Notorious B.I.G. “Sky’s The Limit”

A nigga never been as broke as me, I like that/ When I was young I had two pair of Lees, besides that/ The pin stripes and the gray (uh-huh)/ The one I wore on Mondays and Wednesdays/ While niggas flirt, I’m sewing tigers on my shirt, and alligators/ Ya wanna see the inside? Huh, I see ya later/ Here come the drama, “oh that’s that nigga wit the fake—” blaow!/ “Why you punch me in my face?” Stay in ya place!

The Notorious B.I.G. grew up in poverty.  He never had the fancy clothing or luxuries that others had.  He describes how his small collection of clothing included two pairs of Lee jeans, and some shirts that he alternated based on the day of the week.  Also, while others around him were flirting with women (perhaps those that had the fancier clothing), Biggie was sewing tiger and alligator logos on polo shirts he owned.  This way, he can create the deception that he owns the designer brands like Le Tigre and Lacoste clothing.  These shirts are typically around the $50 range today, so I’m sure Biggie couldn’t afford many of these.  However, clothing defines a person’s style.  It can create a visual stimulant to others around and gives off a sense of accomplishment and flair.  However, if those around you can tell if a product is authentic or not, then be prepared for much criticism.  In this case, Biggie responds by punching someone in the face for calling him out for wearing fake gear.

Many popular brands are constant victims to counterfeit clothing, costing the companies massive amounts of dollars.  I guess this is the price you have to pay for having a highly popular brand that will always have a huge demand among higher and lower income brackets.