Recently, new school rappers primarily Lil Uzi Vert, Jaden Smith, and Young Thug have been criticized for how they dress. Uzi dresses like he’s the missing member of The Clash, while Thugger and Jaden have broken gender barriers time and time again sporting dresses and other accessories, but for some reason people are shocked. Why though?
Since the ’70s, hip hop has been changing and expanding its identity as more rappers and artists enter the game with their own unique personalities and swag. From MC Hammers’s vibrant “parachute pants,” to Kris Kross rocking their clothes backwards, to Kanye West sporting a leather skirt, rap has always had fearless artist who aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of fashion. So, for those concerned about what Uzi and Jaden are rocking (we’re looking at your rap old heads), hip hop has already been doing for decades. They are just continuing the trend.
Let’s take a look at the evolution of rule breaking style moments in hip hop fashion.
Before Kanye and Pharrell, Notorious B.I.G. was one of the fashion trendsetters in hip hop. Remember his influential style moments in the video below.
