What we have based this list on are men who can effortlessly go from fresh street wear to dapper formal wear.   It includes rappers, an athlete, and a couple of R&B crooners. We also took into consideration those who take risks once in a while – so necessary when it comes to fashion!   Some of these guys may have been looked over in the style department, but we watched them this year…and they were looking good.   We ranked from last to first place. Let us know if you agree: 10. Ludacris     Although Ludacris hasn’t quite established a “signature” look like some of our other fashionable men have, we had to give him credit for how far his style has come since he first broke out on the scene.   Luda back in the day   His look is smarter on both the red carpet as well as the streets. He went from a wild afro to a clean shaven head, tailored suits, and grown up street style. We’ve seen him rock flannel shirts, Air Force Ones, brands like Crooks & Castles, Lacoste, as well as Armani suits.         9. Jay-Z     Although he may have been considered as a style icon to many previous to 2009, Jay-Z really stepped up his game this year.   While he didn’t sell out that classic hip hop style, he did indeed clean it up. Jay mixed in distinguished pieces like knit cardigans, classy leather jackets, thick framed eye wear, clean high top sneakers from Lanvin to Supra, and raw denim – neither excessively baggy nor skinny. Timbs may have made a big comeback this year, but it doesn’t look like Jay ever took his off!   Another characteristic of Jay’s style? All black everything. The hip hop mogul favors this shade more than any other, from his jackets to sweaters, kicks, and of course the shades that seem to accompany him everywhere.   On top of the brands mentioned, we’ve seen him rock his very own urban success – Rocawear – as well as PRPS and Play Cloths.     When it comes to red carpet style, Jay-Z has been looking immaculate and sophisticated in well-made suits, and shoes to match.       8. Trey Songz     Yet another celebrity who may have been overlooked in the style department, Trey Songz has upped his appeal by ditching his cornrows and adopting clean, fitted apparel.     As you can see in the image above, he is just as hot in formal wear as he is in urban gear. We’ve seen him rock the likes of Gucci, Radii footwear, Money Clothing, and most recently one of the hottest new watch brands, Flud.   When we’ve seen him out and about, its in mostly knit sweaters, tees and button down shirts – hence, the reason we picked him for our gift guide to classic button down shirts:       7. Justin Timberlake     Justin Timberlake is the epitome of menswear. He’s best known for rocking fitted suits, vests, skinny ties, and of course a crisp pair of sneakers to match. His own clothing line, William Rast, is a hit, and he is not afraid to rep it.     Like the line, Justin is preppy with an urban edge. Other brands he’s known to support are J.Lindeberg, Alternative Apparel and Polo.     6. Diddy     Diddy helped shaped urban fashion, we can’t deny that. From his Sean John brand to his seemingly never-ending variations to the classic tux, his look usually screams luxury. Most often seen in suits, he is known for adding some bling to them – incorporating shiny, textured fabrics, two tone colors and more.   His casual looks are pretty simple – you may catch him in a Rocksmith tee, leather jacket, denim, and Nike sneakers, etc. We saw him bust out a velour tracksuit last year – a bold move considering the trend has been quiet for some time now. Most recently, he collaborated with the streetwear brand, Supreme, for a photo shoot and interview. Many criticized the move on both Supreme’s and Diddy’s end, accusing Supreme of “selling out” and Diddy for just trying to stay relevant by connecting with the ever-growing skate/streetwear market. Perhaps it is Diddy just staying on top of his game?       5. T.I.   T.I.   Even though he’s been locked up for a good chunk of ’09, T.I. still deserves some shine for being stylistically on point.   His signature tilted beanie, his street swag, and the way he cleans up in a suit got him on this list. His clothing line AKOO, which he is known to proudly rock himself, is a polished urban line with smart cardigans, crew neck sweatshirts, rugbys and more.   Other brands he’s been spotted in include Carrera, CAVI, and his all time favorite – Polo.       4. Chris Brown   Chris Brown in YRB   Chris Brown has undoubtedly had a dismal year, but we’re here shed some light on at least one area he has grown in – his fashion style.   He is clearly a huge fan of skate inspired clothing, rocking brands like The Hundreds and Supra, as well as high end designer labels like Helmut Lang and Gucci.     Michael Jackson being one of his idols is evident in red carpet and on-stage outfit choices Chris has made. He has confidently worn the marching band jacket, a “Thriller” inspired red patent leather jacket and many more looks adopted from the King of Pop’s wardrobe.   Some may argue that Chris’ style has been slightly clown-ish, but he is a young lad experimenting with fashion and at least taking risks. His style has definitely become more subdued since he first launched his music career.   Where he scored some major points was ironically his court appearance outfits. The gray check suit seen below was […]

