They are true street goons and bosses, but they also know how to clean up and get their grown man on! Mixing urban trends with high fashion pieces, these trendsetters  know how to get fly.   Zania Black

There’s been no shortage of clothing lines by rappers over the years, but when you consider the ones that have actually survived the times, well, that’s a completely different story. The likes of Rocawear, Sean John, and (somehow) Phat Farm have been going on for a decade strong, mainly because of the lasting legacies of the personalities behind the brands.

Thus, it was the lines by rappers-of-the-moment trying to cash in that came and went, but even some big names couldn’t make their clothing work when they themselves always looked as if they couldn’t dress themselves. Here’s GIANT’s look back on all the lines that have faded into oblivion.

A glimpse at Pharrell’s BBC Hunting Pattern Collection will remind you of the fact that rappers (Pharrell gets a pass as one) should not, in almost all cases, dabble with fashion.

Unfortunately, when they do pursue it, not only are the designs poor, but they make them overpriced and exclusive to online-only “boutiques” to hide the shoddy quality of the actual clothing. With brands rolling out their fall collections, here’s a glimpse of what’s on the horizon for existing labels and those that are sure to spring up as they follow in the footsteps of sorely missed Vokal.

CURRENT BRANDS

The Clipse (Play Cloths)

The duo will ditch the hipster set in favor of their natural audience: aspiring street merchants and neighborhood pushas. Cloths’ smuggling-friendly attire — including garments already impregnated with liquid coke! — will soon be seen on every street corner and airport smoking lounge.

T.I. (Akoo)

With Tip in the box until May, prison garb would be more fitting for the king of himself, at least. Mix in his stand-in and Grand Hustle patna Young Dro’s penchant for Sour Skittles pastels and the fall line of jumpsuits will take a decidedly candy paint look.

FUTURE BRANDS

Charles Hamilton (Sonic The Hamilton)

With Interscope forced to shelve his album, the label will look to recoup their investment by packaging a Sonic The Hamilton pop-up book with Tiger Beat in promotion of a tween boutique brand of Sonic tees.

T-Pain (Thr33 Ringz)

Sure to be a staple at swap meet and flea market circuses across the south, Pain’s brand of top hats and ringmaster jackets are necessities of sideshow swag.

Taz Arnold (The Nerdz Gang)

Armed with a Kanye co-sign and a Paris Fashion Week-stealing Leopard print tights, Taz will unleash his future line (named after his kiddie Crenshaw gang), catering to all Liberace-Lupe-She-Ra-Flashdance-Polo enthusiasts — who also happen to be Arabian cowboys. In other words, no one… except for maybe Kanye.

Pharrell Williams has been breaking down barriers since he burst onto the scene years ago as the funky fresh producer from outer space. It is safe to say that Skateboard P is a style icon of our time. With his infectious blend of luxury, hip-hop, alternative and prepster he produces a hotness that is his own. Rather than follow the trends of baggy jeans and over-size tees, Pharrell influences guys to consider a pair of jeans that fit and a vintage tee. Whether he’s crooning over a track, posing for his handcrafted designs or caught on camera shopping on Rodeo, his innovative take on fashion is pretty much timeless.

I love Pharrell and Weezy so much that the way I feel about their new collabo is borderline gross.

It’s called “Yes.”

And that is exactly what I thought when I heard they made a new song together, complete with Stephanie Tanner knee-jerk.

Amen.

Perhaps the product of spending too much time with fellow Child Rebel Soldiers Yeezy and Pharrell, Wasalu’s picked up the singing bug as well.  Thankfully, there’s no Autotune to be found *kisses Jesus piece* but Lupe has opted for the dreaded fake British accent instead (blame Madonna).  To up his bloke credibility, homey has adopted the alias of ‘Percival Fats’ as lead singer of punk-ish band Japanese Cartoon. Take a listen here of the band’s first three tracks to leak.

Make of it what you may.

-Devin Chanda

This holiday season, any additional reason to celebrate is met with a grunt. Upon hearing another invite, my mind forgoes the “Drink and be merry” aspect of a party, and immediately thinks “Do I have to buy another gift?”

