15 Rappers Who Need a New Wardrobe

Image via Complex Original

There's a reason A$AP Rocky says he's off Givenchy. Take a look at how Future wears the Riccardo Tisci-designed brand; coupled with the fact his girlfriend, Ciara, wears it better than him, the rapper and go-to hookman is in a personal style crisis.

We don't recommend playing "let's wear the same thing" with your significant other, especially if you can't hold up your end of the bargain. Even when he's not wearing high-end clothes, Future is reaching for studded, denim jackets.

And when he does dress well, it's an exact replication of what Kanye would wear—down to the leather kilt. If he found his own look, like he has his own sound, Future could propel himself to even more fame.

In 2004, Cam'ron hit his stride as the most stylish rapper in the game, even out-stunting an up-and-coming Kanye West. The rapper wore furs and still donned his signature color: pink. Sadly, those days are a far-cry from how the Harlem native dresses today. Cam has given the opulent and cozy outerwear a rest, and, instead, relies on matchy-matchy outfits that feature mediocre sneakers and fitted caps.

Once a dandy, always a dandy, but Cam has lost the flair that made him one of the most interesting voices and personalities in hip-hop. We'd like to see Killa come out of left field and reclaim his stake as one New York's best-dressed entertainers, and it would just take something out-the-box thinking. Surprise us, Cam—you always do.

We actually named Chief Keef one of the most stylish rappers in Chicago right now. But that's because his style (dreads, small polo shirts, and sagging True Religions) has influenced a generation of fans in his hometown. Kids want to look like him, and that's a powerful connection to have.

That's why we think the young rapper should dress better—these kids need to change out of pants that are too small (and way too low), gaudy designer belts, and retro Jordans that real heads bat an eye at. We understand, Keef's been in-and-out of correctional facilities, so he hasn't had a chance to be up on the Interwebs checking out the latest styles, but chilling with the likes of Kanye and Pusha T should inspire him to grab some new threads. And we hope he does.

Drake's biggest issue with his style is consistency. We've seen him wear brands like Hood By Air and En Noir, but he frequently slips up and makes us say, "oh, Aubrey." The rapper wearing the Dada sweatsuit for his "No New Friends" video set the Internet ablaze in a fury of rolling laughter, even though the '90s theme was on purpose. His latest magazine cover had him in a shiny grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up too high. Drake is one of the best rappers in the game right now, and he needs to be more discerning about what he wears.

Then, there are Canadian tuxedos, yellow tank-tops, and polo shirts worn with a fade that needs to be taken down a few blades. Drake has the potential to be the most revered artist, style wise, too. But he needs new friends to keep his style choices in check. It would pay dividends. 

Despite no real support from the hip-hop community, Flo Rida has become a pop sensation. But he still dresses like he has zero credibility within the rap world. The Miami native makes an attempt to get fresh, and swings and misses with one fell swoop. If he's not wearing questionable denim uniforms with protruding spikes,  he's trying to get red carpet-fresh, and proving that spending money doesn't make you look cool.

If the rapper could stop trying too hard to be stylish or make fashion statements, he would be better off and find himself removed from the butt-end of Internet jokes. Flo-Rida's biggest issue is he doesn't look comfortable in anything. If he found well-fitting clothes that he actually dug, then perhaps there's hope.

Tech N9ne could forgo mainstream hip-hop acceptance, and he has, and still be a successful rapper. The Kansas City, MO emcee is a rhyming oddball, his flow is masterful at a level that an experienced emcee can't fathom. He also dresses as strange as his raps can be.

N9ne is known for painting his face, spiking his hair in hellish, red picks, and sporting a sprawling scruff off his chin. He's hardly the average rapper you grew up on, but he's not a good dresser by any means.

He killed it at the 2011 BET Cypher, showing up Big Krit, Kendrick Lamar, Machine Gun Kelly, and B.o.B. with a sporadic, yet calculated cadence. And if he found a new wardrobe, his dominance over the rap game could be real scary.

Jay Rock dresses like a normal guy who you wouldn't look twice at on the street. That doesn't make him awfully-dressed, but he's a part of Top Dawg Ent.—home to three of L.A.'s most currently stylish emcees, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul. Jay Rock looks out of place amongst their bucket hats and designer gear. 

Listening to his verse on Lamar's "Money Trees" suggests he'd be one of the swaggiest spitters on the Left Coast. Sadly, this isn't the case. However, West Coast steez is so simple to pick up and if Rock makes an effort to join his comrades' sartorial ranks, he'd be successful.

