From tales of defiance and resistance to stories of success, Hip-Hop has had a long journey, but its synonymity with jewellery continues to influence our cultural and fashion landscape
From the lanes of the Bronx in the 1970s to the streets of India today, Hip Hop has traversed a journey of epic proportions. With defiance at the centre of their music, the genre, with its direct storytelling, revolutionised the industry, in more ways than one, with its influence being felt in the gully hip-hop culture that has thrived in our country. Another by-product, or rather, a symbiotic relationship that evolved with Hip Hop, is jewellery.
It is almost impossible to separate the genre from the bling. A walk down the hip-hop hallway would establish this point. Our favourite musicians have all endorsed ‘ice’ in myriad forms across the decades. Nonetheless, what was once a means to show your fit and status at battle raps is today a more intrinsic part of hip-hop culture.
Shah Rule owns a round gold pendant with his SR logo on it
“Hip-Hop culture and its relationship with jewellery stem from its early beginnings in the 1980s with iconic Gold Rope chains sported by pioneer rappers by the likes of LL Cool J, Run DMC and more. The trends and styles of jewellery have changed over the eras and decades of Hip-Hop but it’s definitely a constant,” shares Shah Rule, a Mumbai-based rapper whose signature sound has established him as a prominent name in the Indian hip-hop scene. Goan origin hip hop artist Tracy De Sá also talks about jewellery as a form of representation by artists over the years. “In the 70s, hip hop was founded by communities that felt the need to represent their culture and traditions, share what they had left behind and create a space where they could feel at home. Using colourful clothing, traditional jewellery, and hairstyles was a way of doing all this. And even though it seems like streetwear is in vogue today, it is important to understand how these communities were stigmatised; by embracing these styles, they became targets of racism and discrimination and were often sidelined.”
Many artists wear jewellery as an extension of their personality. In image: Raja Kumari/MC Stan
In India, hip-hop was in its teething stage till Raftaar, Honey Singh, and Badshah formed Mafia Mundeer- India’s first hip-hop group that found incredible success; it went on to start the journey that the genre has seen in India. Artists began looking inwards instead of westwards, and from there came India’s very own hip-hop culture that today boasts many artists. What remained constant, though, was the exuberance and love for being ‘iced out’. “Hip-hop culture only became trendy in the early 2000s with television channels like MTV and the rise of music videos. Jewellery is essential in all of this as it is often the easiest thing to wear and also the most valuable. From letter chains with names or the names of the groups they belonged to, to the ‘bling bling’ culture where gold, silver, diamonds, and stones became a reflection of a person’s success. And despite common beliefs, jewellery was also extremely popular for men,” De Sá tells us.
For Tracy De Sa, diversity is key when it comes to hip-hop jewellery
As hip-hop music grew in popularity, so did the demand for hip-hop jewellery. Today, Indian hip-hop fans can purchase a variety of bling, including oversized gold chains, pendants, rings, bracelets, and earrings. As someone who loves his bling, Rule talks about the growing market for hip-hop jewellery in India. “I personally feel that the tastemakers of hip-hop culture in our country began expressing themselves more creatively and flamboyantly, which in effect created a demand for it. In the last 3-4 years, you have seen small jewellery brands from all over India focus on more hip-hop-esque jewellery pieces like iced-out Cuban link chains and accessories at affordable rates and have reached incredible success in such a short time.”
Another reason is the influence of global artists and hip-hop music. Indian jewellery takes inspiration from the west and tries to find its own niche. “A lot of the bling culture comes from the US, but if you look at hairstyle and hair accessories, I would say African countries also widely impact Indian style. ” More and more artists in India are releasing music, making videos, touring, travelling,” adds De Sá, for whom Queen Latifah and Salt n Peppa were significant influences.
Hip-hop jewellery, which is often made of precious metals, is more personalised and symbolic today
But that’s not all. For some artists, jewellery is more than just accessories; it is an integral part of their persona. Look at Post Malone’s diamond-studded teeth or A$ap Rocky’s diamond studs. Statement pieces are in and here to stay. “I have a fairly large statement piece, a round gold pendant with my SR logo on it. It’s an ode to a classic all-gold 80’s and 90’s era, which is big, gold and bulky. I am inspired by early jewellery pioneers like Slick Rick and a mix of my Sindhi heritage,” shares Rule.
A$AP Rocky sports teeth grills
Among chains and earrings, another piece of jewellery has made its presence felt in India: Teeth Grills. While dental jewellery is not a common sight in India’s hip-hop landscape, Frostbite, India’s first premier grills company founded by Shrikesh, is trying to create a grill bling culture in India. “India has some of the youngest populations in the world, and jewellery has always been a part of Indian culture. Considering that and coinciding with the current global fashion trends where streetwear and Hip Hop culture is at its peak and has always been about the chains you wear and the diamonds in your teeth – it’s only time India picked up on this movement and made it its own. Hence we see the rise in custom jewellery and statement jewellery like teeth grills,” Shrikesh explains.
Frost Bite makes custom teeth grills in India
De Sá agrees and adds, “ I’ve been wearing tooth jewels for over a year, and it’s hard to see myself without them now. I feel like it adds that little shine to your face even when you’re not dressed up. It’s also a way of showing that you’re committed to your style, that you’re a risk taker, that you’re different and that you don’t care about fitting into a box; you don’t care about how people may perceive you, you fully own your body and your style.”