PUMA, in a very selfless act that stays true to the winter months mantra of giving and not receiving, is granting us admission to their 60th birthday party. Make that plural.

Hosted at different concept stores across the states, will be the “I Am 60” celebrations. Along with a 20% discount on your entire purchase, each party will have a live DJ, food, beverage, and naturally, a best-wishes b-day cake. The first 100 folks to spend $50 or more get an exclusive somethin’ extra (i.e. loot and treats), and PUMA will be raffling off one ultimate gift bag per city, as well.

Every great host provides a parting gift, and PUMA is no different, so expect to receive a stash of recession-appropriate coupons.

6:00 – 8:00 pm
December 2 – Boston, MA
December 3 – Austin, TX
December 4 – Houston, TX
December 9 – Miami, FL, San Jose, CA, and King of Prussia, PA
December 10 – Orlando, FL, San Diego, CA, and Short Hills, NJ
December 11 – Washington, DC, Las Vegas, NV, and Troy, MI

In true holiday-party fashion, they ask that you RSVP here. In this case, you must. It’s the only way you can get an exact address.

And it’s not a celebration until someone turns on a tune that gets drunk uncles and bratty tots, alike, dancing – I mean more “Cha-Cha-Slide” (which, unfortunately, has proven to be a suitable play at any event), and less “Chesnuts Roasting…” Music is as important as mistletoe during this time of the year, so in addition to the giveaways, PUMA is planning a series of concerts. These are free, too.

Us, New Yorkers get to see Pharrell’s newly-signed Star Trak-ers, Chester French, our June/July “Future Giants,” The Knux, mixtape-staple, Charles Hamilton, and hip-hop DJ Jus Ske.

December 1, 9:00pm, Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th Street

We can pick up tickets (first come, first serve) at the PUMA locations in the Meat Packing District, SoHo, or Union Square West. Again, exact addresses here.

Other gigs:
West Hollywood, CA, December 8, 9:00pm
Plain White T’s w/ DJ Adam 12
Roxy
9009 Sunset Boulevard

San Francisco, December 9, 9:00pm
Steve Aoki w/ Lady Gaga
859 Ofarrell Street

Chicago, December 10, 9:00pm
The Bravery
Metro
3730 N. Clark Street

And it’s only right that we give back, so for the person that’s hardest to shop for, look no further than PUMA’s “I Am 60” Decade collection (to drop December 9). It consists of 3 capsule lines. Each will include accessories, apparel, and footwear inspired by classic styles and silhouettes from its designated era.

Expect the re-introduction of their first football boot, the Artikel 61, from the 40’s-50’s…

…pieces reminiscent of the T1 track jacket for the 60’s-70’s…

…and bright color blocks and revamped high-tops inspired by the 80’s-90’s.

Happy Holidays.

Pacific Division is trying to give everybody a taste. And, after spending the better part of the decade working to make it big, we may as well try a bite.

The Palmdale, California group may not be sweeping the radio, but rappers and producers alike have been hitting them up for years. Okay, well, Pharrell and ?uestlove like them, and that’s good enough for me. Besides, I just wasn’t in the mood for hearing about bitches and liquor and fat asses today… unless they apply to some sort of intriguing storyline.

PACIFIC DIVISION – “TASTE”

KAWS does some pretty cool work, and everybody knows it. The Marc Jacobs ballet flats—black patent leather, with pink trim shaped in the form of teeth. Hot. The diamond encrusted pendant featuring his Blitz character we saw draped across avid fan Pharrell’s neck. Fresh. The limited release of only 1000 of those Storm Trooper toy Companions that had collectors and resellers alike lined outside his OriginalFake store in Tokyo. Ill.

And this is all just last month. It all seems so inaccessible though, doesn’t it? His first solo show in years, “Saturated”—the one that featured large scale depictions of our favorite cartoons, the Smurfs and SpongeBob Squarepants, with KAWS’ signature “XX” eyes—was in Miami. Even his latest creation, the 4-foot Companion in black (the gray version was released earlier this year to crazy acclaim), just appeared on his website’s homepage with no word on when and where we can get it. Tease us no more, KAWS.

