Recession-Savvy Rappers Tone Down The Sparkle, But Not The Swagger

[photo via Hip Hop Since 1987]

ATLANTA — The hip-hop world is a less bling-bling place these days.

The music genre has been defined as much by diamond-encrusted watches and platinum chains as its gritty urban lyrics. But in the last couple of years, it has scaled down its flash, a trend insiders say has become more pronounced during the recent recession.

Make no mistake: The industry that made an urban household name out of New York's Jacob "Jacob the Jeweler" Arabov me isn't entirely reversing course. (Case in point _ Lil Wayne's "A Milli," one of last year's biggest songs, which had the rapper bragging wildly about being a "young millionaire.")

But "the day of conspicuous consumption is gone," says Tamara Connor, an Atlanta-based stylist who has created looks for chart-topping rappers, including Lil Wayne.

"We're still going to see some bling, but it's just not going to be as much," Connor says. "Instead of four diamond necklaces, it might just be a diamond bracelet _ and it's a piece the celebrity wears all the time. They're not changing their jewelry out everyday."

Photo shoots, for example, are being done with fewer of the specialized medallions considered a calling card for the likes of Rick Ross, whose chain with a likeness of his head _ complete with black diamond beard _ has an estimated value of $30,000.

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