Rap Jewels

The Pour L’âme team talks about some of our favorite jewels and jeweler in rap history.

Tyler, The Creator’s Igor chain has to take the cake as an iconic chain for me. What better way to immortalize your alter ego than with a quarter of a million-dollar chain. Designed by celebrity jeweler Ben Baller the chain is spot on and strongly resembles Tyler, The Creator in his EARFQUAKE music video. The blonde hair and sunshades are recreated perfectly in different color diamonds. The alter ego even has a VVS1 D color 1-carat solitaire earring to match Tyler’s swag. This was the last chain that Ben Baller made for 2019 and it held a special place in his heart because it was also the last chain he made for the decade. Tyler purchased the chain two years ago and was seen boasting in a video that he would be keeping the chain to himself and away from prying eyes.      

-Lex Lavish

The Roc chain is one of the most notable pieces of jewelry in hip hop history. The honor of being gifted the Roc chain has widely been likened to the process of being knighted, a process where a person is socially recognized for their actions. To understand why the chain got the respect it does you have to understand what Roc-A-Fella Records was in the early 2000’s. The Roc was at the top of the world at the time. It was a loud and black movement making the greatest art of its generation. The source of their pride was the same source of their respect, they got it out the mud. They went from the door being closed in their faces at every turn to being “the head of black music.”, pioneering new fronts in business, music, film, and fashion. This made them giants to aspiring artists, people of all mediums wanted to be a part of the Roc in any way they could. Once you were a part of the team, the chain was the next goal. Being given a Roc chain was like the ultimate form of acceptance, a co-sign from the biggest, most accomplished people in the game. The piece wasn’t easy to come by and there wasn’t a clear path or criteria as to how to attain such a status. 



There are several different variations of the chain each piece tailored to represent the individual it would be gifted to. Even so in comparison to the other notable record label chains, the Roc chain stands out to me. It’s a blend between class and the streets which is a good representation of who Roc was as a label. As mentioned before the chain could prove to be elusive. For example, the group Young Gunz featured Young Chris and Neef Buck. According to a Roc-A-Fella insider, Neef had to wait 2 years after Chris got his chain because people felt he was lazy and it wasn’t until he worked off that narrative that he was gifted the chain. Chris was gifted his after persevering through the death of a close friend and working closely with Jay-Z on Blueprint 2. The label would typically gift the chain in some type of special fashion either making a spectacle of it or giving it to the recipient in a sentimental way. Kanye West was given his chain at a show in his hometown, Chicago, a moment highlighted in the Through the Wire video. Neef was given his in a helicopter with Chris and Jay. There have been notable people to receive the chain like Beyonce, the aforementioned Kanye West, even LeBron James was gifted a chain after a notable second season in the NBA cementing his place in the NBA, and living up to the hype. Artists J. Cole and Big Sean were given the chain even after the label went their separate ways. As Jay-Z once rapped, “The chain remains…”


-AcE The Legynd

Every famous piece of jewelry in hip hop is usually accompanied with a story that’s as intricate as its craftsmanship. The smiths behind these pieces are often celebrated by artists and peers alike, often shouted out in songs and Instagram posts, drumming up continuous business  and very few have the resume, ever-evolving creativity and feel-good energy like the self-proclaimed “King of Bling” Johnny Dang.

Before he was decorating entertainers in enough jewels and precious metals that’d make Egyptian pharaohs jealous, Johnny Dang originally got his start in the jewelry world while still living in Vietnam. He would occasionally help out in his father’s jewelry shop learning to do repairs and even in his teens Dang began to become aware of the difference between the primarily handcrafted Asian jewelry vs the more machine driven approach to crafting jewelry in the US. All of this would come to fruition when in the early 2000’s Dang met rapper Paul Wall and formed a business partnership. Wall and Dang revolutionized the fashion jewelry that are grillz. Grillz are dental jewelry crafted from several kinds of precious metals including gold or platinum and are often set with diamonds or other precious gems. They were worn by plenty in the 90’s but they’re popularity exploded due to Paul Wall’s hit song “Grillz” that featured Dang dancing in the video. Dang’s creativity and need to stay ahead of the curve has contributed to his success in the fashion jewelry field. His Instagram page (@johnnydangandco) features Johnny with a who’s who of entertainers grinning ear to ear with their custom pieces. Some recent standout pieces happen to be Quavo’s new emerald cut grillz, a new diamond-encrusted MMG pendant and chain for Rick Ross, and a diamond grill for Kodak Black with gems on each tooth alternating between the colors of the Haitian flag. It’s clear to see that Johnny hasn’t lost a step in the jewelry game and that his creative streak is as prevalent as it’s ever been! The King of Bling has not only put in the time and effort, but his work across decades speaks to the talent this man embodies. He is an important and commonly referenced name in hip hop and definitely deserves his flowers while he’s still here.


-Leafy Loveboat