Music video by A$AP Ferg featuring A$AP Rocky, French Montana, Trinidad James & Schoolboy Q performing Work REMIX. (C) 2013 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment

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Hip Hop and Pop Culture

Since the emergence of Hip Hop from the Bronx during the 70s, the genre has changed not only the music industry but pop culture as well. Over the decades Hip Hop has influenced and shaped almost every part of everyday life, from technology to lifestyles. But perhaps no other aspect has been affected as much as fashion.

While the music itself has continued to change and evolve, there has always been one constant fact.Hip-Hop artists have always been perceived as cool and stylish. However, asking what makes Hip-Hop artists cool and stylish isn’t as simple as it sounds. There are, after all, many reasons why Hip-Hop fashion has been embraced by consumers from around the world.

They Have Status Symbols, We Want Them

One of the most obvious reasons why Hip-Hop fashion has been admired is that it complements the emotions and attitude that go along with the music, which includes having or wanting status symbols. Whether that’s beneficial or harmful for fans, wearing gold or platinum or diamonds, sporting a designer suit or driving a souped car have been constantly seen or heard in the world of Hip Hop. For some it may be controversial. As Chuck D has stated, “I work at McDonald’s, but in order for me to feel good about myself I got to get a gold chain or I got to get a fly car in order to impress a sister or whatever,” which has plenty of truth.

Besides the obvious, having expensive things makes a person feel better about himself or herself, the idea that Hip-Hop artists have wealthy and prestige items makes the average fan strive for those sort of things as well. Which can be seen with almost any other celebrity. Who hasn’t watched an episode of Cribs and thought how awesome it would be to live in that house or own one of those cars in the driveway? Who hasn’t watched an awards show or music video and wished that they could meet other famous people and wear that particular outfit?

For some reason, almost of us at some point in our lives, are drawn to status symbols. And we’re even more drawn to the people that own expensive clothes, the big house and can go on vacation whenever they want. Maybe it’s because we’re jealous. Or maybe it’s because that’s the life we want to have.

Transforming Trends Into Something Original

Hip-Hop artists have also taken previously known styles and trends and blended it with their own flare. Run DMC made Chuck Taylors and track suits iconic. Snoop made typical white clothing from designers like Tommy Hilfiger a must-have piece of clothing. Kanye West was just one of many artists who helped make designer brands like Louis Vuitton popular amongst the Hip-Hop community.Lil Wayne took skater fashion to a whole new level by wearing shirts from brands like OBEY or DC, and eventually creating his own brand, Trukfit.

For women, they wanted over-sized gold door-knocker earrings because Salt-N-Pepa made them sexy. And, speaking of sex appeal, who would have that thought wearing over-sized clothing would have been considered sexy? But when acts like Aaliyah, TLC, and Da’ Brat wore baggy clothing over a sports bra, that became not only popular, but also desirable for men.

Whatever the trend during the course of Hip Hop’s existence, artists have made a previously known style their own. Whether it was Kangol bucket hats to throwback jerseys to bling, Hip-Hop artists took that clothing or accessory and owned it. Which made it that much more appealing for the masses.

Making Social Statements

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Of course not all artists are concerned with decadence. Public Enemy, Immortal Technique and Common are just a few artists that have opted not to rock expensive jewelry. By deciding not to wear luxurious items, these acts are making a statement against materialism. Back in the 1980s, Queen Latifah and KRS-One were just two of the many musicians that wore clothing featuring the colors of red, black, and green. These colors displayed the pride that these artists felt in their roots. Even wearing gold was making a statement for some artists because it represented their heritage, since gold chains were “basically for warriors.”

Fans could definitely relate to an artist that shared the same pride in their race and history. Also, Hip-Hop artists, like any other artist, could simply wear a t-shirt that makes a statement. It could be anything from showing support towards a political candidate or something as simple as a peace sign. Because celebrities are in the spotlight, that message can be seen by hundreds or thousands of people. If a fan has the same sort of social or political mentality, that shirt with a message has suddenly become a hot commodity.

Giving People A Chance To Be Rebellious

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Finally, you could also take into consideration that Hip Hop allowed some fans a chance to tick off their parents. Just like the music itself, the style of Hip-Hop artists have given younger people “a sense of rebellion, freedom, manhood, courage,” according to KRS-One when he was discussing Hip Hop’s white audience.

It’s one thing to listen to Hip-Hop artists, it’s a completely different subject when you begin to dress like your favorite musicians. Because parents don’t understand Hip-Hop music, along with the accompanying fashion, it becomes much more appealing to angst-ridden teenagers who would do anything to be rebellious.

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Article written by: Bea Canuel

Lil Wayne rubbed the Miami crowd the wrong way when he blasted the NBA and the Miami Heatduring the 2013 All-Star weekend. Trick Daddy and Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell criticized Weezyfor trashing their hometown. Now, another Miami resident stood up to the rapper’s recent antics.

Enter Pitbull. The Miami rapper dropped “Welcome to Dade County,” a freestyle over Baauer’s “Harlem Shake,” to throw some punches at Wayne and his tirade against the Miami Heat.

Though Pitbull name-dropped Cash Money co-CEOs Birdman and Slim but never mentioned Weezy, the rap was obviously aimed at the YMCMB boss. Mr. 305 spits:

“You got money, yeah yeah, that’s sweet
But we all know Slim and Baby really eat
You talk Miami if you talking Heat
Moral of the story, don’t sh*t where you eat.”

