“Jewelry has always been a big part of my life, but it evolved as my life evolved,” A$AP Ferg writes in Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History
A collection of nearly 500 photographs, the 388-page book recounts the history of hip-hop from the 1980s through today, told through the jewels and gems that adorned the genre’s biggest personalities—in image and rhyme. From Run-DMC’s gold rope chains to Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella pendant to Cardi B’s diamond-encrusted nameplate necklace, Ice Cold explores the relationship between ornamentation and identity through vivid images and thought-provoking personal essays from Ferg and pioneers including Slick Rick and LL Cool J.
Why do HipHip Artists wear Jewelry in a Big way:
- To show off their success and wealth.
- As a form of self-expression.
- To stand out as rappers/artists.
- As a status symbol.
- To reduce potential for legal trouble.
- As a way of pursuing self-interest.