If you're anything like us, scrambling for Christmas (or Hanukkah) gifts on Dec. 23 is the norm. It doesn't have to be that way though, especially if you’re shopping for hip-hop heads. We’ve got your back with some gift ideas for the hip hop fans that can’t get enough, based on their favorite artists. Feel free to send it someone as a not so subtle hint.
Swipe/click through the gallery for gift inspiration for fans of Drake, Gucci Mane, Joey Bada$$, 21 Savage, Skepta and many more.
Shout out any other good hip hop Christmas gifts in the comments.
Notorious BIG
Winter is here, so bless your Biggie fan with a pair of brand new wheat Timberlands. If you can find a vintage Coogi sweater, you will be a god amongst men for throwing one under the tree. They can be found at thrift stores if you dig hard enough. If this person is also a gamer, grab a Super Nintendo and a Sega Genesis to play after Christmas dinner. Preferably on a 50" TV screen.
KanyeWest
Does the person you’re shopping for miss the old Kanye? Us too. Head to ebay to cop some Bapestas. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, opt for the pair Kanye designed himself, released alongside The College Dropout.
If you prefer the new Kanye, be sure to grab some oversized, earth toned garms. We’d stick to olive cargo pants ourselves, as elongated tees are definitely on their way out of style.
Young Thug has an undeniably strong work ethic, both in music and dressing to set trends. Thugger rocks a Puma tracksuit like no other. Our favorite colorway is the grey base with white stripe. Add some Adidas slides to the mix, and maybe a septum ring to the complete the look.
Gucci Mane
An Atlanta Hawks jersey is a quintessential piece to any Big Guwop fan’s wardrobe. Make a goodie back of seasoning and hot sauce for some bomb chicken wings, too. Throw in a tide pen just in case some sauce lands on their brand new Hawks jersey. No one wants to get lost in the sauce.
Future
2015 belonged to Future. Between Dirty Sprite 2 and What A Time to Be Alive, Future dominated the airwaves.
We’re all familiar with the trapstar of today, but Future grew up listening to Kool Moe Dee, one of the OGs in hip hop. Start by grabbing some vintage Porsche Design sunglasses. They’re a signature piece from one of the first rappers to win a Grammy, and remnants of the New York rapper’s style are incorporated into Future’s fits today.
If you’re feeling thrifty, grab a 20-pack of styrofoam cups as a stocking stuffer. When the party starts, pour your drink of choice, and make sure to double cup at the office party.
21 Savage
21 Savage struck a dark note with Savage Mode, creating a huge supporter base practically overnight, thanks in part to the support of Metro Boomin and Future.
Cop an ATV for riding the streets of Atlanta, for the fan who doesn’t understand the word subtle. A gift card to a tattoo parlor wouldn’t go amiss either, but let this fan pick where they want a knife tatted on their body. Don’t assume their forehead.
Keith Ape
"It G Ma" took the world by storm, and showed North America Dumbfoundead from the official remix. Young South Koreans have a unique style, which shows most prominently through the way they dress.
Grab your friend a scuba mask to wear to shows, because how else do you show you're part of the underwater squad? For the less eccentric fans, pair an FTP (fuck the population) hoodie, as seen on Keith Ape and his squad in the "Let Us Pray" video, with Acronym Air Force Ones, the perfect accent to Ape’s hype-driven aesthetic.
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick has earned his fame by balancing conscious rap with the gritty storytelling of his days getting into trouble on the streets of Compton. Buy a super fan some leather Nike Cortez, a Los Angeles staple and a crucial piece of gear for fence hopping and general shenanigans. Or if they aren't a fan of the Swoosh you can go the Reebok Classics that Kendrick has created for the British brand. For those with an appreciation for modern streetwear, Palace's TUPALACE sweater marries hype with every modern Kendrick fan’s secondhand idol, Tupac Shakur.
Skepta
Skepta is Tottenham’s hottest musical export, so getting a Tottenham Hotspur jersey as a shoutout to the endz is only appropriate. Grab Skeppy’s white Nike strapback cap, as seen on his cover image of the FADER, and in his acceptance speech for the 2016 Mercury Prize. Add a du rag if your gift recipient is a fan of Skepta’s brother and fellow grime artist, JME.
A$AP Rocky
Get your Rocky fan a full Adidas Tiro tracksuit so they can match Skepta and Rocky in the "Put That On My Set" video. For spring time, grab a pair of the super limited VLONE x Nike Air Force Ones, and some Rick Owens sweat shorts for a strong cozy aesthetic.
Drake
Pair an OVO tracksuit with a velour bomber on a night out and you’re the flyest Drake stan in the club, no questions asked. “Hotline Bling” came out over a year ago, but Drizzy carrying two pink iPhones in his back pocket is still burned in our retinas. Stash two, fake or real, in a stocking for flexing purposes. Lastly, grab a Roots varsity jacket. Drake has been a longtime fan of the varsity, having collaborated with the Canadian brand to release a limited OVO-stamped collection of jackets, sweaters and bags. A staple in the colder months, and always in season, a Roots varsity is a go to for Canadian-influenced steeze.
Ghostface is one of the senior members of this list, and with age and experience comes a deep appreciation for the classics, which is exactly what’s on the list for this fan.
Suede wallabees. Never miss with the wallows. Get the high cut Clarks in maple suede, and you’re winning all year round. Pair ‘em with slim-cut jeans or corduroy pants depending on the weather. Just watch out for ice and snow drifts. Crepe soles are slippery when wet.
Ghostface has always been in love with fur, so grab a fur length fur coat to look icy this winter. He’s rapped about women draped in mink, and donning the weasel fur himself in his crossover release Sour Soul with badbadnotgood. Finding a rival to Ghostface’s picture painting abilities is tough; just listen to the description of his pimped-out fit on “Tone’s Rap.”
Jazz Cartier
Jazz announced himself to the world with Marauding in Paradise, a solid album with bangers and boudoir flavoured tracks wrapped in a neon lit package. Jazz is a downtown boy with a sensible side, as shown by his great taste in fashion. Grab your Jazz fan a rose pendant, which acts both as a nod to Jacuzzi La Fleur, and a subtle flex. Not every chain has to be huge.
Like Drake, Jazz too has an affinity for Roots clothing. Chalk it up to being Canadian. Grab a salt ‘n’ pepper Roots sweatsuit for those long winter months where grocery shopping and riding on the subway needs to be done while wearing a fleece outfit’s warm embrace.
JoeyBadass
Joey Bada$$
Joey Bada$$ brought back boom-bap from the grave with his release of 1999, but his style is anything but old school. Grab your Joey Bada$$ fan a Pro Era shirt to rock in the mosh pit. For stuntin’ on the road, head to Prince Street in Soho to get kitted up in Supreme, then take a short stroll to Kith on Broadway. Our pick from Supreme is the fleur-de-lis hockey jersey, an homage to Mats Sundin and the Quebec Nordiques. It’s a piece from the Fall/Winter 2013 season, but once again, Ebay has your back. Add some black Timbs to the mix for good measure.