red.

Photo: Jane Caine / ZumaPress / Globallookpress.com

In the early 1990s, rappers turned to crime. Street shootings, drug dealing, prostitution, robbery and robbery were commonplace in black areas. Young rap artists romanticized criminal culture no worse than Russian chansonniers. At the same time, the popularity of rappers opened the way for them to the red carpet of prestigious awards. Almost for the first time, ordinary black guys from the streets had to think about the ceremonial image. And they drew inspiration from the image of Prohibition era gangsters: three-piece suits, double-breasted jackets, hats and even pince-nez - in this image, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dog and Dr. Dre tried to look like Al Capone of our time. They emphasized their origin with massive gold rings, earrings with diamonds and gold-rimmed glasses.

Off the red carpet, there was more originality. Sports jerseys and sleeveless T-shirts, popular at that time in the NBA, came into fashion. The form allowed to emphasize the rapper's connection with his hometown or demonstrate it. good attitude to one player or another. Bandanas and baseball caps exclusively with a flat visor have gained immense popularity. With the help of these two accessories, countless looks could be created. In footwear, the time has come for "timberlands", which were worn untied, and Adidas Superstar in the hearts of rappers replaced Nike Air Jordan sneakers. Despite the fact that the first model from his airiness came out back in 1984, they gained real popularity in the hip-hop environment already in the 1990s. The love for bulky hoodies and baggy jeans, which often dangled at the hips, has not gone away either.

Many rappers tried to create an individual image and experimented. Notorious B.I.G., for example, has not only featured Australian sweater manufacturer COOGI on his iconic songs One More Chance (Stay With Me Remix) and Big Poppa, but has also filled his wardrobe with the products. Kanye West wore a Ralph Lauren bear sweater. The young rapper thus not only created an image uncharacteristic for a rapper, but also paid tribute to two African-American bands from Brooklyn, the hallmark of which was clothing exclusively from Ralph Lauren. Naturally, stolen clothes.

Streets against dandies

In the 21st century, hip-hop finally ceased to be a subculture and became mainstream. Many gangsta rappers have died, others have been incarcerated, and those that have survived have become part of the industry. Rappers such as and remained true to the good old street style with its jerseys, bandanas, wide jeans and military pants. Very large gold jewelry with an abundance of diamonds was still in fashion. Sneakers were also a subject of special respect, which many rappers enthusiastically collected. In addition to the traditional Nike, Adidas and Puma, even the previously considered pop Converse and New Balance began to enjoy respect.

But Sean Combs, better known as Puff Daddy, P.Diddy or simply Diddy, brought the movement that began in hip-hop to the world of fashion to its logical conclusion. Combs not only wore expensive suits, in 1998 he began to produce them under his own brand Sean John. Not far behind was Sean Corey Carter, known as Jay-Z, who co-founded sportswear brand Rocawear in 1999. The behavior of rappers has also changed. If the parties of the 80s were not far from the first street sessions, then the annual White party, which Sean Combs arranged at his mansion in the Hamptons, turned into a real competition for the title of the most stylish African American.

A real revolution has occurred with women's hip-hop fashion. In the late 80s, rappers - like rappers - preferred oversized track jackets and wide pants, but in the 1990s, sexuality came into fashion. Among the pioneers of the trend were Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown, who wore a minimum of clothes, and the rest emphasized the feminine charms. Young R'n'B star Aliya died very young, but managed to leave a mark on the development of hip-hop fashion. She combined old and new by combining military pants with sports jackets worn directly over a sports bra.

No rules

The last bastions of old-school hip-hop fashion fell in the 2010s. Cool black guys no longer find it shameful to appear in public in baseball caps with curved peaks, jeans no longer have to be wide, and pink has become as appropriate as total-black or military. Even worse, black guys started wearing very tight skinny and even women's clothing. Gone are the massive gold chains, which, if they appear, are only in clips. Some rappers have even traded gold for beads and braided bracelets. Almost the only one who appears in gold in public is 2 Chainz, whom the pseudonym obliges. Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls are probably rolling over in their graves.

At the same time, street style, which 35 years ago was an attribute of Compton and the Bronx, today has become mainstream not only in the United States, but also in Europe and Asia. You don't have to be a rapper to wear Timberland boots unlaced and with a rolled tongue. Baseball caps with a flat peak have become part of the official equipment of many sports teams in the most different types sports. And it's not just black athletes who wear them. For example, in Formula 1, not only flaunts a cap with a flat visor, whose father came from Grenada, but also a Finn.

Total-black has gone beyond Compton, Los Angeles and the entire West Coast, and red sweatpants are worn not only in the studio, not only in Queens and not only paired with Adidas. Canadian rapper Drake, for example, attends matches of his favorite basketball team, the Toronto Raptors, in this form. “I dream that one day, in the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveholders will be able to sit together at a fraternal table,” King said in his famous speech I have a dream. Turn out to be a pastor in 2018, he could be satisfied. Black guys have long been dressing like successful white guys, and white guys like black guys from the ghetto. Maybe the descendants of slaves and slave owners did not share a common table, but they are purchased in the same stores.