Today, the Brooklyn-based artist’s solo exhibition opens at the Gering and Lopez Gallery at 730 Fifth Avenue. And according to the only released photo, we’ll be enjoying abstract scenes with bold and trippy coloration. As if we’d expect anything but. – Danielle Cheesman

Supergroups are a novel idea, just not a very realistic one.  If Nelly has his way though, an ‘09 Bell Biv Devoe will come to fruition, boasting membership from the rapper and hit-making amigos Akon, T-Pain, and Pharrell.  Success is definitely a toss-up, though.  The quartet could very well pump out a fair share of club bangers, but too many hooks (and a vocoder) could spoil the synthy broth.  Here are some dream lineups, though, whose chemistry would be undeniable:

Jay-Z x Kanye West x Scarface x Beanie Sigel

Kanye can just stay behind the boards for this one, flipping rare but timeless samples while the trio of emcees provide the same lyrical acrobatics that gave us classics such as “Guess Who’s Back” and “This Can’t Be Life.”

Diddy x DJ Khaled x Lil’ Jon

Seriously—an ad-lib match made in heaven.

“Take that.” “WE THE BEST!!!” “YEAH!!!” “Who?!? WE!!!!” “OK!!!”

Lil Wayne x Max B

The Martian meets Wavie Crockett.  Weezy’s stream-of-unconscience nonsense will flow smoothly with Max’s tidal wave of hooks (the man can harmonize anything).

Lupe Fiasco x Mickey Factz

If you can tell difference between them, then you need to stop using your Food & Liquor case as an ashtray… if you bought it, that is.

The Clipse x The Neptunes

We just need another album.  Speaking of which… !

-Devin Chanda

CMJ ’08 kicks off today in NYC and S.O.B.’s—the pantheon of hip-hop spots in the city—got it locked for the evening.  Onstage tonight will be the roster of Allido Records, the label of Grammy-winning producer Mark Ronson.  The Englishman brought along a couple compatriots for the show, including R&B singer Daniel Merriweather and jazzy rock band The Rumblestrips (British for “speedbumps”).

Undoubtedly, though, most in attendance will be at Varick St. to see DC go-hopper Wale.  Working on his debut album alongside folks like Kanye and Pharrell, Wale might not be playing his trademark singles like “W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.” at such intimate venues for long.  Chi-town representa’ Rhymefest, is also certain to preview some cuts from El Che, his politically charged upcoming sophomore set.

With Wale and ‘Fest on the mic (possibly together trading verses for the banger “Ain’t Heard It From Me”) and Ronson also spinning, all tastes—hipster, purist, and club—are sure to be satiated.

-Devin Chanda

Listen up: The Kid Daytona (Flash, Oct/Nov ’08) is one of NYC’s best unsigned rappers. We would say to give this dude a record deal, but he seems to be doing just fine on his own. Hailing from the Bronx, the Cipha Sounds protégé turned heads with his mixtape A Tribe Called Fresh, which reinvented seminal Tribe cuts with a clever, obsessive and laugh-out-loud hilarious attention to detail. Daytona spoke with GIANT about style, swagger and why he’s not into the Olsen Twins.

GIANT: How did growing up in the Bronx shape you as an artist?

Around the time when I grew up, you went through eras. The David Dinkins era was really fucked up. A lot of crime was happening. Giuliani came and shaped things up. Back then the slogan was “Fuck Giuliani” because all the hustlers, it was harder for them to do what they was doing. But in all reality, he shaped everything up. I came up in my high school years in the South Bronx. I went to a catholic school. But it was like a catholic school in the ’hood. You dealt with all the same negativities. Single-parent homes, my boy’s mom used to be working, and we’d go in his crib and do all sorts of crazy shit. You ever seen that movie Kids? Imagine being like sixteen years old. Yeah. It was crazy. Then you have to pick which way you’re gonna go. I come from a good family, so my grades always had to always be on point. My friends, they were doing they thing. I fucked around, but I always made sure I was straight. I knew where I was going. Most of my friends I grew up with, honestly, the majority of them are in jail. They never finished high school, none of that stuff. I come back around the way, and I chill, and it fells kinda weird sometimes because they look at me like I’m on the radio, but in all reality, I’m still trying to make it, too.

