Hip Hop Jewelry History

Hip hop jewelry and fashion exploded in the 1980s when hip hop music was at its infancy. Reminisce of the 80s and flashbacks of Adidas track suits and fat rope dookie chains are likely to emerge. Back in the day hip hop fashion consisted of tracksuits, bomber jackets, bucket hats, fly kicks and other flashy attire. The hip hop jewelry though was the only accessory to stand the test of time. Men’s hip hop jewelry in the 80s was all about the heavy gold chains while women favored large gold earrings. Besides being stylish, hip hop jewelry in the golden age of hip hop represented the success of those at the top of their game.

To explain the hip hop jewelry trend in the 80s, a quick history lesson on hip hop is necessary. Hip hop originated during the 1970s by African American and Latino youth in the Bronx through block parties. DJs would isolate beats in popular music and repeat them, which would later be known as sampling. This method of mixing and matching beats led to artists laying down rhymes to beats and thus rapping was born.

By the mid 1980s hip hop went mainstream and worldwide. It was during this time period that the culture converged music with fashion. Hip hop artists like Run DMC, Kurtis Blow and Big Daddy Kane paired heavy gold chains with brightly colored name brand clothes. Hip hop jewelry represented, and still does so today, success in an industry many never expected to prevail. Out of the many that attempt careers in hip hop a select few succeed. Hip hop jewelry symbolizes making it in the game. Flashing a gold or platinum chain, diamond studded watch or ring quickly communicates to someone how successful they’ve become. And just like the hip hop clothes, bigger and flashier is always better. It seems like every year rappers are trying to outdo themselves with hip hop jewelry.

In the 90s platinum and silver replaced gold as the hip hop jewelry material of choice. Diamond encrusted platinum or silver pendants became almost mandatory in music videos or award shoes. Hip hop jewelry reached new heights when rappers like Birdman iced out his entire mouth with permanent platinum fronts. Those who weren’t brave enough to commit to permanent fronts settled for iced out grillz that could be placed over teeth.

Hip hop jewelry today is diverse as ever in terms of shapes, materials and quality. Jewelry trends are constantly shifting seeing as hip hop influencers like Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Jay-Z are always changing up their styles. Recently, wood pendants and accessories exploded in the hip hop scene, possibly due to their affordability in this economy. Jesus wood pieces quickly started showing up on celebrities like LeBron James, Nas and even Justin Bieber. Religious beliefs have played a significant role in hip hop jewelry since the 1990s. Jesus pieces and crosses in gold, platinum or silver are likely to sustain their popularity well into the future. And as fashion trends go, some trends are destined to repeat themselves. For a brief period recently, gold thick rope dookie chains reappeared to pay homage to the golden era of hip hop. Hip hop jewelry like music is ever-changing. From the humble beginnings of hip hop in the Bronx, hip hop jewelry is the epitome of the game. Hip hop jewelry is much like a badge of honor, of the triumph from impoverished to empowered.

Hip Hop Jewelry Categories

KingIce.com is the undisputed king of hip hop jewelry. We carry every type of hip hop jewelry imaginable. From bling bling chains to iced out rings. From all natural wood pieces to blackout jewelry. King Ice has got you covered. We select only the highest quality jewelry for our collections. We're so confident in our hip hop jewelry, we offer an industry best 90 day warranty on all of our jewelry. Visit our warranty page for more information. We add new hip hop jewelry pieces on a weekly basis. We're constantly following hip hop fashion influencers on the search for new hip hop jewelry to bring to our customer before anyone else.

Hip Hop Jewelry Earrings
	Our earrings collection includes hundreds of styles, shapes, sizes and colors. Our best sellers are clear CZ diamond sterling silver stud earrings in round and princess cut. Choose from solid gold, sterling silver, and brass with CZ diamond or genuine real diamonds.We also offer an extensive collection of birthstone sterling sivler stud earrings. For a unique pair of hip hop earrings, try our micro pave studs in sterling silver, gold plated or all black everything.
Hip Hop Jewelry Rings
	No one does hip hop rings like King Ice! You’d wish you had more fingers after viewing our collection. In addition to titanium, tungsten carbide and sterling silver bands, King Ice offers large iced out rings including pinky rings and multi row CZ diamond rings. No other jewelry store can offer gold plated, platinum style, sterling silver, blackout and more hip hop rings at such affordable prices. Our hip hp jewelry has rings suitable for any setting.
Hip Hop Jewelry Bracelets
	Hip hop jewelry blew up this past year with shamballa bracelets. No doubt you’ve seen Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa, T.I., Busta Rhymes and other hip hop artists flossin’ Shamballa jewelry. Shamballa bracelets resemble disco balls with CZ diamonds that sparkle. Get Shamballa bracelets and other styles in this category. Included in this category are gold plated, platinum style, leather, sterling silver and all balck everything bracelets. The CZ diamonds on our bracelets sparkle like the real thing.
Hip Hop Jewelry Pendants
	Our hip hop jewelry offers a vast variety of hip hop pendants to suit any budget and style. Since we follow hip hop fashion 24/7 you’ll find pendant designs at a fraction of the cost. Category includes crosses, animals, initials, dog tags, sports pendants and more. Our most popular pendats are the iced out cross pendants and Jesus pieces in gold plated, silver plated and blacked out. Rappers like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rick Ross and more can be spotted wearing gold or platinum Jesus pieces identical to ours.
Hip Hop Jewelry Chains
	Hip hop jewelry is all about matching throughout your outfit. Match your iced out pendant with an equally impressive chain from King Ice. We carry classic styles like the DMC dookie rope chain and Franco as well as the hottest new chains like all blacked out ones or multi row CZ diamond chains. A hip hop chain can be as subtle or flashy as you want. Our best selling items are the gold plated and silver plated Franco chains. They're ideal to wear by themselves or with an iced out hip hop pendant.
Hip Hop Jewelry Necklaces
	Hip hop jewelry goes all natural with wooden necklaces. Make a statement by wearing a Jesus piece or Africa continent wooden necklace available in multiple colors. If you’d rather go with bling bling necklaces, try our popular Shambala necklaces with high quality CZ diamonds. Our hip hop necklaces category includes rosaries, women's necklaces, Shamballa necklaces, wood jewelry and hip hop combo sets.