After making disparaging remarks about the Miami Heat, Tunechi apologized to the city and clarified that he has nothing against the citizens of South Beach. He explained:

“Ever since I got here, there were billboards and signs saying, ‘Lil Wayne, Go Back Home,’ you know what I mean? And I didn’t do anything. This is Miami, I can’t move. I got the best skate weather, ever, down here…

The main thing I really want to get out there is that I do apologize for the misunderstanding to the city of Miami. I love everyone here, it’s just I’m passionate about sports and I felt very disrespected, that’s all. I felt very, very disrespected.”

What can you say about Pitbull’s diss track?

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Article written by: Bea Canuel

Three legendary brands, each a key player of their respective market, joined forces to release a collection of goods. Streetwear brands Stussy and A Bathing Ape formed a joint venture with electronics manufacturer Casio to work on a limited G-Shock “Frogman” model.

The Frogman watch comes from the MASTER OF G series that is designed with waterproof capabilities in mind. The special model, however, features the Stussy and BAPE branding subtly on the main dial and the header, while keeping the integrity and classic look of the G-Shock silhouette.

The watch comes in a nice metal case packaging and is complemented by a collaborative T-shirt available in both black and white colorways.

The timepiece is tagged at approximately $506, while the tee is priced at approximately $65. Cop the collaborative goods on April 27.

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Article written by: Bea Canuel

Known for his taste in high fashion, A$AP Rocky is taking couture to another level. The Harlem native was tapped by the UK-based online retailer oki-ni to participate in their ‘Styled By’ editorial series.

A$AP Rocky modeled some of the latest pieces from the Spring 2013 collection, featuring fashion brands, including Maison Martin Margiela, Kenzo, and Paul Smith. Not only did he model the clothes, but Rocky styled himself, too.

‘Styled By A$AP Rocky’ showcases a range of upscale pieces, from classic tailoring and contemporary designs to solid shades and bold splashes of color. In one shot, the rapper lounges in a bathtub while sporting a Raf Simons floral shirt paired with Rick Owens black drawstring pants. In another, A$AP mixes prints by pairing Maison Martin Margiela multicolor dot shirt with Kenzo Men knit sweater. He complemented the ensemble with Jil Sander Ari sports shorts.

Take a look at how A$AP Rocky rocked the shoot:

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Article written by: Bea Canuel

In the world of fashion, urban clothing in particular, there are two ways of recognizing talent: You either follow trends and stand out by adding a personal touch or stand out and set the trend. Here at SoJones, the search for talented brands, established and emerging alike, in the urban scene continues.

Without further ado, we introduce LA POCHETTE, a clothing line that specializes in pocket tees, expressing an urban vibe with classic designs and a bit of hip-hop feel. We caught up with this Parisian line to let us know how LA POCHETTE is more than just a brand.

Tell us a bit about the brand, design philosophy, etc.

LA POCHETTE is a brand founded by two young Parisians from different cultures but with a same mind frame. A simple but effective concept: It manufactures T-shirt pocket, especially with fabrics unearthed [and] assembled for their visual but also for their quality, which takes us to our slogan “GET A PIECE OF HISTORY IN A PIECE OF CLOTH.”

When did you come up with the idea of a streetwear brand? How did the concept come about?

We came up with the all LA POCHETTE idea beginning of last year. We brainstormed for a while until we got to the pocket tee idea and decided to stick with it.

What was the inspiration behind LA POCHETTE?

Our main inspiration was the trends. During that time, the all-animal print was pretty popular, and our main focus was to drop a collection with nothing but animal print which ended up being very successful.

Who’s your target market?

I guess designers always have to target a certain market, but I would say that we don’t really target a certain crowd. LA POCHETTE is very fashionable, a teenager could wear it and look cool in it just about as much as a 30 years old could. It’s an open brand for anyone.

You have decided to market your product through the internet. Does it play a large role in reaching your target market?

Yeh, the Internet plays a major role in targeting our market. Nowadays, the Web is a great way to inform, share, etc. With FB, Twitter, and IG, we’ve got ourselves some recognition. Anybody can do it with the right idea and determination, you just have to want it.

Seems like LA POCHETTE is more than just a clothing brand; what does LA POCHETTE represent?

LA POCHETTE is a movement! We’re doing this regardless of what other people think. There’s probably a bunch of other pocket tees company, but I think the difference with us is that we’re two humble dudes with a vision that is spreading like hot cakes. Haha!

What are some of the brand’s most popular products? Can you describe the creative process behind the designs?

One of the brand most popular products are the Leopard and either the Green or the Purple Leaf. The fabrics used for the pockets are randomly cut out, therefore all designs are different for each T-shirt.

There are a lot of streetwear brands popping up nowadays, how do you separate yourself from the rest of the crowd?

I think we differ from other brands, due to our price range. LA POCHETTE products (shirts) are very affordable for anyone, and on top of that you can add the uniqueness of the article you purchase.

What does the future hold for LA POCHETTE? What should your followers expect to see in 2013?

In 2013, we’re gonna surprise people by taking a different approach. LA POCHETTE’s way much more than pocket tees, and this year, people will be aware of it.

For more info on the brand and the products, check out LA POCHETTE’s e-shop atlapochette.bigcartel.com.

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