According to research, Rappers know that putting on a suit does not impress their fans. Also, many of them were not banked, with that tradition of being drug dealers in a cash business. Obviously, this is not black culture. No gospel singers, blues singers, jazz musicians, or R&B stars wear fat gold ropes. Try not to forget that, OK? It’s one subgenre of a black culture that doesn’t even go back 40 years. If you still have a hard time remembering that, think of the best rap dancer. Right. Rappers don’t dance, so how can that be all of the black cultures?
So how do you show that you are a big important rap star? You go to the jewelry district with your cash and your bodyguards and you get something fancy made. Mr. T is the prototype.
It was Mr T who started this but he was all alone. Also, Run DMC was the group that set the fashion trend when they got big in 1982, but Mr. T was famous for his gold chains before them. Before that, everybody in Disco was wearing some small gold chains.
John Travolta Saturday Night Fever. Bellbottoms, big hair. Thin gold chain. 1977
Run DMC, Adidas track suits, fat gold rope, Kangol hats. 1984.
Eric B & Rakim. Follow the Leader: 1988. Huge fat gold ropes, medallions, rings, Gucci.
Rick James 1981. Leather jacket, leather pants, braided hair, no fat gold rope.
