This is Kanye West at the Yeezy Collection fashion show.
This is 50 Cent wearing several gold chains and watches.
This is Odell Beckham Jr. doing the "Whip" as it became a more popular dance move.
This is French Montana holding up his cash.
This is J. Cole in his home town of Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Fashion Rap music has had a great effect on the culture of the United States, from fashion, to dance, and much more. These groups see themselves as innovators, and inspiration to the younger generation. Kanye West, which was one of the first rappers to begin fashion in the rap industry, created the Yeezy collection. The Yeezy Collection included shoes, clothing, and hats. Kanye topped the charts with his shoes, Yeezys, which sold for about $200 a pair, and would sell out same day in stores. Kanye gave inspiration to several artists such as, Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug, to star in fashion shows.
Dollar and a Dream III One song that represents rap music is "Dollar and a Dream III", by J. Cole. The song is about how he has nothing, and how he's going to achieve his goals. One line says,"So much on my mind, I wonder how it fit in my brain. Scattered thought, dark secrets lead me to a blacker heart, life can't get any worse, Stevie with his glasses off." This line shows how he is at a low point in life, but he didn't give up. The song continues by talking about how he is going to help his family once he gets rich. The song provides inspiration to the listener to achieve their dreams and aspirations. Jewelry Jewelry has also been an important look in rap, plenty of rappers have gold chain, rings, and watches while performing. This became popular ever since the 1980s, and was taken in by some famous artists such as Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. Tupac's song "Life Of An Outlaw" said, "Look at my competition's laugh while I flash my jewelry, you would be silent if you knew me." This line meant that he has so much jewelry, that you would be stunned. Having jewelry shows the rapper's class and wealth. Today most rappers have many songs about their jewelry and money, because it is apart of their lifestyle.
Dancing Dancing has made its way into the culture of rap, and this became most popular from Silento’s song, “Watch me”. This began with the “Whip” and “Nae Nae”, and went viral on the internet as people posted themselves dancing to the music. Other artists began to see the popularity of dance, and it later influenced them to incorporate dancing in their music. Dancing represents rap, because it allows people to express themselves to the music. Months later, new dances were developed such as the "Dab" and "Milly Rock" which were adopted by many NFL players such as, Odell Beckham Jr. and Cam Newton. They would perform these dances in the end zone, and this allowed the trend to grow even larger into the popular dances they are today.
Money Money has always been a key representation of rap music. The more money you had, the more popular you were. Plenty of rappers flaunt their money in music videos, but there are some that stay humble. J. Cole is a prime example of both sides. He came from a poor family and when he was exposed to so much money he became obsessed. His song “Chaining Day”, portrays this because it is about how the money changed him, and how we are enslaved to the dollar. Money is usually looked at as the central representation of rap, and J. Cole opposes that. He talks about how everyone wants to be rich, but he would rather be poor again. He continues to explain how money is the root of all evil. J. Cole steps out of his comfort zone, and talks about several personal experiences. He views himself as someone who was blessed, and is trying to make a difference with what he was given.
Communities Many people believe that rap has a negative impact on the young, but the fans that listen to the music are influenced by the artist in several aspects. Although some aspects could be negative outcomes many could as well be positive. Many rappers aren't seen for the positive impacts that have on communities, such as Nelly, 50 Cent, Ludacris, and many more. The rappers could relate to these communities, because many would grow up in less fortunate areas. These communities represent rap music as a whole, because it is where rap first began. In addition, it is what motivated the artists to become who they are today. Kendrick Lamar grew up in Compton, California, and wrote the song "m.A.A.d. City", which is about how the community he grew up in shaped his artistic talent. Together these rappers have raised millions for less fortunate communities and well-known causes. One example is, Chance the Rapper, he raised over $60,000 for the homeless in the winter. He continued to post on twitter it was the “Warmest Winter.” Although some rappers choose poor choices, it shouldn’t represent them and rap music as a whole. Rap music has a great influence on the listener, and it is their choice how it impacts them.
These are the shoes created by Kanye West, which sold out within hours.