Branding In Hip-Hop
I have created this blog as a way to show the relationship between branding and hip-hop. Branding is more than just a name and logo. A brand has a culture and a background. They symbolize an idea. Rappers, using heavy metaphors, use brands as a way to creatively express their ideas and overall messages.
I've been obsessed with hip-hop since I was 6. Figured I would create something related to it while utilizing my media/advertising background. So enjoy the product placement!
*I do not own any of these images
You gotta play it how it go, you can’t cheat on life (YEAH!)/ You better drink a Red Bull, you can’t sleep on life/ I ain’t tryna do you, I’m tryin’ do me/ Last album did two, I’m just tryin’ do three
Red Bull’s famous slogan: “Red Bull Give You Wings!” In other words, Red Bull will give you the power and alertness you need to succeed in life. So it’s best to not sleep on life, and have the wings you need to do well and succeed the way you can. It’s helping Young Jeezy out for sure, especially with his Jay-Z inspired goal of improving on his sales by another million.
Insomniac since way back, see this is what I been like/ Bacon, eggs and pancakes, eating that at midnight/ Getting up and going hard, I don’t need no Enzyte
Lupe never rests when it comes to the music. Sleeping is for softies and you all can go to sleep if you want. However, Lupe is going “the opposite of erectile dysfunction” and needs no enhancements for his productivity. So I’m assuming the studio would be the lucky lady?
Jay-Z - Watcher 2
I was on the Peter Pan bus/ You was Peter Pan up in your room. Y’all fuckin with whom?
Check out the track and get the free download at The Motiv!
Though Jay-Zestablished himself as one of the best rappers of all time, there are still many detractors that criticize, especially newer artists that want to be taken seriously and not be under his shadow. But at the end of the day, when these young ones were little infants with Peter Pan posters in their baby rooms, Jay-Z was trying to make ends meet in the dangerous drug game by carrying “weight” on the Peter Pan Express bus. This clever comparison strengthens the point that Jay-Z is too grown and experienced to be bothered or challenged by these young kids that only talk tough.
For a rapper that went from carrying drugs on the Peter Pan bus to having a net worth of about $460 million, it is understandable that he isn’t the least bit concerned about his competition.
I met her at the store first, Levi’s with the Converse/ Got my style and she got curves/ Got a million dollar smile, got her number on my dial/ She said to call her when she off work
Levi’s Jeans have been a staple of fashion since 1853. The first blue jeans continue to experience success and popularity, especially with young adults. Levi’s (and a nice pair of Converse) are more than enough to fit One Sun’s style. And it gets even better when his summer girl is rocking a similar style. Seeing her in the store with the Levi’s showing all the curves, One Sun has to get her number. From there, it’s smooth sailing and fun times after she gets off work. Levi’s Jeans, which were first sold to California gold miners and mostly for working class people of Western America, are perfect for the hard working summer girl and the aspiring rapper who is always on the grind.
Similarities can definitely influence attraction. And with all the fun that summer brings, it’s only right that One Sun and his style savvy Summer Girl are enjoying a nice day in the big city, rocking the classic blue jeans.
Connect with him and keep up with all his newest track!
Talib Kweli - Hostile Gospel Pt. 1 (Deliver Us)
There ain’t no love and no respect/ It’s like a gang, it’s like a club or a set/ Hip-Hop’s the new WWF/ What do you rap or do you wrestle? Niggaz love to forget!
Rap music is filled with drama and speculation among the artists in the genre. Some call it feuds while others call it beef. Talib is calling out the current status of hip-hop music, where artists are quick to disrespect one another as a way to elevate their own status in the highly competitive field. Talib compares the rap world with the WWF, a show where people are acting out feuds and fights to set up a spectacle for the fans. Talib feels that rappers are pretending to be in fueds or prefer to have the hip-hop world similar to the WWF, where rivalries sell more tickets/records.
It’s unfortunate that rap music is compared to a TV show with fake storylines and planned out disputes. I wonder if it makes people question the authenticity of some of these artists?
Nas - You Wouldn’t Understand
Speaking for my real niggas, only OGs/ Certified who kill niggas when put in that seat/ But tonight we on chill, nigga/ chill mode, spill more Spades/ listen to Jeezy and Hov, some Rozay
Nas is a rapper that has gone through many transitions and events in his career. For example, there was that infamous moment with Jay-Z, where rap fans had to side with one or the other. And there is no denying that the battle with Jay-Z was one standout highlight in Nas’s career. But times have changed and artists grow. Jay-Z and Nas are two of the most brilliant artists in hip-hop and their impact will forever be remembered. So forget about rivalries and feuds and celebrate the good life with Ace of Spades, the liquor that Jay-Z (rival turned friend) owns and promotes.
