Rappers have always professed their love for luxury fashion brands.
Their songs are teeming with references to designers and their prestige creations. It’s a matter of showing off lifestyle and making a statement.
Hence, various top designers and hip hop brands have made it into the limelight of pop culture. The examples range from shameless product placement to proclamations of genuine love.
We took a look at major charts in order to identify the most-mentioned names. Here is the cream of the crop according to word frequency and artist “weight class”.
1. Gucci
Gucci is one of the undisputed kings of hip hop fashion.
It appears in various billboard smashers and cult classics. Let’s just mention “Ni**as in Paris” (Jay Z &Kanye West) and Thrift Shop (Macklemore& Ryan Lewis). Or the Notorious B.I.G. sharing his love for Gucci in “Big Poppa/Warning.
The list goes on and makes Gucci a true icon, a league of its own. Gucci jackets are particularly popular pieces of rap culture everyone wants to own.
2. Versace
Versace comes as a close second. Namely, the fabled Italian brand is a symbol of comfort and opulence. It all started back in the 90s when Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac endorsed it.
A decade later, Migos struck viral hit “Versace” that broke the record with the number of mentions. We should also underline the banger “Panda” by Desiigner.
Mentions from superstars like these carry more weight than a bunch of small fish raving about it.
3. Givenchy
Next off, we have a brand rapidly advancing through the ranks. We probably have to thank Beyonce and her “Formation” for this meteoric rise. Others would argue Kanye once again managed to be the first to spot an emerging trend. He did express admiration for Givenchy’s lead designer Ricardo Tisci more than once. Do you want to dress up to the nines like hip hop’s immortals? Well, check out these Givenchy for men at SSENSE and other online hubs.
4. Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton was one of the first luxury staples to permeate rap music in the 80s.
And that was just the beginning. Kanye had a passionate love affair with Vuitton, especially in the song “Mercy”. He even built his public identity around this brand, giving it a cool factor overcharge.
The fashion company has been in a slight decline as of lately. But, it retains a strong foothold. The broader hip hop community certainly holds it in high regard.
5. Prada
Prada underwent a real pop-culture resurgence in the 21s century. Lil’ Kim, Will Smith, and Jay Z used Prada in their rhymes. Perhaps the most popular recent song to mention this brand is “No Flocking” by Kodak Black. Even Gucci Mane couldn’t resist mentioning it, go figure. These names solidified the strong connection between the Prada and the hip hop landscape. The numbers are still rock-solid, albeit cooling off a bit after a spike in the mid-00s.
Hip Hop Brands at the Forefront of Rap
Based on the song mentions, it’s clear who rules the world of hip hop brands.
The aforementioned fashion champions are an integral part of the rap zeitgeist. Rhyme masters certainly don’t hesitate to give them shout-outs.
A slew of name-drops has given the likes of Gucci an unparalleled visibility boost. In the process, artists profoundly impact the fashion choices of millions of listeners. We personally don’t mind our obsessions for luxury items reaching fever pitch.
Check out our fashion and hip hop sections for more cool stories.
