Hip Hop Fashion Goes Global
Watch how Hip Hop artists rep their fashion trends.
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Jay-Z: Brooklyn, New York - When Jay declared, “I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can,” he wasn’t lying. The Brooklyn native is routinely seen repping his hometown with the signature blue and white cap. When it comes to dressing up, Jigga can throw on a Tom Ford suit and style on the best of them, reflecting New York’s smooth and fashionable dapper style. The Brooklyn rapper not only pays homage to his New York state of mind through his lyrics, but he now also owns a percentage of the Brooklyn Nets. (Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
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Lil Wayne: New Orleans, Louisiana - Although Weezy dresses more like a hipster teenager than anything these days, in his early years the NOLA native wore outfits with local influences. Perhaps he’ll be the one to influence his city’s style in the future with his skateboard apparel line, Trukfit. (Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment)
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Nicki Minaj: Queens, New York, via Trinidad and Tobago - Although she left the town she was born in, Saint James, Trinidad, at the age of five to move on to New York, Nicki still reps her hometown. “I want to eventually bring Trinidadian music and culture to the world,” she told press while shooting a documentary for MTV. “What I know about Trinidadian culture and fashion is Carnival. I have never been to a Trinidadian Carnival, but I know it is better than the rest,” she said. Couldn’t you see a Carnival costume fitting right into her wardrobe? (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
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Big Sean: Detroit, Michigan - This Detroit native has said, “For me, personally, Detroit is a melting pot for everything. We get the best from the East Coast, West Coast and down South. Being in the Midwest, you get the best of all worlds and add your own flavor to it.” While his style has gone from Marc Jacob suits to Air Jordan sneakers and jeans, Big Sean calls his personal wardrobe the “reincarnation of a Detroit player,” and defining it as “somebody who sets trends and is on top of their game at all times." (Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images for BET)
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Chief Keef: Chicago, Illinois - Since catching Kanye West's attention, who went on to remix Keef's hit track "I Don't Like," Chief Keef has been climbing the ranks in the Chicago hip hop scene. The young rapper not only spits about the violence in his hometown, but his lifestyle represents a world of gangs, drugs, and violence, too. (Photo:: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
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Rick Ross: Miami, Florida - The Teflon Don has said the neighborhood he grew up in, Carol City, FL, is more hardcore than the glitz and glam of South Beach that we see on TV. Yet, this rapper still dresses like a Miami Bawse dripping with jewels, wearing a pair of shades and rocking out with no shirt like he’s sitting on the beach in the Sunshine State. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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Azealia Banks: Harlem, New York - The Harlem chick is unapologetic and a go-getter. After escaping an abusive household, the feisty "212" singer (a track named after Manhattan's area code) paved her own way to fame via YouTube. She might be loud and in your face with the wardrobe to match, but she's got the chops to back it up. (Photo: Courtesy of The Hundreds)
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Wiz Khalifa: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, via North Dakota - The rapper was technically born in North Dakota and moved to Steel City when he was two years old. Since then, he’s lived in Europe and Japan, but with “Black and Yellow” he created an anthem for the 'Burgh and has been known to sport Steelers caps — as well as hairstyles — in the city’s NFL signature colors. (Photo: Jeff Daly/PictureGroup)
Photo By Photo: Jeff Daly/PictureGroup
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Iggy Azalea: Sydney, Australia - Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea is as striking as she is talented. The sexy blonde bombshell knows how to work a crowd while inserting nods to her Australian background. Even Levi's Jeans has taken notice of the rapper from the land down under as she's been named the face of their newest campaign. (Photo: Vince Gonzales/Getty Images for BMF Media)
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Eve: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Eve proved she could hang with the big dogs when she joined and found success with the Ruff Ryders. While the rapper and actress can still get gully (onstage and off), she hasn't forgotten her roots, talking with young women in her hometown about career, self-discovery and relationships earlier this year. (Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
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Kanye West: Chicago, Illinois - Kanye takes his wardrobe influences from street style and runways all over the world, but once upon a time he dressed like he stepped out of a boutique on Michigan Avenue. No matter how far he goes in his career he still reps Chi-town . . . hard. ‘Ye even employed Chicago native Virgil Abloh as his style advisor. (Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)
Photo By Photo: Ben Rose/WireImage
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Meek Mill: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Philly rappers are known for being on point style wise and lyrically, and Meek Mill is more than happy to continue carrying that torch. Not only has confidence driven him to success, but he doesn't see the challenge of winning for his city as added pressure. "I grew up under artists who practiced their flow so I came up understanding the importance of that. When you’re from Philly, you gotta have your lyrics and your flow [rehearsed perfectly], that’s the number one thing. You also gotta have a hot hook but you have to have a perfected flow as well, from my city." (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
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Drake: Toronto, Canada - He's Toronto’s finest sweater collector and we have to guess his knitwear obsession came from growing up in intense winters. Drake’s hipster-meets-lumberjack vibe with other go-to pieces, like plaids, Red Wing boots, Levis and down vests, might also be attributed to Toronto’s fashion scene. (Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Bing)
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Diddy: Harlem, New York - If the concrete jungle is bright and flashy, Diddy's style is NYC personified. With a long history of rocking big diamonds, furs and chains, this Harlem native's over-the-top style fits right into the fashion capital’s more extravagant style notes. (Photo: Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic)
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Wale: Washington, D.C. - Wale proudly wears his Washington, D.C., badge on his sleeve, along with his penchant for witty wordplay. The rapper has turned the stage into his own soapbox by singing about issues such as inter-black racism in the track "Shades." He's also credited Seinfeld with inspiring The Mixtape About Nothing saying, "the TV show's 'honest dialogue' mirrors his lyrical style, which frequently references pop culture and politics while avoiding gangster-rap bluster." His music also features a lot of go-go sounds that originated in D.C. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)
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