| Watch any of the major movie, television, and | | | | or watches, rings, bracelets and earrings that are |
| music award shows on television today and one | | | | heavily decorated with real or faux diamonds. |
| of the first things you'll notice about the celebrities | | | | So-called 'spinner' watches and rings are big best |
| on the red carpet, aside from their extravagant | | | | sellers in the hip-hop jewelry category. Also |
| (and sometimes outlandish) attire, are the amount | | | | available are customized, removable gold, silver |
| and size of the jewelry they are wearing. Hip-hop | | | | and platinum teeth which may be studded with |
| jewelry, more commonly known as bling-bling, is | | | | jewels and gemstones, so even the pearly whites |
| definitely not understated fashion. The bigger and | | | | can have their share of hip-hop jewelry. |
| the flashier it is, the better. Preferred by many of | | | | Women celebrities are keeping pace with their |
| today's celebrities, hip-hop jewelry adorns the | | | | male counterparts when it comes to wearing |
| fingers, necks, arms, even the teeth of many | | | | hip-hop jewelry. Stars such as Beyonce, Lil' Kim, |
| stars. | | | | Ashanti and Missy Elliott are regularly seen in |
| Oversized studs and chains are the trademarks | | | | pictures wearing large diamond jewelry items of |
| of hip-hop jewelry and are preferred by | | | | various colors. Even young female celebrities are |
| celebrities such as Sean Combs, or P. Diddy. At | | | | getting on the bling-bling bandwagon. Teen stars |
| the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, he sported a | | | | like Jo Jo and Hilary Duff are said to be avid |
| diamond ring, bracelet, and watch from Jacob and | | | | hip-hop jewelry enthusiasts and count themselves |
| Company. Rapper 50 Cent is another celebrity | | | | among the large number of bejeweled stars |
| who is hardly ever seen without his hip-hop | | | | today. |
| jewelry. On his web site, 50 Cent offers more | | | | Large, ostentatious pieces of jewelry did not start |
| affordable, though just as flashy, bling-bling for | | | | becoming popular only because of the hip-hop |
| those of us who do not earn the megabucks that | | | | cultural phenomenon (think Elvis Presley and Tom |
| he and his fellow celebrities rake in. There are also | | | | Jones), but hip-hop has altered the jewelry |
| many other web sites that offer low-priced | | | | market in a big way. Fans see what their favorite |
| hip-hop jewelry inspired by popular rap artists. | | | | celebrities are wearing, and there are numerous |
| Hip-hop jewelry comes in many shapes and sizes, | | | | options for them to emulate their idols, at least in |
| all of them meant to catch the eye and attract | | | | terms of fashion. Jewelry has always been a part |
| attention. Heavy chains of silver or gold (or both) | | | | of popular culture, and today's hip-hop jewelry and |
| can oftentimes be seen on celebrities such as LL | | | | the celebrities who wear them are even more so |
| Cool J and Ja Rule in their music videos. Hip-hop | | | | in this age of instant information. |
| jewelry web sites offer fully 'iced-out' bling-bling, | | | | |