The Evolution of Denim in Hip-Hop

Image via Complex Original

When: Circa 1984

"In jeans, leather jackets, my Adidas, and gangster hats," Run D.M.C. rapped on "Can I Get A Witness." The group made the bucket hat, Adidas shell toes with no laces, and straight leg jeans an iconic hip-hop look. Straight legged denim, like Levis' classic 501 or 505 jeans, kept your favorite old school rappers looking fresh back in the '80s.

When: Circa 1984

Stop, drop, and roll. The Beastie Boys had a mean cuff game in the 1980s. If your cuff game was proper, your pants would taper at the ankle with a tight hem. Cuffed jeans can still be seen today. An easy way to shorten long jeans, a sweet cuff (whether single, ragga, or tight roll) is a hell of a lot cheaper than getting your jeans hemmed. 

When: 1980s

Not even rappers could escape the acid wash trend in the '80s. The process of using chlorine to remove the indigo dyes from jeans and calling it "Acid Wash" was originally introduced by Rifle Jeans in 1985. Soon after, everyone from Jon Bon Jovi to N.W.A. started wearing the lighter denim. Brands like Jordache offered ready-to-wear light denim, but some brave souls opted for a DIY-approach, lightening jeans themselves with the help of the bathtub and a bottle of bleach. Radical.

When: Late 1980s/Early '90s

Denim on top meets denim on the bottom; the look lovingly referred to as the "Canadian Tuxedo." People have worn this look for years; everyone from Elvis Presley in the 1960s to Bob Marley in the 1970s. Not to be left out, rappers, especially those on the West Coast, took to this trend. The late Eazy E loved this look as did Cuba Gooding Jr., who appeared in 'Boyz n the Hood' in a Canadian, er Compton Tuxedo.

When: Circa 1988

It's crazy to think that not that long ago, guys considered and even wore their jeans above the navel. The high-waisted look was better left to nerds or moms, being neither comfortable nor flattering on any body type, but Ice-T somehow pulled off the look and made high-waisted jeans look hard. That's real street cred.

When: 1992

Kriss Kross may have been a one-hit wonder in the '90s, but the duo's ass-backwards contribution to fashion—no pun intended—will be forever remembered. Mac Daddy (R.I.P.) and Daddy Mac made teenagers think that wearing jeans backwards was a good look in the '90s (youthful rebellion or maybe the worst hip-hop decision ever, right up there with MC Hammer's pants). In 2013, Jermaine Dupri paid homage to the memory of Mac Daddy by wearing his Levi's backwards to Mac's funeral.

When: 1990s-2000

Marithé + François Girbaud is a French brand founded in 1964 that unexpectedly gained prominence in the hip-hop world. Referenced by everyone from backpack rappers like Del the Funky Homosapien to The Notorious B.I.G., Juvenile probably mentioned in the most in his lyrics. Songs like "Ha" and "3rd Ward Solja" drop the brand's name. But the 2000 music video for Big Tymers' "Numba One Stunna" features Juvenile and Birdman rocking the brand heavily.

RELATED: A Brief History of Girbaud References In Hip-Hop

When: 1992

Loud and proud, Cross Colours was hip-hop's denim soapbox in the '90s. Carl Jones and T.J. Walker's South Central, Los Angeles-based brand touted clothes without prejudices. Cross Coulors was filled with awww-inducing messages like "Stop D Violence" and "Educate 2 Elevate" against a very bright color palette. The feel-good denim line pushed acceptance and social consciouness and was worn by everybody and their mama, from TLC to Dr. Dre to Snoop Dogg.

When: 1993-1998

OshKosh B'gosh wasn't relegated to just the sandbox in the '90s. The most ferocious rappers, from Tupac to DMX, gave overalls a harder edge by wearing them without a shirt on underneath or better yet, with one strap unbuckled.

When: 1993-2006

For many unfamiliar to the many nuances of style in rap, the baggy jean is the definitive hip-hop look. For good or bad, baggy jeans became the de facto look for every rapper from the early '90s to just a few years ago. Rappers and fans alike began wearing their jeans several sizes too big. Sagging? No problem! Just rock a belt or better yet, let your boxers show. Many experts believe that sagging originated in prison, where inmates weren't allowed to wear belts. Mainstream America marked the silhouette as a sign of delinquency. Schools around the nation tried to combat the power of the sag with mandatory uniforms and several states like Virginia and Louisiana actually tried to outlaw the look. In 2007, the New York Times wrote, "Not since the zoot suit [of the 1930s] has a style been greeted with such strong disapproval." 