Ether is cool. It gets people talking and it generates a lot of conversation. But at the end of the day, let’s avoid ether. Instead, get bent with Ace of Spades, put aside differences and listen to some Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Jay-Z.
Fabolous - The Way (Intro)
Money talks, if you speak Guap-anese/ A language better known if you gettin cheddar holmes/ If not get a loan, use that like Rosetta Stone/ And that way you can holla ‘bout a dollar
If you ever heard the phrase “money talks”, you know that having a fat bank account will help you be heard. Money talks, and the language is guapanese. Fabolous is fluent in this language, according to his song lyrics. Guap (as well as cheddar) is slang for money. So if Fab is fluent in guapanese, that means that his money is talking loudly and he is getting cheddar. For everyone out there that is unfamiliar with guapanese and does not have “money that talks”, then perhaps you need to invest more. Get a loan (which many do when they don’t have the proper funds), and use that money like Rosetta Stone, something that can help you better yourself and learn the language.
When you invest in Rosetta Stone, you are one step closer to learning a language. In the case of guapanese, you will be that much closer to hollering about a dollar with Fabolous. And no…Google Translate cannot help.
50 Cent - Realest Killas
I’ma nightmare, you see me in ya dream/ Wake up, and turn on ya t.v. and see my ass again/ You cowardly hearted, you couldn’t make it on ya own/ fuck The Source, I’m on the cover of Rolling Stone
In 2002, The Source wrote an editorial about Eminem, 50 Cent’s mentor. In it, they accused Eminem of being “Vanilla Ice” and a “product of the machine” that discredits black and latino artists. They also arguably failed to give Eminem an accurate review of his two highly praised albums, The Eminem Show and The Marshall Mathers LP. The fued continued to go back and forth, even affecting Eminem’s artists, such as 50 Cent. Well, in 2003, 50 Cent became a worldwide sensation and the top selling artist of that year. But because of his affiliation with Eminem, he too did not get the review most felt he deserved with his debut album “Get Rich or Die Tryin”, which many consider a classic rap album. But whatever, because 50 Cent ended up being on the cover of Rolling Stone that year, a magazine far more credible and popular in comparison to The Source.
Essentially, The Source went through quite a bit of negative press. After the situation with Eminem, advertisers such as Interscope, Def Jam, Tommy Boy, Virgin, Motown and Universal pulled advertising from The Source and the magazine has struggled to recover since. Essentially, when it comes to publications, you need make sure you have responsibility, credibility, and respect for all cultures and genres of music. Maybe that’s why 50 Cent was completely fine with not being on The Source and getting Rolling Stone instead.
Ice Cube - Today Was A Good Day
Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp/ And it read Ice Cube’s a pimp/ Drunk as hell but no throwing up/ Half way home and my pager still blowing up/ Today I didn’t even have to use my AK/ I got to say it was a good day
Everyone wants to be Al Pacino in Scarface. He noticed the blimp saying “The World Is Yours” and it all went sky high from there. Though the ending ends in a unappealing way, Scarface essentially was a king that got everything he wanted (woman, money, house, power). So when Ice Cube is looking at a Goodyear Blimp spitting out messages such as “Ice Cube’s a Pimp”, you know he is feeling good. However, Ice Cube is being facetious and really picturing a Goodyear Blimp going by with this message. It has a high probability to happen, especially since Ice Cube is already having such a good day. Sometimes, it can be hard to believe that a day is going well. But when you have that good day, embrace it and remember the feeling you had. Then realize that “today was a good day.”
Goodyear continues to use blimps as a way to deliver messages. It still grabs attention and you never know what kind a great message you will get.
*Now looks in sky hoping for a “Tan is a Pimp” blimp going by.
Paul Wall - Sittin Sidewayz
I’m out that Swisha House with Archie Lee and Couda Bang/ Sittin’ sideways on swang, the candy paint dripping off the frame/ You see me acting bad, I’m showing out and pulling stunts/ Say cheese and show my fronts, it’s more karats than Bugs Bunny’s lunch/ It’s Paul Wall baby!
Houston rap in 2005 was on fire. Artists like Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Slim Thug and Bun-B were killing it with the hits, spreading the Houston culture to the masses. The lean had Paul Wall sittin sidewayz on his impala, always driving slow to ensure he shows off the candy paint and grill. But not just the grill on his car though. Paul Wall, who supplied diamond encrusted mouth pieces, a.k.a. grills, to many famous celebrities (Nelly, T.I., Mike Jones) always came through with the dope mouth pieces. Essentially, the karats of the diamonds were enough to even satiate Bugs Bunny himself. Great pun, Paul Wall.
Mouth pieces aren’t as popular as they were in 2005. However, grillz are another symbol of the different cultures and styles that hip-hop is made up of. And whether you are Paul Wall, Bugs Bunny, Marilyn Monroe or Jacob the Jeweler, everyone loves karats!
