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Happy Birthday Hip-Hop: A Timeline of Hip-Hop Fashion

It's widely accepted that hip-hop was born 44 years ago today at a Bronx houseparty on Aug. 11, 1973. Celebrate the ever-evolving genre's birthday with awesome shots of some of hip-hop's style milestones

August 11, 2017

Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five

One of hip hop's earliest rappers and crews, Grandmaster Flash and his Furious Five were as interesting to look at as they were to listen to. We can't help but think some of today's risk-takers in hip hop have been inspired by the iconic rap collective 

Getty Images

1970

Run DMC

Run DMC were iconic hip hop pioneers, both musically and aesthetically. When they burst onto the scene in the 1970's, their Adidas track suits, shell toe sneakers, Kangol hats, and oversized gold jewelry set the standard for B-boy fashion. 

Getty Images

1988

Big Daddy Kane

For better or worse, gold chains remain one of the most enduring visual symbols of hip hop culture. Back in the 80's, Big Daddy Kane was one of the key artists who helped popularize huge gold jewelry, name plate necklaces, and chunky chains. 

Catherine McGann

1987

Run DMC & Beastie Boys

Not only did these two New York trios exemplify the sound of 1980's hip hop, they also perfectly personified the style.  

Ebet Roberts

1988

Public Enemy

As if their politically charged lyrics didn't say enough, Public Enemy's image was extremely indicative of the cultural climate of the late 80's. While some of their members sported the typical starter jackets, sports sneakers, and baseball caps that were in vogue, other members of the group dressed in paramilitary uniforms as a political statement. 

Suzie Gibbons

1988

Salt N Pepa

As hip hop grew more socially conscious, another trend that took off during the mid-to-late 1980's was the influence of Black Nationalism. The salient colors-- yellow, red, green, and black --had long been a facet of reggae culture, but were ushered into mainstream hip hop by the likes of Salt N Pepa, Queen Latifah, Public Enemy, and others.  

Michael Ochs/Getty Images

1989

N.W.A.

This legendary group embodied the attitude of hip hop at the end of the 80's, and it was apparent in their image. They wore casual staples like crewnecks, jeans, and tees, but coupled with their swagger, took them from basic to bold. 

Raymond Boyd

Queen Latifah

Throughout the 80's and early 90's, fashion for women was mostly similar to fashion for men. Sneakers, snapbacks and loose-fitting clothes were the way to go. 

Tim Mosenfelder

1992

TLC

When the 90's kicked off, so too did a more youthful wave of hip hop. Bright colors, wild prints, and imaginative ensembles started to catch on. 

Tim Mosenfelder

1993

Kriss Kross

Younger artists coming up in the early 1990's seemed partial to extra-oversized clothes, making hip hop style baggier than ever before. 

Jeff Kraviz

1990

Will Smith a.k.a. The Fresh Prince

Throughout the 70's and 80's, Adidas had been the most prevalent brand in hip hop, but in the 1990's that swiftly changed to Nike -- all thanks to a marginally popular athlete named Michael Jordan. Maybe you've heard of him. 

Ron Gallela

Biggie & Puffy

Jerseys, baggy jeans, and sneakers took somewhat of a backseat around 1995, when Death Row and Bad Boy Records were at the height of their success. Instead, rappers started to develop a taste for designer clothes and accessories, and mainstream hip hop as a whole adopted a decidedly more glamorous image. 

Jim Smeal

1996 MTV Video Music Awards

Snoop Dogg & Tupac

Another fad that manifested itself in the mid 90's was gangster fashion. No, not "gangsta" - this trend was influenced by the original Prohibition gangsters of the roaring 20's. Double-breasted suits, alligator shoes, silk shirts, and fedoras found their way into the closets of Snoop, Pac, Diddy, and others. 

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Notorious B.I.G.

That's right, even Big Poppa was in on the Al Capone aesthetic. 

David Corio

Aaliyah

The late 90's was when fashion finally started changing gears for the ladies, too. Here's Aaliyah rocking a look that would become her signature; refreshing the baggy tomboy style of her precedents with a subtly sexy twist. 

Jeffrey Mayer

Wu-Tang Clan

By the late 90's, the flamboyant colors and conceptual costuming had mostly leveled off and hip hop fashion found a more refined foothold. Classic pieces prevailed, with an updated attitude. 

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Foxy Brown

By the turn of the century, women abandoned their baggy, oversized outfits once and for all, in favor of fashion that was form-fitting and more feminine. For rappers like Foxy Brown and Lil Kim, style was synonymous with sex appeal. 

James Devaney

Ludacris

Jerseys, diamonds, do-rags -- Ludacris highlights the essentials of the early 2000's look. 

Sal Idriss

Nelly & Jay-Z

The turn of the century saw an influx of rappers trying their hands at designing fashion lines of their own. Nelly started his clothing line Vokal in 1997, followed by Apple Bottoms in 2003. Jay-Z, meanwhile, co-founded Rocawear with Damon Dash in 1999, which subsequently skyrocketed. Other rappers who founded their own lines around the same time were Diddy (Sean John,) Pharrell (Billionaire Boys Club,) and 50 Cent (G-Unit). 

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2004

Kanye West

It might seem like an eternity ago, but when Kanye first broke out in 2004 he did not have the the avant garde taste he does today. Nevertheless, his collegiate style distinguished him as a trendsetter. Many consider him single-handedly responsible for catalyzing the integration of high fashion into hip hop as we understand it today. 

Mychal Watts

Tyga, Chris Brown & Wiz Khalifa

These days, the stylistic staples are hard to miss. Snapbacks, tattoos, tight jeans, and streetwear are the key components in the formula for swag. 

Getty Images

Kanye West & A$AP Rocky

Amidst a sea of streetwear devotees, a relatively small handful of today's rappers make up a school of high fashion fanatics. Kanye, of course, has long departed from his pink polo days in favor of brands like Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, and Maison Martin Margiela. A$AP Rocky has also become a runway darling (literally -- he walked in the Hood By Air show this year during Fashion Week) known for rocking trendy designers such as Jeremy Scott, Rick Owens, and Raf Simons. 

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Nicki Minaj

Whether she's rocking a multi-colored wig or keeping it simple with a chic, blonde bob, Nicki Minaj has single-handedly changed the way we think of fashion in hip hop 

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Jay-Z & Kanye West

Did someone say "All Black Everything"? When Yeezy and Hova are together, nobody nails modern chic better. 

Getty Images

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is quietly one of the most stylish rappers in hip hop today. On top of his indisputable skills on the mic, fans are always eager to see what he'll rock on stage 

Getty Images, 3

Chance The Rapper

Chance The Rapper stormed the hip-hop scene around 2013 and broke out in a major way through 2015, continuing to dominate through 2017. Chance has a style, both musically and fashion-wise, that's truly all his own. One could even argue he single-handedly brought back overalls.

Getty/Redferns/WireImage via Getty Images

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