  The views expressed inside this editorial aren’t necessarily the views of AllHipHop.com or its employees. Rebellion Hip-Hop: We Bid One Decade Adieu & Welcome Another (Spoiler Alert)!  “… And we are alive in amazing times/ Delicate hearts, diabolical minds/” —Mos Def, “Life in Marvelous Times,” The Ecstatic, 2009 We can take a stroll down memory lane and relive the many disappointing moments the last decade offered. We can reminisce over missteps taken, errors made, problems unsolved. We can look back and remain restricted to the past—like Lot’s wife. We can. But we won’t. We are Hip-Hop. The past might be prologue, but it hardly says much about the possibilities awaiting a culture and generation not quite through tampering with the world, in order to make it as good as its promise. We have expunged one tense and theatrical decade, and now, we cut open the ribbons unveiling a fresh, new one. The next decade is sure to be very interesting—in multiple terms. If the last is any indicator, certain predictions can be made, even from this hollow ground upon which we are currently poised. Here, I hope to briefly offer 5 of such predictions. In no way are these guaranteed, but I believe 10 years from now my estimates would have yielded enough proof worthy of a “I Told You So—Now, **** Me!” editorial. The Internalization of Hip-Hop: If you still think Hip-Hop is a North American culture, restricted only to the United States borders, you’re bound to be sorely disappointed in the coming years. As Africa and Europe especially come close to dominating the Hip-Hop scene with new and challenging rhythmic and lyrical twists, I hope the narrow-minded—the jingoistic—amongst us would be able to pay off the deductibles on the heart surgery transplants sure to become commonplace. Whether we choose to be upfront or not, many of us have an unhealthy commitment to tribalism, coastism, and sexism when engaging Hip-Hop—which is deep, as it in no way reflects Hip-Hop’s true nature. In the next decade, however, Hip-Hop would most likely be hit with the triple evils of Diversity, Novelty, and Complexity. Here’s to hoping we have enough compassion in our hearts to tolerate and celebrate voices unlike those we are used to. The (Continuing) Commercialization of Hip-Hop: If you’re a purist like myself—with an almost Nazi-esque demand that Hip-Hop remain free of all commercial contamination—get your oxygen tank fully functional. You’ll be needing a whole lot of it. For those who believe Hip-Hop is slowly losing the rat race or loosening whatever gridlock it had on corporate America, slap yourself three times. You might be overdosing on morphine. At no other period in its history has Hip-Hop made more millionaires than the last few years. And thanks to the ubiquitous nature of Rap music today—in restaurants, airlines, TV ads, Magazines, Disney merchandise, beer commercials, student loan promos, lecture halls, classrooms—the next decade almost promises a steep rise in commercialism for Hip-Hop music. No indication suggests a dissipation or depreciation any time soon. As much as CD sales might be down, the same can’t be said for Hip-Hop merchandise. On the backs and bodies of kids and adults alike—Hip-Hop lives. In their ear drums, through MP3 players and iPods—Hip-Hop lives. On their TV screens and smartphones—Hip-Hop lives. There’s too much money left in this Rap business, and until the cow is drained of all milk, that creepy, bald, White guy with the baseball hat and the white T-shirt tucked into his khaki pants is unlikely to halt stroking that sensitive area gently but firmly. (Of course it’s not just White men anymore. A couple of Negroes here; a couple of suffragettes there. But that goes without saying.) Maturity: We’re three full decades into this thing called Hip-Hop, and I believe the next decade would yield greater validation than the last did of an artist-base fed up with WWF beefs and jerry curl spats. Signs of the last few months suggest many commercial rappers—who in the past never even bothered to construct parallel rhyme schemes—are getting a tad bit discomforted with the overflow of ringtone rappers, and are now turning to a more lyrical landscape for refuge. Artists whose debut body of work spoke of nothing but mediocrity and minimalism began taking seriously the musical debt owed to fans for demanding $10 for music made with $.10 concepts. Artists would likely become more serious and engaged on the musical front as well as the money front—which raises a favorite topic of mine: The Death of Record Labels. Say adiós to the ba**ards who ruined Hip-Hop! It’s improbable any of the major Rap labels would make it across River Jordan. Even the Big 4—Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, EMI, and Sony BMG—are likely to be left with only two standing by 2020. The age of record labels is probably past for good. Good. Of course uneducated rappers are inextinguishable—which means record labels would still exist in some forms (to take as much money from the uneducateds as possible), but most rappers would come off far smarter and business savvy within these next 10 years than ever before; either through diligent study or unforgiving, unpleasant catalysts. One way or another, artists would come to see how unnecessary a label is to selling a brand and marketing directly to consumers—consumers who never believed the worth of an artist’s music was only as valuable as whatever big-name label was printing the CDs or sponsoring the concerts. Artists would probably—again: by compulsion or coercion—become more confident in striking million dollar deals with corporations and organizations smart enough to still believe in the buying and selling power of Hip-Hop. Yes, more commercialism; but more control, freedom, and maturity for artists abused and infantilized by cowardly foster parents (industry executives) for decades. Return to Roots: I believe the next decade would produce uncontrollable nostalgia—greater than previous years—for the “Golden Era” of Hip-Hop. As we move further away from that often romanticized age, fans of all stripes—but […]