When: 1994-1998

When Snoop Lion (formerly, Dogg) wore a red, white, and blue Tommy Hilfiger rugby on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the American designer went from preppy staples to being hip-hop's favorite designer. Marked by the signature red, white and blue logo, Tommy was the definition of casual luxury. The brand was featured in countless music videos and photo shoots and Tommy even enlisted hip-hop personalities like Aaliyah to star in his ad campaigns. Tommy was so popular that designer imposter versions circulated at thrift shops and swap meets. The fad came to an abrupt end in the late '90s when a rumor began to circulate that Hilfiger was racist, telling Oprah that he didn't want rappers to wear his threads. Despite the fact that the rumor was proven false by both the designer and Oprah, the damage was done and no one has felt quite comfortable ever since in their Tommy overalls. "I looked at the rap community like street kids wanting their own brand. But now I look at that period with the rappers in the '90s as a trend of the moment. What it taught me was never to follow a trend, because trends move on," Tommy said years later. Interestingly, Tommy's son, Rich Hilfiger (a.k.a. Ricky Hil) is a budding rapper. 

RELATED: Gallery: Tommy Hilfiger Was Awesome in the '90s

When: 1995

LL Cool J ushered in an age of denim asymmetry when he rolled one pant leg up. The strange look originated in NYC apparently, but the rapper's explanation for why he did it is even more priceless: "I have huge left calf muscles. They need room to breathe." In music videos like "Hey Lover," clearly only one-half of LL's calf muscles needed air. Though he hasn't rocked it in ages, the look has become known as a LL trademark right along with excessive lip-licking. 

When: 1990s-present

F.U.B.U. originator Daymond John was so inspired by the "hip-hop uniform" Run-D.M.C. created in the '80s, he founded his fashion line in 1992 specifically for the hip-hop culture. Standing for "For Us, By Us," F.U.B.U. took rapper staples like baggy jeans and rugbys and flipped it into a $350-million-plus business. The brand eventually became oversaturated and lost its cache after dorky suburban kids coopted it. Though F.U.B.U. hasn't been worn by anyone this side of the Pacific in years (It's apparently still jumping off in Asia, we're told), it stands as a model of success for subsequent rapper-created lines like Jay-Z's Rocawear created in 1999 and Diddy's Sean John created in 1998.

When: Mid 2000s-2010

Hip-hop was big business by the 2000s and with the big bucks came expensive taste in denim. Trick Daddy's "Shut Up" perhaps most aptly sums up the change in mentality: "(Are those Bugle Boy jeans you're wearin?)/Hell nah ho, you know they Polos!" Meanwhile "premium" denim brands with price points upwards of $150 grew in popularity. Brands like Seven for All Mankind, Paper Denim & Cloth, and True Religion gained popularity with women and rappers, the latter of which favored the excessive branding from labels like Antik Denim and True Religion.

Dipset members like Jim Jones and associates like Vado put the brand on their butts, and the Shop Boyz urged everyone to "Party LIke a Rocktar" in 2007—dressing like one required bedazzled jeans, studded belts, and all manner of skulls and crossbones. Tity Boi re-christened himself as 2 Chainz and dropped his T.R.U. REALigion mixtape in 2011. The trend stays prevalent among youths who prefer their jeans flashy and low-hanging, just look at kids like Chief Keef for proof.

When: Early 2000s

Japanese denim brand, Evisu, was a favorite of rappers in the beginning of the millenium. The labor-intensive process, making the jeans on narrow shuttle looms, justified the $300 price tag for many guys. Evisu's huge seagull logo on the back pockets made them easy to spot—and only grew more conspicuous over time. Everyone from Jay Z ("Jigga That Nigga") to Young Jeezy ("Bury me a G") and T.I. ("ASAP") have shouted out the brand on songs. Hong Kong's Red Monkey jeans got a following from Jay Z, Diddy, and got a shoutout from Ghostface Killah on "Ghost Is Back," while Jay Z was spotted rocking a low-slung pair of Samurai jeans with a Hundreds hoodie during 2006's Hangar Tour.

More importantly, it signaled a shift for rappers to look towards Eastern brands as a signifier of quality. European brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace have long been held in high regard thanks to their brand cachet, but now rappers looked to the east at not just Evisu, but brands like Samurai and A Bathing Ape for gear that would allow them to stunt on everyone else.

