Rappers have always been about jewelry. If you’re in the rap game, one of the signs of success is obtaining tons of jewelry. Now I’m all for looking nice and being able to shine when you want to. I don’t think it’s a problem wearing some jewelry, but there comes a time when the ‘bling’ becomes a bit much. Some rappers keep it simple, getting just a regular chain, maybe with a Jesus head or cross, a modest watch, and some diamond stud earrings like Jay-Z and Drake below:
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But then you’ve got the ice enthusiast like Gucci Mane, Rick Ross, and T-Pain who go all out to get blinged up. From the chains to the watches and rings, they go hard to look like walking diamond mines:
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I understand that jewelry is a sign of status, and in the music business, it’s all about status and the image you portray. I also understand that it’s their money that they are spending on the jewels, so they’re entitled to spend their hard earned cash how they want, but there’s been far too many stories of emcees going broke. Not only does spending money on jewelry run your pockets thin, but once you’re walking around with all these valuable items on your body, you’ve got to worry about keeping it. From Yung Berg to Young Money’s Tyga, we’ve heard too many stories of rappers getting gotten for their possessions.
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At the end of the day, it’s the rappers who are making the money so they can buy what their hearts desire. Just be sure that you’re financially ready to make the purchase, and you can wear the jewels without having to worry about them getting taken away. Hopefully as most of these entertainers get older, they’ll realize that it’s not about how big your chain or watch is, it’s just about the music. Jay-Z has given up wearing really big jewelry, and even Mannie Fresh has put away the ice (and he was a part of the ‘bling-bling’ dynasty, Cash Money Records). Let’s see if these other rappers take notice and do better. Check out some of the most blinged out jewelry that rappers have worn in the past:
