Do These Pants Make My Raps Sound Phat?
What is going on with today’s rappers?
A few rappers in the mainstream have begun looking towards women clothing lines to renew their wardrobe.
Rap acts such as Kanye West and Lil Wayne have taken to wearing women’s clothing. This latest trend in hip-hop has marked some controversy as some embrace it and others question it.
Lil Wayne jumped around in skinny women’s pants during his performance at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.
Kanye West wore a multiprint shirt designed for women at the Coachella music festival. Kid Cudi has been seen in a plaid skirt, Snoop Dogg often wears jewelry designed for women, and Pharrell Williams is a fan of the Hermès-made Birkin bag, the ultra-expensive purse favored by Hollywood’s top actresses.
It’s not just rappers, Russell Brand and rockers like Steven Tyler and Pete Wentz have worn women’s clothes in the past. And of course, androgyny has long been intertwined with pop, from David Bowie to Freddie Mercury to Prince (known for his trademark heels).
Justin Bieber, the 17-year-old pop sensation, admits he has rocked women’s jeans because of their suitable fit.
“I think I’ve worn women’s jeans before because they fit me better,” he said. “I just think that whatever works, works.”
Hip-hop’s style in recent years has ranged from oversized sports jerseys to sweats to baggy, sagging pants and plain, oversized white T-shirts.And the hip-hop culture has often been defined as much by its masculinity as its music. It’s hard to imagine Eminem on stage wearing a women’s top.
In the 1980’s rappers like Grandmaster Flash, Kool Moe Dee and the Ultramagnetic MCs also looked towards women fashion for wardrobe hints, but they were subtle hints.
Sure it might be fine to try and associate women’s clothing with men’s clothing and try to incorporate styles, but I think there is a fine line you have to draw. When a guy is wearing pants that seem to be way tighter than what Kim Kardashian is wearing today, then you know he must be taking fashion into a very uncomfortable level for both himself and onlookers as well.
