Fifty years later, hip-hop has become the most popular musical genre in the U.S., with R&B/hip-hop having the largest share of total album consumption in 2022, according to entertainment data and insights company Luminate. And its fashion influence has only continued to grow.
Because of its strong link to hip-hop from its early stages, fashion has historically been labeled as hip-hop’s unofficial sixth pillar (the other elements are: MCing, DJing, breakdance, graffiti and beatboxing. One of the main reasons for hip-hop’s popularity and resonance is how it gave marginalized communities a voice and a way to connect. “Hip-hop and country are two similarities — they’re the voice of the haves and the have-nots, the voice of the streets no matter what streets you’re from,” said Daymond John, chief executive officer and founder of FUBU, one of the first fashion brands born out of hip-hop.
The early days of hip-hop were an era of creativity for both the musicians and designers. As hip-hop didn’t have a defined look at its inception, many designers in the community came forward to dress the musicians at a time before mainstream fashion took notice or wanted to be involved in the genre. These designers and brands are responsible for hip-hop’s main fashion trends, many of which have persisted over the last 50 years. One of biggest is logomania, which was pioneered by Dapper Dan.