Fascinating Hip Hop Jewelry

Hip hop jewelry is so named after the dance from which it originates. The dance of either the old school hip hop or the golden age hip hop is where it all started. The style of dressing as well as the jewelry that is worn is what sets hip hop apart from the rest.

Origin of the Hip Hop Culture

Ice T

The assumption by most is that hip hop was started in the Bronx by a Jamaican DJ named Kool Herc.

Not only did you have to dance the dance but you had to look the part. The hip hop look was baggy jeans, long, loose tee-shirts, and chunky jewelry.

The ladies would wear leggings with skirts and layered shirts with lockets of gold. The clothes and jewelry were as much of a part of hip hop as the music.

There were many that set precedence with their dress such as the all girl group, Salt ’N’ Pepa. If you are a Law and Order fan (I love this program and watch it again and again) you might recognize Ice T.

Ice T is a West Coast hip hopper credited with helping to start gangsta rap. Have you noticed the affinity he has for jewelry? The chains and the rings are toned down somewhat for the show.

People You Might Know

Here are various people who you might recognize as being into hip hop music. Tone-Loc, Silent Majority, Insane Clown Posse, and Grandmaster Flash. You may recognize a couple of these names as they have been around for little while.

The Bigger & the Flashier, the Better

The whole concept of hip hop jewelry known today was a sort of competition between the different musicians to see who was the more affluent. The one that sported the biggest chunk of stones or the thickest gold necklace seemed to be the winner. However, this was an unspoken competition. The way they measured their wealth was by how much and how large the jewelry they wore was.

When you think of hip hop, do you naturally see somewhere in your mind’s eye a big chunky gold chain that looks as if it must weigh 20 lbs. How does his neck hold that thing up? The bigger, the flashier, and the more sparkle or bling that you can get out of whatever piece of jewelry that qualifies as hip hop jewelry, the more money you are said to be making. The term or name, hip hop jewelry is usually used interchangeably with iced out jewelry or bling bling jewelry.

Necklaces, Bling Rings & Hoop Earrings

Since stories of crime, drugs and violence were often incorporated into the hip hop music, some of the jewelry started to take on a ominous feature. The necklaces were guns, snakes, dragons, and items that previously had not shown up in the hip hop - iced out jewelry. Skull and cross bone rings were another item of jewelry that became popular. The gang affiliations had their own symbols made into jewelry and this was worn sometimes as a warning.

Bling rings and huge hoop earrings are part of the hip hop world. The men’s rings are extraordinarily flashy with stones all over them. This is called the ‘iced out’ look. Silver ice stud earrings are worn although sometimes the men opt for the large hoop earrings as well.

Shopping for Bling Bling Hip Hop Jewelry

The best place to look for hip hop (bling bling) jewelry is most likely going to be online. Of course this depends upon whether your neighborhood jewelry store sells these chunky adornments.

The hip hoppers still wear their jewelry. However, their rings, necklaces, and earrings are probably specially made for them by their jeweler.

If you are looking for hip hop jewelry, try out several styles and see which one you like, but do not say it is too big. That is the whole idea behind hip hop jewelry.

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