When: Early 2000s-present

By the early 2000s, the skinny jean takeover was in full effect. The L.A. streetwear and skater scene began to dominate hip-hop, especially among younger artists. The Jerkin' street dance movement in Los Angeles relies on precise leg movements, turns, and jumps that are much easier to pull off in slimmer-fitting pants.

As the trend moves towards the East Coast, groups like the Cool Kids adopt the look mixing bright colors, skinny pants, and covetable sneakers with caps and graphic tees.  The "In 2009, the New Boyz named their debut Skinny Jeanz and a Mic and Cali Swag District's 2010 "Teach Me How to Dougie" propelled the look nationwide. 

When: 2011

Lil Wayne proved in 2011 that no denim rule could hold him back. Weezy rocked women's jeggings (yes, women's jeggings) from Tripp NY. The polarizing fashion statement launched its own Twitter account and more than its share of jokes.

Danny Brown also learned that keeping it real in rap doesn't always pay off. The weirdo rapper tried to sign with 50's G-Unit Records back in 2010, but Fiddy rejected him because of his pants. "50 didn't sign me because I wore skinnies," Danny shared. 

However, not even O.G.s like Jay-Z stood a chance against the slimmer silhouette starting to trend in fashion. Despite claiming that he couldn't wear skinny jeans because "[his] knots don't fit" on "Swagga Like Us," later, Hov was rocking slim jeans right along with every other rapper.

When: 2010-Present

Fashion designer Hedi Slimane pushed the skinny aesthetic forward when he redesigned Dior Homme, especially with the lauded denim line, which inspired GOOD Fridays' "Christian Dior Denim Flow." In that song, Kanye West name drops a bunch of fashion models, while Kid Cudi confesses that he loves the jeans for the way they complement his skinny frame. Cudi is also a fan of French denim brand A.P.C., and has a few well-worn pairs in his wardrobe.

Soon enough, brands like Balmain and Balenciaga began to infiltrate rappers' wardrobes like Pusha T, Theophilus London, and Swizz Beatz. As newer guys like A$AP Rocky gained popularity, the old guard like Jay Z upped the luxury ante to stay on top of the game. Now, designer denim with fit in mind is what most rappers look for, as opposed to the flashy back pockets that signified hip-hop's past denim obsession.

When: 2011-present

Denim jackets never went away per se, but they've been associated more with rugged cowboys than popular rappers. While Eazy-E and Tupac wore denim on denim in the '80s and '90s, guys like Kanye West and Big Sean brought the trend into the new generation of hip-hop. Mixing Levi's Trucker Jackets with Acne sweaters and Balmain denim, it was a new way of taking a menswear staple and re-contextualizing it. 

Other brands took note, like Ralph Lauren's Black Label, A.P.C., and rag & bone. Soon, the washed denim jacket became an integral part of every other rapper's closet. Guys like Wiz Khalifa and Drake didn't mind wearing them out, or even on the red carpet. The denim vest came back to a lesser extent, usually on the backs of dudes like Flo-Rida and Joe Budden—who added loud pins and patches.

When: 2011-present

Jean shorts or "jorts" have become acceptable rap attire in recent years thanks to the likes of Pharrell, Kid Cudi, and the members of Odd Future. Whether you buy off-the-rack or make your own, the unspoken rule in jorts is to stay right at or south of the knee. We know it's hot outside, but respect the hemline.

When: 2012

"C'mon, bro. I made waxed denim cool in hip-hop," A$AP Rocky shared in his 2012 Complex cover story. Rocky credits himself with bringing this trend to rap and influencing Kanye. We're not sure if Mr. West agrees, but one thing's for sure: Rocky and 'Ye are two of the biggest fans of waxed denim from Diors to Balenciagas.

When: 2011-present

Fashion-forward rappers Kanye West and the boys of the A$AP Mob have been recently pushing the skinny game into a new direction by wearing their jeans stacked and baggy by the ankles. This look offers some added texture from the ultra-tight skinny look and is especially helpful if you're not blessed with long, slender legs. Make sure to use a thicker denim to hold those stacks.

When: 2013

It was only a matter of time before clothes horse Kanye West successfully launched his own men's line. The signature Kanye jeans from A.P.C. are low-waisted jeans made of Japanese denim with a very skinny leg. If you were one of the lucky few to snag them before they sold out, lucky you. If not, take a trip to the fashion vault and peep the jeans that helped influence Ye's designs, including his Balmain Destroyed Biker jeans he wore to the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards or the numerous pairs from Dior Homme he's worn throughout the years.