than any other force. Run DMC rapped about Adidas shell toes in 1986 and became the first rap group with a million-dollar endorsement deal.

In 1985, basketball star Michael Jordan was among the first to have a branded men’s shoe. His popularity created a new relationship between fans—mostly young men—and fashion.

Concurrently, hip hop was an important cultural space for young men to experiment with style.

Systematic oppression seeks to make marginalized young people invisible in American society, and this oppression was even more prevalent during the 1980s and 1990s.

Wearing substantial jewelry that literally spells out your name or showcases aspects of your personality, culture, and aspirations is a deliberate way to demand visibility and project your desires.