Will there come a time when rappers will shout out Kenneth Jay Lane instead of Jacob the Jeweler?
I knew things were changing when Kimora Lee Simmons, the queen of excess and Fabulosity, scaled back her Fall '09 fashion show, opting not to hold her presentation at the pricey Roseland ballroom or her legendary after party. She was even quoted as saying, "Now is not the time to be running all over and flaunting the money that we don't have." So it's no surprise that rappers are cutting back too.
According to a recent Associate Press article, "photo shoots, for example, are being done with fewer of the specialized medallions considered a calling card for the likes of Rick Ross, whose chain with a likeness of his head - complete with black diamond beard - has an estimated value of $30,000." Rappers are going for off-the-shelf bling instead, and (gasp!) wearingtheir bling more than once. Coincidentally, this recession-conscious approach is coinciding with a general image shift in hip-hop, the article by Dionne Walker notes. "But in recent years, rap kings like Jay-Z and Diddy have displayed their swagger with looks that were more boardroom than bling, with button-down shirts and designer suits. Though Young Jeezy may still sport a huge chain at times, flashy jewelry is not integral to his image."
Kimora concurs, "Fabulosity is not...that $5,000 pair of shoes."
Quote of the Day
Posted by: Kelsi at April 17, 2009 3:15 PM