Bling Makes a Bid For the Big Time

In the Hallowed Halls of the Auction House, Hip-Hop's Pricey Baubles Resonate With New Meaning

NEW YORK

From the beginning, it was impossible to separate hip-hop from its gear. Rappers' affection for Adidas sneakers, Kangol hats, Timberland boots and oversize Tommy Hilfiger anything was as important to the music as the beats. The paraphernalia reflected a determination to grab hold of a piece of the American dream, the same dream claimed by the preppy kids, the L.L. Bean outdoorsmen and the horse country set.

When rappers became more successful and the money became abundant, their tastes became more expensive. Like George and Weezy, they moved on up to Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada. They embraced platinum, gold and diamonds -- as many diamonds as they could fit onto the face of a watch and the biggest carats that their earlobes could carry. Those ostentatious jewels spawned new lingo: "bling" and "ghetto fabulous." Jewelers such as New York's Jacob Arabo, known as Jacob the Jeweler, gained notoriety for their ability to encrust expensive watches with a moneybag's worth of sparkle.

The jewelry -- flamboyant and self-aggrandizing -- was emblematic of hip-hop's often ruthless crusade for success. Those flashy baubles were the spoils of alluring beats and poetic rhymes, as well as misogyny, homophobia and violence. Hip-hop conquered popular culture and crowned its own royalty. It had all the accouterments of a monarchy: familial alliances, hierarchies, territorial feuding, bloodshed -- and treasure.

And now, in a move that places hip-hop alongside cultural markers from Andy Warhol to the Beatles, many of those jewels will be up for auction.

Phillips de Pury & Co., which prides itself on being the young collectors' auction house, is presenting "Hip Hop's Crown Jewels," a sale of 70 pieces that are estimated to raise $3 million. The sale, scheduled for Oct. 1, has been billed by Phillips de Pury as the first for hip-hop jewelry. The New York preview, Sept. 22-30, is open to the public.

The idea for the auction came from the house's Swiss chairman, Simon de Pury, who is old enough for membership in AARP and an enormous fan of the music. Part of the proceeds will benefit charities that include those founded by hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The auction house will make a donation to the National Museum of American History's initiative to establish a permanent hip-hop exhibition.

Some of the jewelry has been put up for auction by the performers themselves. A gold mushroom-shaped ring embossed with the profile of Nefertiti, for instance, was donated by MC Lyte. Other pieces have come from the estates of rappers, such as the diamond and ruby crown-shaped ring that Tupac Shakur was wearing when he was killed in Las Vegas in 1996. An inscription reads "Pac & Dada 1996," referring to his relationship with Kidada Jones, daughter of Quincy Jones.

Other pieces have drifted in through circuitous routes. For instance, there is jewelry that bears the insignia of Jacob & Co. Like a lot of those in the world to which he catered, Arabo has had legal troubles, including a conviction for lying to federal agents investigating a money-laundering scheme. You won't find Arabo's name mentioned in any of the auction's publicity literature. It is one thing for a rapper to burnish his credibility by speaking of his brushes with the law. Such attention does an auction house no favors.

Any prospective buyer attracted to the jeweler's sordid back story, however, will want to pay special attention to a link bracelet worn by 50 Cent that is so bloated with diamonds that wearing it would be akin to hoisting a five-pound barbell all day. "Jacob & Co." is discreetly etched on its back.

Also both dazzling and daunting is the diamond pendant that reads "Crunk Ain't Dead" -- a reference to a Southern style of hip-hop -- that was worn by Lil Jon. It measures close to 8 inches long and 2 inches deep and weighs approximately 13 pounds in total. It hangs from a thick gold rope -- not a chain, but a rope -- and could surely serve as an anchor for a dinghy.

There is an intimidation factor to this jewelry that announces the big dog in the room, just as expensive cigars and bespoke suits serve as badges of prestige in the boardroom. But this jewelry goes a step further. In the business hierarchy promulgated by these masters of rhyme, the jewelry functions as a personal spotlight. Their wealth, influence and achievement must never be forgotten and must always be honored. Ring-kissing optional.