Ice Cold: The Untold Story of Hip Hop Jewelry

“When you’re wearing diamonds, it’s like a big f-you to everybody” How and when did jewelry become part of Hip Hop culture? A$AP Ferg, Migos, Lil Yachty, Talib Kweli weigh in alongside 80’s heavyweights Eric B & Rakim and Slick Rick to see the much deeper meaning and purpose behind it all.

We hear from City Girls, A$AP Ferg, A-Boogie, Lil Yachty, Migos, French Montana, Mustard, and Lil Baby about how much their pieces cost. We also look into why they spend so much money; and that’s down to the fans who expect to always see their favorite artist dripping in ice.

Being a jeweler is as dangerous as it is lucrative and there’s a cut-throat, super competitive nature to the business. We talk to the jewelers who knowingly work in a risky business to supply the stars – names like Johnny Dang, Ice Box, Ben Baller, Eliantte, and Avianne & Co. For artists, there are risks and rewards to owning ice; their pieces can create wealth for generations, but it also requires them to have security at all times. We’ll hear from Quavo, Migos, Lil Yachty, De La Soul, and CEO P of Quality Control Music.

Hip Hop jewelry keeps evolving – and owning custom jewelry is like collecting art. J Balvin talks about his love for ice while seeing a new piece that’s just been created for him. And Migos, A$AP Ferg, and Talib Kweli are on hand to have a larger conversation around how the evolution of hip-hop jewelry is reflective of our larger societal shift towards appreciating non-white art.