Time+Tide book club: Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History

D.C. Hannay

For fans of hip-hop and streetwear, there’s a lavish new coffee table book just for you. More than simply documenting flash jewellery, Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History drills down into the cultural significance of bling within streetwear culture. And a big part of that culture is the universe of timepieces that the musical luminaries of yesterday and today choose to rock while rocking the mic, from pioneers like Run-DMC, to stars of today, such as Meek Mill. Everything from bone-stock Rolex Presidents, to mind-boggling diamond-paved Pateks are on display in Ice Cold, and whatever your own personal tastes, there’s no denying the storied history of “showing up and showing out” in rap music.

So-called purists may recoil at the sight of a custom iced-out Royal Oak, but in the end, it isn’t about what you’re comfortable with. Brynn Wallner (@dimepiece.co on Instagram) wrote an insightful thinkpiece on the subject for Harper’s Bazaar, and although my own taste in watches veers toward vintage tool watches, I still marvel at those outrageous creations that were front and centre at the dawn of an entirely new culture. Bottom line: there’s no denying the audacity, self-determination, and sheer joy that these pieces invoke. Author Vikki Tobak has meticulously chronicled the history of jewellery and watches in hip-hop with Ice Cold, and the accompanying photos bring it all together, larger than life, and in your face. What follows are a few of my favourites from the nearly 400 pages that make up Ice Cold.

A$AP Ferg wrote an essay for the book, chronicling his own roots, which included making and selling his own jewellery back in the day. He’s shown here wearing a diamond-bezelled Jacob & Co. 5 Time Zone, a classic hip-hop timepiece worn by countless stars.

Eric B and Rakim, famous for seminal hits like Don’t Sweat The Technique, laid a pretty substantial foundation during the nascent days of rap. Rakim, widely regarded as one of hip-hop’s greatest MCs, rapped the way John Coltrane played jazz, deftly scattering rhymes over Eric B’s in-the-pocket grooves. Eric B’s “gold nugget” watch was a back-in-the-day icon, worn by many of the genre’s pioneers.

The late Tupac Shakur’s full potential remains unknown, having been gunned down in the prime of his career, but his body of musical (and acting) work is substantial nonetheless, including this classic with Dr. Dre. He was a style trendestter as well, and certainly was no stranger to a fine timepiece, shown here with one of his Rolex Day-Dates.

You may know him as the film and television star of Any Given Sunday or NCIS: Los Angeles, but LL Cool J is an icon in rap music history, signing with Rick Rubin’s Def Jam label while still a teenager. You could say he did alright for himself: he’s the only rapper to have received a Kennedy Center Honour and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His rhyme game is legendary, with fierce hits like Mama Said Knock You Out, and his style game hugely influential as well, even in his early days. Aside from his Fila tracksuits, Kangol hats, and gold rope chains, LL also rocked the gold nugget watch, his by Gruen.

Today, custom ice in hip-hop is more sophisticated than ever, and the members of Migos are certainly at the forefront of that boundary-pushing. Among the over-the-top jewellery creations they’ve helped design, they have some pretty stellar timepieces in their arsenal, including several jaw-dropping custom Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet models.

Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History is available now from Taschen, available to order here.