MGK's outfits are not working in favor for the Cleveland rapper. His disdain for wearing shirts that he pairs consistently with red jeans and leather vests is not stylish by any means. It doesn't complement his aesthetic, shape, or rap style.

But there's hope for MGK: He has shown a like for streetwear, he just doesn't know how to put it together yet. However, if he slowed things down, (his look, not his signature flow), he might find himself a larger fan base. MGK just needs to find clothes that cover his torso, and he'd be on the fast-track to looking more stylish—or just socially presentable.

Lupe Fiasco used to be the most stylish rapper in the game, had his own blog on Hypebeast, and started a cool streetwear brand, Trilly & Truly. But those days seem like an unrecognizable memory compared to the rapper's present-day style.

He has recently modeled lookbooks for U.S. Alteration, but there's something off about Lupe's personal style. He didn't even make our latest ranking of Chicago's Most Stylish Rappers. Last year's altercation with Chief Keef left the once-thoughtful emcee void of his confidence—and it has spread to the way he dresses. He doesn't own any of his looks. It's sad to any hip-hop fan he assured, "you want the realness? Hey, I gotcha."

We're waiting, Lupe. Grab some new threads. Hip-hop and the style world miss you.

Lil Wayne shows glimpses of becoming a style savant, and then he wears furry boots; fucking up his whole swagger in the process. The New Orleans native has shown a genuine interest in the skate world—even launching a skate brand, Trukfit, in the process. But if he didn't dress like a walking-ad for stores that mall-grabbing kids shop at, and wore some genuine, understated skate brands like Supreme, Raw, or Palace, he might harness a stylish formula that's equivalent to his spazzed-out efforts on the mic.

Joe Budden really needs to get his act together. He's a talented wordsmith who has downfalls of ratchet women, taking things too seriously, and dressing horribly. Sure, his sneaker game is on point, but what's the point of dropping stacks on the freshest kicks when the rest of your outfit is the reason people detest the Canadian tuxedo?

Budden also wears too-big fitted caps, questionably-needed glasses, and a beard that's at high-tide. If he trimmed the beard, wore denim that fit (without patches), and kept his footwear correct, he could make a run at being one of New Jersey's best emcees of all-time.

Juicy J has his ups-and-downs. The Three 6 Mafia member has enjoyed a prolonged career, and is even more popular now as a solo artist than when he was asking his listeners to "Tear Da Club Up." He was also featured on a Supreme T-shirt as part of the brand's fall/winter 2012 collection, and yet, he still struggles with looking fresh on a regular basis.

The Memphis rapper has access to a lot of good clothes, and often has the right idea when putting an outfit together—but fails to connect all the pieces. We've seen him wear cool streetwear ensembles, but he ends up looking as comical as his rhymes. He also rocks a fedora on the reg, not knowing it's the worst hat ever.

Snoop Dogg, or Lion, hasn't made a great song in a while, but we still have faith in the Doggystyle emcee. Every once and a while he comes from left field, and a cloud of smoke, and drops a gem on the rap world. However, his style needs some getting together. He dresses like your eccentric family friend who grabs anything in his closet. Back in the day, he had one of the freshest styles, but as of late, he wears sandals with socks, red furs with track pants, and boot-cut jeans.

Snoop, we know you have some cash. Get yourself a stylist, please; it will do wonders for your image and might even spawn another summertime classic.

Listen, No Malice, as he's now called, is a great rapper. There are two factions of Clipse fans: those who are Pusha T fans and those feel his brother is more talented of a lyricist. Although, when it comes to style, there's no question which brother reigns supreme. It may be his rejection of the material world, but No Malice leaves a lot to be desired when his wardrobe choices are compared to King Push's.

He still wears the group's streetwear line, Play Cloths, but when it comes to more tailored looks, No Malice looks more like he's going to church rather than being ready to make a comeback in the rap world. If a Clipse reunion really happens, maybe we can forgive the truth-speaking emcee, but until then, he needs to take cues from Push.

Few might be aware, but Will.i.am, when he's not feuding with Pharrell, has serious cred in L.A.'s underground hip-hop scene that dates back to pre-Fergie Black Eyed Peas records. Unfortunately, his style, and penchant for doing the most, isn't part of that legacy.

The rapper's style is a great example of why toning things down is never a bad idea. There are moments when Will.i.am's style looks like it will catch on, but his ensembles are too busy. He wears over-accessorizes and every item looks to be a statement piece. If the rapper/producer left items in his jewelery box, or didn't paint himself in black body paint, he could maybe be accepted back into the hip-hop community. Not that he cares anyway—he makes millions off writing songs for Britney Spears.