How did you get into performing?

In high school, we used to battle. I came up with Jae Millz, JR Writer. We’re all kids battling each other, listening to each other. We came up around each other. That’s basically how I got my whole swag in performing and stuff like that, from performing early on.

You’re look is very put-together. How important is that to you?

It’s important, but it makes me late.

How so?

There are a whole bunch of mirrors in my crib. Before I go to sleep, I try to say, “OK, I’m gonna wear this tomorrow.” But sometimes you put that on and it don’t really look right. Then you gotta change.

How would you describe your style?

I never want to follow anybody else in what they’re doing. I always want to look like an individual. Right now, I’ve got high-top Guccis on and a Versace button-up shirt, but like rolled up, just to look different. When I’m walking down the street, you know it’s Daytona.

Is there anyone you admire for style cues?

I like the way Kanye dresses, Pharrell. If you look at it, them two start trends. You see kids in the ’hood wearing fuckin’ tight pants and skateboarding, and you see kids wearing scarves in the summer time. You just look at what they’re doing, and kids try to emulate that.

In one of your tracks, you say, “You can have on all the fly gear. / But it’s all about how you wear it.” What do you mean by that?

You look fly. But if I put that shirt on, I probably wouldn’t look hot. If we switched outfits, we probably wouldn’t look right. How are you wearing it? It’s you. You bring out the clothes. You could have on $5000 worth of clothes and still look wack.

What’s your hustle like right now?

I never really realized how powerful the Internet was until we put out this [A Tribe Called Fresh] tape. Before, when I was younger, I was like, “I want to get a deal tomorrow. I shoulda got a deal yesterday.” But right now, I’m gaining fans without that. When I come, my album is gonna be done, and we’re gonna put it out, and all they gotta do is distribute it. I’m not thirsty for a deal right now. Whenever it comes is when it’s gonna come, and it has to be the right deal.

Do you have an album in the works?

Yeah. I already got a bunch of people on it. I did a joint with Travis from Gym Class Heroes. He heard the tape and actually reached out to Cipha Sounds like, “Yo, I wanna work with this kid.” So we put that together. I got a joint with Busta that’s crazy. It’s actually Cassie and Busta. Crazy, crazy, crazy. So there’s a lot of things in the works right now. All the people that fit my mode are all the people I want to work with.

Where does your income come from right now?

Mixtapes is free. I got my own hustles. It’s New York City. You can get money. I just get money being me. What I do right now is basically, I’ve always had girls, so it’s like, “Alright, you got girls and we need somebody to fill this table.” We go and they give us bottles, and we just have chicks around us, and they pay us for it. It’s like, “Fuck it. Why not? I’m not starving for nothing.

What can a major offer you that you couldn’t do on your own?

Basically, a major label can just market you and get you out there. They have that money to put your face everywhere. The Internet is cool. You can get so far just being on the net, but when you’re constantly in somebody’s face and on the radio… Politics is crazy. Some of these kids is big on the Internet, and you never heard them on the radio. Not everybody knows about blogs and underground stuff. You gotta search for that. The major helps you just take it there. That extra step.

Where would you want to go right now?

Right now, it’s just so crazy. Like I said, it just has to be the right situation. Everything is wack right now. Even through Busta, Interscope was dope two years ago. And now look at what’s happening. Everybody’s complaining. I don’t understand the game. I don’t understand how some of these people get jobs. It’s like, what are you really doing? Ciph always says, “I wish you were older and you came in the game in like ’97. You would be poppin’ right now.” But I was born when I was born and this is what it is.

I’ve heard you name-check the Olsen Twins more than once. What’s up with that?

That was around the time when I used to see them a lot in the clubs. I always wondered why people thought they were hot because they looked wack in person. Like for real. They’re like four-eight, no ass, nothing. I just didn’t understand.

What’s something I don’t know about the Kid Daytona?

I’m into all nationalities of women, right? But I have a curly-hair fetish. That means you can be any skin complexion, just as long as you have the ability to grow curly hair, I’m with it all day.

[Download the full A Tribe Called Fresh mixtape here]