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
Rick Ross - Super High
Rare bottles by the barrel/ Pop the Giuseppe tags like it’s American Apparel
Rick Ross will never be ashamed about his wealth and status. Rick Ross is living the dream with his rare (and most likely expensive) bottles of liquor and luxury fashion. Price is of no concern to him. So while the “average” American is looking to save money while shopping for more affordable clothing such as American Apparel, Rick Ross is rubbing shoulders with his woman of choice and getting her luxury Giuseppe Bags. And these Giuseppe Bags are for Rick Ross what American Apparel is to us “regular people”, which is why he rips the tag off like it’s American Apparel.
So the next time you want to live large and spend money freely, be sure to rip off the tags of your Air Yeezy’s but pretend as if they are shoes from Payless. The women will dig that.
Pharrell - The Message (Freestyle)
Esquire and GQ, Don’t kid yourself trying to say me too/ Rigged yourself of thinking that me is you/ You aint me and nigga you cant be!
When it comes to fashion, Pharrell is the most iconic figures in hip-hop. With multiple clothing line endeavors, timeless hits and a personality that gets him fame all over the world, Pharrell truly does deserve the magazine stories that focus on his style. With Esquire and GQ coverage, there is no one that can do it like Pharrell. And he stresses this point to anybody who thinks otherwise. So don’t rig yourself into think you are like the hitmaker.
The day you get GQ and Esquire praising you, then maybe you can say me too.
Lil Kim - Queen Bitch
Sippin Zinfandel, up in Chippendales/ Shop in Bloomingdales for Prada bags/ Female Don Dada hats no problems spittin cream with my team/ Shit’s straight like nine fifteen, y’nahmean?
Lil Kim is the Queen Bitch. Running with her Junior Mafia crew back in the day, she was the top female rapper out. The status she had was everywhere. She was sipping good wine while being the center of attention while watching Chippendales, a exotic male dance crew. Getting her Prada Bags at Bloomingdales and perhaps her “Don Dada” hats too (which are probably mafioso style Italian hats), money is not an issue. She can get the best drinks and products from the best stores. It’s not a problem. It’s all straight (which is common slang for alright). It’s so straight like when it’s 9:15 on a traditional clock.
Prada is quite the popular brand with females. Bags, a symbol of luxury and also quite the out-of-home advertisement, gives a woman like Lil Kim status. Especially while she is hanging out with male strippers.
Cam’Ron - I Just Wanna
Want a girl who don’t need prada/ She could be a damn reeboker/ [As] long as she freak proper
Cam is letting you know what he wants in life. In this song, he mentions desires such as the coke prices going down and getting a blow job from Miss Patti Labelle. Anothing thing is he wants a woman with simple pleasures. Not one of those “bougie” chicks that needs the high end fashions in order to show her value to the world. For Cam, brand names on a girl don’t matter. Even if they wear the less luxurious Reebok brand, it is all good as long as she is a proper freak in the bed. Looks like the rich and famouse Patti Labelle may not be that needed after all.
Cam’Ron not having a problem with the brand names on a girl shows a more humble nature to his personality. It also shows his affections towards the “freak” inside all women. His views on Reebok are quite contrasting to Jay-Z’s, his former colleague and now long time rival.
Busta Rhymes – Why We Die
I must be cuckoo, like I respect the new-you, never/ See you too could get it through your FUBU sweater/ like a nigga when he walk in the dark, trespassing/ on a nigga land, shots echo loud in the park
FUBU, and other hip-hop influenced designer brands, were gaining much popularity during the nineties. In 1999 (when this song was released) clothing lines sucj as RocaWare and Sean John were born, which to this day continue to make millions in revenue. FUBU (which stand for “For Us By Us”) was a highly popular brand that represented the rawness and ostentatious culture that hip-hop was. When used in these lyrics, Busta Rhymes is saying how nobody is different when walking in a dark alley. No matter what brand you are wearing, some neighborhoods don’t care about the status. In fact, they could even be envious. Regardless, do not trespass in a neighborhood you don’t belong in. Nothing will keep you safe.
Some clothing brands have such a flair attached to them, sometimes violence does erupt when it comes to attaining it. In “Why We Die”, Busta Rhymes is letting it known that some areas and places are just dangerous. You need to be careful, as there are many people living there with nothing to lose.
Rev Run “Rock Box”
Calvin Klein’s no friend of mine/ Don’t want nobody’s name on my behind/ Lee on my legs, sneakers on my feet/ D by my side and Jay with the beat
Rev Run (of Run D.M.C. fame) expresses his avoidance of showing off a brand name. Declaring his independence, he clearly states that he doesn’t desire wearing Calvin Klein clothing. Not only is he uninterested in walking around with the CK brand name on him, but he has no personal reason to promote Calvin Klein and his brand. Calvin Klein is not his friend nor does he desire to be his friend, especially when he has partners like DMC and Jam Master J. If I had to guess, I would say he is ok with Lee jeans because the logo is not heavily featured on the product. Wearing a Calvin Klein vest, on the other hand, will only make Run look like those ostentatious rappers that need to show the brand names (that they don’t even own) to the world. Maybe for some companies, it is best if the brand name isn’t so visible on their products. That way they don’t alienate those who do not want to be walking advertisements.
Kanye West “All Falls Down”
Man I promise, I’m so self conscious/ That’s why you always see me with at least one of my watches/ Rollies and Pashas done drove me crazy/ I can’t even pronounce nothing, pass that ver-say-see
Lyrics from “All Falls Down” by Kanye can have multiple posts in my blog. The song references plenty of brand names, which all play a heavy role in the song’s message about materialism. Focusing on the Versace brand, Kanye is admitting that he is infected by consumerism and purchasing the best products he can. He is so focused on brand names that he even purchases them whether he can pronounce them or not. The song shows just how much power a brand name can have on a person. Pronouncing Versace wrong, he is admitting that there is a deeper meaning behind the consumption that results to him being self-conscious. If marketed correctly, a brand (such as Versace) can become a staple and necessity for a buyer. Even if you don’t know why you want it, or even how to say it, you will get the product because you know it will increase your self worth. It will also go well with the watches and sneakers.
