Rocawear & Jay-Z's Impact on American Fashion

As far as my style goes, I wear what I like. From an existentialist point of view, my style would best be described as urban-conservative. That means hip-hop inspired, but staying away from brand names, loud colors, or excessive baggyness. There was a time in my life, however, where I wanted to bestraight thug. If it was in the ads of XXL Magazine, I bought it. You could catch me sporting anything from Ecko Unlimited, Sean John, Southpole, and Rocawear. I had a strong preference for Rocawear.

This is from the 8th grade yearbook, in 2002-2003, where I was voted funniest. I'm a rocking the hardcore, black denim Rocawear jacket, and accessorizing with a ridiculous mean-mug. The mean mug is an ironic contrast to the "Funniest! Ha Ha!" next to my picture.

I got it as a Christmas gift from my grandma, when she took me shopping at Burlington Coat Factory. The jacket is as warm as it gets. I love the khaki Rocawear logo on the back. It matched my khaki school pants, and let everybody know that, I'm something like Young Hov, "the best rapper alive."

"Still smokin' that La, La, La/

Beanie Sigel Desert Eagle the .45/

It's the Roc, baby sing our lullaby."

From Jay-Z's "La La La (Excuse Me Again)", Bad Boys II Soundtrack, 2002.

Rap was very cliqueish back then. Kanye West spit a verse here and there, but was ultimately still just a producer behind the boards. He had no influence on the fashion. Like Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, we were all wearing gang gear for the Rocafella army.

Come to high school, I feel I have to be an individual. I don't want to be in uniform with any classification of people. I'm shunning the brand names, and going for shit that's classic. But yet, I still let the music I listen to inspire the way I dress.

Here's my Reasonable Doubt t-shirt I got for 6 dollars from Hot Topic. In middle school, people still used to buy the albums that were hot at the time. Now in high school, P2P downloading is what's up. Kids like me were part of a renaissance of our favorite rappers roots, going to through all of their classic albums. Here I am, supporting Jay-Z the artist, but I'm not an advertisement for Rocawear.

"OK I'm gettin weeded now I know I'm contradicting myself/

Look I don't need that now/

It just once in a blue moon when there's nothin to do and/

The tension gets too thick for my sober mind to cut through."

From Jay-Z's "Feelin' It", Reasonable Doubt, 1996.

Recently, I had an epiphany when I realized I've been having most of the shirts in my closet since high school. There was a voice in my head that said "This is 2010 motherfucker, it's time to upgrade". I went to the mall with $100 on a hunt for t-shirts for the spring and the summer My curiousity led me to Macy's, and I was stunned when I found this badass tee on sale for $10.

Just wow. Forget being militantly anti-name brand. This is college. If the logo is subtle, or if the clothes have a message, I'll wear whatever. But I never thought I'd ever wear Rocawear again. I love this new bold artistic direction, reflective of the major themes of Jay-Z's body of work. This shirt visually renders the explicit lyrics of rap music, and puts it into context.

"Blame Reagan for making me into a monster/

Blame Oliver North and Iran-Contra/

I ran contraband that they sponsored/

Before this rhymin stuff we was in concert."

From Jay-Z's "Blue Magic", American Gangster, 2007.

He's been hanging out with Kanye a lot, who's now a mega star that made it big while colorfully defying the conventions of hip-hop fashion. Jay-Z is bigger than the game. He's a trend setter. We've watched the evolution of Jay-Z's style in music over the years. While other rappers and urban clothing lines conform to the status quo of the times, Jay-Z has always been in pursuit of what can be called groundbreaking. The Jiggaman will remain a superpower of pop culture for years to come. It's definitely a good look to make shirts with a deeper message...

^ Any rappers come to mind?