hip hop jewelry


I thought it was "cute" the first time that I heard someone refer to their new ring as "bling". I quickly caught on that they were talking about their jewelry and its evident flashiness. Little did I know, it is a hip hop term.

Hip Hop jewelry has its own terminololgy, and "bling" is only a portion of it. When one refers to "bling", one is referring to the sound that may occur when the sunlight hits and reflects off of one's jewelry. I get a kick out of hearing the term. It definitely is one that makes you smile. The more bling, the better, as well!

A second term I have come across in reference to hip hop jewelry is "iced out". If one is iced out, one is wearing diamond-encrusted jewelry. The term refers to the sparkle that is created when light hits the diamonds and causes them to glitter. A lot of hip hop jewelry is iced out, but a lot of hip hop artists are also concerned with the diamond trade in Africa.

A third term in hip hop jewelry is one that is actually for your teeth. Grillz are removable platinum teeth coverings. If having bling on your fingers and around your neck isn't enough, add a set of grillz, and now your face shines, too!

There is plenty to learn about hip hop jewelry. The main thing I have found in my search is the bigger, the better, and anyone can participate in wearing hip hop jewelry, as it becomes mainstream.