the filming of the video for LL Cool J's single, 'I Need Love', 1987. (L-R) Bobcat, Cut Creator, LL Cool J, and E-Love take a ride in a limousine in New York City during. TIF, Cartier, and other top jewelry brands there are also equally skilled jewelry designers who exist to satisfy the urban palette for what jewelry can be. In the same way, you have Bvlgari, Tiffany & Co. The urban community has many who have learned the jewelry trade to perfection, and so when artists come for a piece of jewelry to be made, it’s an opportunity for these designers to use their talent to make something unique and outstanding,” remarks Arabov. “Yes, wearing jewelry is a way for people to show they’ve made it, but it’s much more than that.
Making hip-hop jewelry statement pieces is a source of revenue for many black creatives He believes that many rappers and artists in hip-hop are just misunderstood as wasteful because many can’t relate to their experiences and struggles. Arabov was inspired to go into the jewelry business by his father and uncle, Jacob the Jeweler, who founded the reputable watchmaker, Jacob & Co. They also make jewelry for anyone, especially in the urban community, who would like some quality custom-made diamond or gold statement pieces at an affordable price. Vobara has made custom pieces of jewelry for heavy hitters like Rick Ross, Quavo from Migos, Kodak Black, Soulja Boy, Future, Rich the Kid, and many more. But it’s also, in a sense, them giving the middle finger to the oppressive systems that tried to keep them down.”Īlex Arabov of Vobara with DJ Khaled. The jewelry is an identity card to show and prove that what they’re saying is real and true. They are trying to communicate that despite the lack of opportunities and general wealth to fall back on, and even with the opposition they faced in their bid to make something of themselves, they have succeeded. It’s a symbol of success for a people who weren’t always afforded a level playing field to build generational wealth. In hip-hop culture, which has historically been a vehicle for African Americans to communicate their pain and struggles, when someone from this community becomes successful, they find a way to show it and express it via the same medium.Īlex Arabov, the owner of the urban-focused custom jewelry designer brand, Vobara, says, “The bling is a status symbol for most emcees. Many successful black people who grew up in and around these circumstances and have attained success talk about “making it out the mud,” which is a reference to the fact that it’s almost always through undue struggle that they attain success. The African American community has statistically been disenfranchised and marginalized in many sectors of economic significance, such as education, research funding opportunities, healthcare, labor and housing market opportunities, and the criminal justice system, amongst other areas.
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