HIP-HOP COUTURE
of any subculture, the aesthetics and ideals of hip-hop have changed profoundly since its birth in the late '70s on the streets of New York. What once served as an escape from the hardships of daily life in the form of block parties organized by people like DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa quickly became a viable art form to communicate relevant issues through a medium the surrounding community could relate to. As this evolution occurred, certain things like style and fashion cemented themselves as inseparable parts of hip-hop culture. Emerging from the worlds of disco, reggae, and funk, each of which carried its own associations, hip-hop and its most prominent artists sought an entirely unique aesthetic which accurately portrayed its developing values. The genre's JUST AS ONE MIGHT EXPECT
HIP-HOP COUTURE forerunners, for instance, often looked toward their inspirations for cues while those that were coming in to form during this time brought along their own sense of style largely influenced by the changing environment around them. It didn't take long, however, and like punk and rock before it, hip-hop soon had its own instantly recognizable sense of style. Groups with crossover appeal like Run-D.M.C. dominated television and radio while brands like adidas recognized the unstoppable momentum of the burgeoning art form and helped define an early aesthetic still valued nearly 30 years later. The trio's popularity in addition to the success of other artists like LL Cool J and The Beastie Boys helped secure a place for hip-hop in the consumerist landscape of the '80s and led to the genre's most significant development yet — its commercial viability. ďƒ’
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