Bling bling is flashy jewelry associated with hip hop culture. It includes gem-encrusted watches, rings, necklaces, and even tooth caps. The term was coined in the late 1990s and is still trendy today. Some rappers wear it with style, while others prefer a direct approach. Bling for kids is also popular, with prices in the stratosphere. Lil Wayne is believed to have made the first recorded reference to the word “bling.”
Bling bling is a hip hop expression that refers to flashy or ostentatious jewelry. The word “bling” is meant to evoke the brilliant flash of fine diamonds and precious metals. First coined by rap artists in the late 1990s, “bling bling” has become a popular way to describe flashy watches, rings, necklaces, and even tooth caps. Today, the expression is considered a bit outdated among those with authentic hip hop style, although ostentatious jewelry is still trendy.
Jewelry described as bling bling is often completely over the top, appropriate for someone with money to burn. Rings, necklaces and watches are encrusted with gemstones that dazzle and sparkle, brazenly advertising the wearer’s wealth. In the extravagant lifestyle of rap hip hop artists, wearing a bling watch, bling ring or bling necklace has become de rigueur. Wearing all three at the same time is even more common.
There is some debate among rappers about the origin of the expression bling bling. Cash Money Millionaires’ Lil Wayne is believed to have made the first recorded reference to the single word “bling.” He used it in a rap song called “Millionaire Dream” on the Big Tymers’ 1998 album How Ya Luv That. Lil Wayne later boasted that he originated the word in another rap song, Hollywood Divorce by OutKast.
Some rappers wear bling bling with a lot of style, like rap artist Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs and hip hop singer Mary J. Blige. Other people prefer a direct approach, with huge ring chains of necklaces and gold rings on each finger. Rapper Flava Flav was one of the first to wear bling on his teeth, a popular item known in the hip hop world as a grill. However, bling bling isn’t always jewelry; it can apply to a jeweled walking stick, a sock or cup, the faceplate of a cell phone, or any overly decorated personal item.
Bling for kids is one of the offshoots of the bling jewelry industry. Bling bling for kids is considered by many to be the ultimate show of wealth. Mothers into hip hop fashion can find jewel-encrusted baby rattles and mink baby blankets, with prices in the stratosphere. One website advertises a baby bottle wrapped in Swarovski crystals and personalized with the baby’s name for $225 US dollars. For the truly discerning parent, there are jewelers who make children’s jewelry with real diamonds and precious metals, such as gold, silver and platinum, costing many thousands of dollars.
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