“Mami in that Tom Ford, Papi in that Thom Browne; Rick Owens, Raf Simons, boy she got it by the stock.” - A$AP Rocky, "Fashion Killa"
In a 2013 music video, A$AP Rocky saunters around New York with Rihanna as they both don chic outfits. A$AP raps about all of the brands that he loves to see RiRi sport, “Mami in that Tom Ford, Papi in that Thom Browne; Rick Owens, Raf Simons, boy she got it by the stock.” The rapper references how incredulous it is that the pair is able to dress well together despite their differing styles, showcasing their duality as a couple. Since this video precedes their relationship announcement by almost a decade, it’s quite a feat to see how it turned out. Rocky often references big brands in his songs, as he is known for his interest in fashion and for his almost always impeccable style.
In another famous music video, appearing alongside A$AP Mob, Rocky calls out his “flashy behavior” with the lyric, “Yeah, I'm boastin', never brag; Please, don't touch my Raf.” Rocky differentiates himself from other popular rappers, by mentioning creative luxury fashion brands outside of the mainstream in his songs. By doing this, he’s making way for black people to have a space in high fashion, where they typically aren’t given the space unless they make it for themselves. If you look beyond this, you can see the kid from Harlem carving out his own sense of artistry through his lyricism and style.
A lot of rap videos can be characterized by their extravagant chains, brand mania, and amazing shoe game. Why is this? How has this "materialism" led to the shaping of rap culture? Which is inherently connected to black culture? How do rappers use fashion to connect to black history and culture? How has the black body been able to carve space in the fashion world? These are questions that I hope to be able to answer in this article.
Fashion and hip hop are inseparable. Hip-Hop isn’t just a genre of music, it carries an entire culture alongside it, particularly in regards to the particular way of dress that comes as a part of the culture. As the CERCL Writing Collective asserts, during and after slavery Black people have been unable to have full autonomy over their dress.
The dominance of black people in the music industry, particularly in Hip-Hop, the genre created by them (us) has been able to provide a space in which Black people were given economic and artistic mobility to take control over their sense of dress and presentation (The CERCL Writing Collective 41). This is in itself, an act of resistance against the metaphorical and literal “chains' ' that has been placed upon black people. In the past and present, just for the radical act of being black. It has been brought up that along with music, fashion is one of the few spaces that black people have always had control over.
In Spatial “wRapping,” Ruff brings up how through a brief examination of Hip-Hop, viewers will automatically be aware of the flashiness that can often be found in the lyrics and videos. What is the need for the constant “flexin’”? What does it mean? "Flexin" is a power play to establish one’s economic status, informing all that ingest the material: what’s up. These artists have money and they’re going to let you know.
In 50 Cent’s music video for "In Da Club," he can be seen sporting large diamond chains and Timberland’s. With this song having grossed over 1.3B views on Youtube since its release, it’s clear that this video is an important staple in hip-hop music; making sure to follow the fashion trends as well. Along with being a symbol of economic prowess, Hip-Hop culture is a connection to the African culture that black people were robbed of. Particularly, the adornment of the body with extravagant jewels, bold colors, and loose-fitting clothing (Ruff 75).
As Hip-Hop has evolved, the style has too. Hip-hop artists often turn to sampling for their music and the same can be said for the style and ambiance attributed to the music (Thompson 481). The affinity for luxury is also seen in the appropriation of upper-class status symbols that have been connected to whiteness, like expensive cars and high-end European fashion designers.
As mentioned previously, the music of Hip-Hop alongside the style attached to it. In the 1993 Wu-Tang Clan music video for their popular song C.R.E.A.M, the rappers are wearing oversized hoodies, jeans, vests, and ski caps. For comparison, take a look at a more recent rap video like "Life is Good" by Future ft. Drake, to find that the rappers are wearing high-end luxury fashion pieces and more fitted clothing. The reason for the contrast is that the rap of the ‘90s was nurtured in poverty, black adults and children were often given hand-me-down clothing that was not properly fitting (Ruff 75). It was always better to have clothes that were ill-fitting on the large side, instead of the opposite too-small side; leading to the trend of oversized clothing in Hip-Hop. Whereas today, hip-hop culture promotes more of a "flex" culture, where rappers are expected to "flex" all of their new acquisitions of wealth: “newest sneakers, luxury fashion brands, and twenty-karat jewelry,” (Byrd 181). Clothing is an essential part of the hip-hop culture, and like everything there is intention within the artistry.
"Flexin" is not simply a way to "stunt on these hoes" as Childish Gambino has famously said, it’s an assertion of one finally reaching the place in their life of having the capital and mobility to fully express oneself’s creative, economic, and socially. The black diaspora across the world has often been robbed of the opportunity to fully do so, even silenced when there are attempts to do so (Byrd 183). By establishing luxury within music, the black body is able to reclaim the power with which the world often tries to strip it of. So the next time you hear A$AP Rocky rapping about being a "Fashion Killa" on your Spotify Radio, take a second to understand why he has to bring that "flex" up in the first place.
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