Image via Complex Original
When a trend pops off, sometimes rappers hop on it in unison so excessively that years later it becomes an easy way to contextualize the era. No disrespect to Miss Minaj, but we may as well label circa '04-'06 The Pink Print Age, because that's all your favorite MCs were about. Your boy Killa Cam had former drug dealers rocking deep shades of magenta for Christ's sake. It finally died down but it hasn't died out. Every now and then a rapper will switch up the all-black leather look for something bolder and brighter, and, of course it's not like it was unheard of before that as well. Reflect back on one of rap's most cringe-worthy style obsessions with this Brief History of Rappers Wearing Pink.
Lil Wayne
Dear, Weezy
Please re-hire your stylist.
Puff Daddy
Pretty clean. No shade here.
Plies
What's worse: the satiny pink shirt, the oversized jeans flapjacking into his Timbs, or the fitted chain? Trick question: they're all equal strug!
Jay Z
Trendsetter Hov found himself riding the bandwagon this time.
Lil Kim
Before Pink Friday, there was Queen Bee.
Nicki Minaj
Taking the Barbie look quite literally.
Nas
Why does Esco look like he's about to join a barbershop quartet?
Ice-T
Amazing. The matching expressions, that is, not the fact that T looks like a walking highlighter.
T.I.
Whenever you get tired of rappers wearing weird shirts and lots of leather, remember, times were once worse.
Iggy Azalea
Not your fanciest, ma.
Pharrell
Is there anything Skateboard P can't pull off?
Drake
The Drake-Be-Soft collective definitely have this saved to their desktops in the event of a new Twitter debate.
Andre 3000
Pink braid belt. That is all.
Tyler, The Creator
It ain't nothing to rock pink for a skate rat.
Kanye West
Back in the day they thought pink polos would hurt the Roc, and even after Ye proved them wrong he still circled back to his infamous outsider shade every now and then.
Charles Hamilton
Wait, who is this again?
Cam'ron
King.