Yeezus Reign.

For years the words fashion and hip hop never were as synonymous as they are now. They day’s of baggy clothes and tall tee’s are far behind us. MC’s are going for a more High End look, rocking designers like House of Balmain and Alexander Wang. When did this high fashion look take over the hip hop industry? In my opinion Kanye West (Yeezus) single handedly paved the way for rappers like Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky and 2 Chainz to be “different”. Before Ye’ the industry was into the 50 Cent look. The baggy jeans, air force ones and a fitted tank top, luckily when Kanye hit it big he was into a more refined look. Rocking polo sweaters and loafers, dressing more like what most parents would want their children to look model after.

When did leather pants become so trendy for men? OF course in the 90’s leather was all over the place, leather vest, pants jackets, ties. But in 2009, during a casual stroll through NYC with his then girlfriend Amber Rose, the paps caught a image of a smitten Kanye walking hand in hand in leather pants and Jordans.

The trend took off fast, and more rappers were seen piecing together outfits around leather pants and jordans.
Fast Forward to 2013 and its kind of hard to find images of rappers on red carpets without a “leather look”, now I may be taking it to the extreme because I am a fan, but never before has any rapper had such an impact on a culture. Kanyes style is easily the most imitated of our generation. From the ripped denim, to the furs, Kanye has given rappers and regulars guys like myself the option to be just as fly as we want to be.

- Markess Bassett