A Guest Column by Steve Hunt of Komply Clothing**
‘Hip Hop’ as a fashion has remained largely stagnant over these past ten, maybe even fifteen years. Ask anyone to describe to you their ideal of a `hip hopper’ and after they have mentioned guns and chains, they’ll probably start talking to you about sneakers (or trainers for the British amongst us such as myself) and baseball caps. Oh, and leisure/track suits. This recurring theme of sportswear, or now more commonly branded as `street’ wear has been played, season after season by the sports companies themselves (obviously) but more importantly by other `fashion’ labels to much financial success.
But what are the effects upon those of us who actually live this culture? How does this marketing of `us’ benefit the progression of a music, and it’s cultural attachments? We used to be known as trend-setters, as people who had little, so worked with what was around us. The very notion of Hip Hop itself is something born out of nothing but a borrowed break-beat and some DIY mic skills. And this used to be the same for our fashions too.
But now Hip Hop is a global business. Worth billions of dollars, this industry has become quickly self-referential. Those who have appropriated it for their own ends, the people responsible for the ostentatious furry, ghetto-fabulous schtick looks of a few years ago; Gucci, Chanel et al, as well as the preppy Tommy Hilfiger look that was adopted by `us’ and then regurgitated back as quickly as they could throw it at us, have been quick to jump on, and glorify a culture that could bring back life and excitement into their own collections. These influences themselves, have in turn now been adopted in the latest collections from Phat Farm, Sean John and the myriad of other `urban’* labels popping up around us.
Which is great and all, honest, it really is. Anything that expands the reach of this music, and the worldwide phenomenon that is Hip Hop culture has to be good. But a part of me can’t help but feel it’s all a little too inward-facing. We’re essentially regurgitating the styles of people who regurgitated our style to start with. Where’s the progression? Where’s the risk? Where’s the growth?
Of course, the more erudite would be able to make the argument that this is simply running in parallel to the state of hip hop music today. The ‘bling’ and b*tches attitude still rules the land of `urban’ music (you only have to watch any XXX version, music video to see that although less violent, this is more misogynistic as ever), and what with our ‘glorious tabloid leader’ 50 cent being nothing but a caricature of himself these days, the clothes that he wears, and other people aspire to wearing will only reflect this.
So what happens to the trend-setters? Where’s the sense of excitement and wonder that we as hip hoppers used to revel in?
Who in this day and age is going to seriously raid their grand mothers hat closet, and rock outside in broad daylight wearing her white, fluffy hat? Kangol wasn’t the least bit ‘hip hop’ until someone had the guts to just mess about with their nanas’ threads.
But nowadays we all look the same. and not in a form of, ‘look at him in shiny toe-capped boots and dark, black eye-liner! He’s a goth just like me’ solidarity. No, now EVERYbody just looks like everyone else. We all look like each other; hip hop, house, pop, R & B, rock, ad infinitum. These big brands have taken what we had and just set-up shop selling the same stuff back to us year after year. Take me for an example, I dress no different now than I did 15 years ago, in my Jordans and NY Yankees cap. And I’m bloody British for gawds sake, I don’t even understand Baseball or Basketball!
Of course there will always be room for sneakers, caps and even the odd ‘ghetto’ inspired fur coat or pimp-juice cup. Hell, even leisure suits are ok with me. But where’s the sense of belonging that helped to develop our culture’s style and attitude? Where’s the daring?
Where’s the fun?
Now, I know a few single-coloured print t-shirts isn’t going to change the world. But you know what? I really think the time is right for someone to shake this game up a little. Break us out of the artist/label owned clothes lines that seem intent on pushing us down the same old avenues. Mark Ecko continues to nudge at the limits of this year after year, and I can’t offer the man enough respect, for doing what he does so well. I only wish someone else was there to offer him a little competitive encouragement, to help him not nudge, but blast his way through these boundaries.
Over the next few weeks/months (or even days, depending on how long it takes for me to go bust!) I’m going to be residing here, writing about my experiences in setting up my own label. I don’t know where it’s going to take me, and I have a day job and family to keep running in the mean time, but I think it’s going to be fun. Who knows, together maybe we could change the game?
* I need to make this clear, but I hate ‘urban’ as a term. I only use it here as an ironic statement with regards to how we get labeled and pigeon-holed these days.
[**dead link removed]
