Old and New: Rappers in fashion, from Cam’ron to A$AP Rocky

Parallels are made between two different generations of rap music, on infinitely many different topics. The fashion industry has become an important part of rappers’ identities over time, in part due to Cam’ron and A$AP Rocky’s efforts.

From Slick Rick’s massive gold chains to Jay-Z’s Rocawear sweatsuits, the fashion sense of rappers seems to shapeshift immensely. There is always one good question pocketed in the minds of fans though while mentioning the aspect of style. Who dressed the best then and whose leading now? Cam’ron and A$AP Rocky

The answer to this question is of debatable context, but for today there are some clear-cut answers.

In 2004, one rapper from Harlem, NY by the name of Cam’ron turned the rap world upside down by representing himself dressed in one color. That color was pink, and everyone knows “real men wear pink”. Throughout more recent years, lots of lyrical references have been written to give a nostalgic reminder of this time period.

Cam’ron and the Dip-Set rap group strayed away from marginalized rapper personality and chose to say “$!#@ you” to every hater of their style, literally. In addition to his early production skills, Kanye West also played a vital role in matching his musical talent with his fashion sense.

The “Louis Vitton Don” became a frequent producer for the Dip-Set rapper, Cam’ron while even selecting his own set of pink pieces. Cam’ron went on to name his studio album in the same year Purple Haze… purple became the newfound pink.

So here we are in the year 2020 and it’s easy to recognize the many trends that form, then bite each other, and develop into newer versions of themselves. Who runs the fashion scene in the rap game today? Easy answer, “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye”, the die-hard Harlem rap prodigy, A$AP Rocky. He is the closest to Cam’ron in terms of being a pivotal figure in the fashion world of rap.

Not only has he leveled up continuously throughout his career, but he’s also plugged A$AP Mob, his group, in with the most tasteful brands and designers that every star once dreamed of modeling in their adolescence. A$AP Rocky has modeled for Guess, Calvin Klein, Raf Simmons, and many other quality clothing makers since the premiering of his “Peso” music video back in 2011.

If there’s any disagreement on the opinion that Rocky runs the show, the opposition better be the most fashionable rapper in the history of rap.