Before rappers were known for establishing their own clothing lines, they used to wear some of the nicest, or most-urban outfits. The price behind these outfits, establishing their own worth, was bragging rights for many of them. This was the case with The Notorious B.I.G., who practically built the Coogi brand and made Versace.
The Notorious B.I.G. had hoped all the name-drops for these clothing lines would have led to an endorsement deal. Biggie was sadly mistaken, as the clothing lines enjoyed the boost in sales, without crediting the rapper. Fortunately for B.I.G., he had Puff Daddy (Diddy) thinking ahead and Sean John was launched in 1998, one year after B.I.G. had died.
Friday will mark the fifteenth anniversary of the death of The Notorious B.I.G. XXL, who yesterday reflected on B.I.G.’s Ready to Die, now look back on his clothing. Coogi suffered a decline in sales, following the death of Biggie. Jadakiss wore a Coogi sweater in honor of the late emcee in his “Letter to B.I.G.” video, which led to an increase in the waning sales.
Versace, on the other hand, remained popular within the hip hop community. Lil’ Kim continued to wear their products and mention them in her lyrics. Many other hip hop stars have continued to wear Versace, including Kanye West, Ghostface Killah, Rick Ross, and others.
