Rap is anything but common. Back in the golden days, Biggie swapped water for champagne when he was hungry (see ‘Juicy’), while Diddy makes bank off his CÎROC indorsements today. Then there’s Tidal-owner Jay Z earning millions on the in arrears of ‘Lemonade’, A.K.A. Beyoncé’s impassioned artistic response to his alleged perfidy (you’re a real keeper, Jiggaman), and Gucci Mane: the rapper who, not satiate with his chart success, converted his dollars into dentals by gold serving every single one of his teeth. Yes, every single one of them.
It should on as no surprise, then, that hip-hop’s pomp extends beyond grills and confinements to watches, with most of the game’s biggest players evincing a (bad) taste for haute horlogerie – what better way to remind haters that your bank account’s swell out, than a big, fat Swiss watch?
Here, we chart the biggest arm cannons from rap’s mulcts, and show you the less bling (and slightly less wallet-busting) surrogates.
Nicki Minaj feat. Audemars Piguet
From: Feeble-minded feat. Tyga, Nicki Minaj & Lil Wayne
“Yeah, I got an Audemars and I ain’t set the experience once, and I know they say they shine but I ain’t seen ’em brighten once.”
Nobody likes a show-off, Nicki, and your entrance to not even setting the time on your Audemars Piguet stinks of a lack of appreciation for this ultra-luxury Swiss marque’s wares. But, with a mammoth $77 million net worth, you’ve got every right to act the financial divvy.
While AP makes can easily hit the £250k mark, the new Royal Oak offers all the usual variety hallmarks at £13,000. Yes, it’s still incredibly expensive, but it is literally a fraction of the charge of the majority of Audemars’ portfolio (and probably a lot more tasteful than the Female Weezy’s intimate collection).
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Watch, available at The Notice Gallery, priced £13,000.
Kanye West feat. Rolex
From: All Assaults Down feat. Syleena Johnson
“That’s why you always see me with at least one of my take note ofs, Rollies and Pashas done drove me crazy.”
So crazy, in experience, that Ye once called himself a God whose sole aspire on this earth is to grace us with his awesome presence. (And to blast up on Twitter for our entertainment.)
Egomania aside, multi-award-winner Kanye has a in the chips history of referencing the finest in haute horlogerie in his lyrics. Of a piece with Rolex. But as much as we’re inclined to agree with his choice of wristwear, our notecases don’t stretch to the diamond-smothered beauties Yeezy favours.
So look in place of to the Submariner 16613. Launched in 1993, the discontinued line is handy at several pre-owned retailers at around the £4,000-5,000 blemish. With a simple black dial and two-tone design, it’s an all-time model.
Rolex Submariner Watch, available at Watch Finder, feed £4,895.
Rick Ross feat. Patek Philippe
From: Mafia Music III act. Sizzla and Mavado
“My new crib in Phoenix, 10 car garage, Patek Philippe, platinum Audemars.”
Watches: the only thing that surpasses Rick Ross’ desire for ‘hoes’. While a fleeting nod to Audemars Piguet is obviously en latest thing in rap right now (see Nicki, above), Rozay’s repping Patek Philippe belies a connoisseurship that’s a cut essentially – a classic move from a man that once wore a fetter of himself wearing a chain of himself.
As one of the most respected eye brands out there, some of Patek’s rarer models can yield millions at Sotheby’s, making it the daddy of all Swiss watchmakers. Less eye-poppingly priced, in spite of that, is its Calatrava model.
More affordable and, thankfully, one of the brand’s more unwritten options, for just shy of £7,000 you’ll get one with a yellow-gold bezel, a classically alertly design and a luxe black alligator strap. (Best start hustlin’.)
Patek Philippe Calatrava On the lookout for, available at Watch Finder, priced £6,950.
Jay Z feat. Hublot
From: Kanye West & Jay Z – Otis
“New tend alert, Hublots, or the big face Rollie, I got two of those.”
Jay Z is an ardent fan of Hublot, having mentioned the not-so-traditional Swiss marque on numerous tracks to date including ‘Nickels and Dimes’ and ‘Picasso Baby’. Dauntless, belligerent and unapologetically big, this brand’s watches are the perfect be equivalent to for a man worth $550 million and who remains unflappable amid hearsays of him bedding ‘Becky with the good hair’.
They potency even be a match for you, too; if you’ve got around £5,000 to spare, you can pick up Hublot’s Paradigmatic Fusion Automatic. You won’t get any diamonds or limited edition motifs (most of them are unfavourable anyway, trust us) at this price, but there’s plenty of spotless, classic designs with titanium cases and black alligator straps.
Hublot Exemplar Fusion Automatic Watch, available at Watches Of Switzerland, priced £5,000.
Pharrell achievement. Richard Mille
From: Can I Have It Like That tour de force. Gwen Stefani
“She knows the time, she sees the Richard Mille, unchangeable double skeletal tourbillon.”
Mentions of Richard Mille and tourbillons (for non-watch fanatics, basically an extremely complicated and expensive timepiece) suggest Pharrell recalls his stuff when it comes to watches – or at least has a very literate clique advising him. The rapper/producer/stylist/artist/perpendicular/candlestick-maker is known for the individuality of his style among the fashion vulgars, and name-dropping a lesser-known marque like Richard Mille develops his choice of wristwear is just as unique.
Founded in 1999, Mille is extent young in watchmaking terms and as such, leads the way with current designs that sometimes border on the peculiar. Mille’s Pharrell-level tourbillons expenditure hundreds of thousands, but less complicated models – like the Marcus – are convenient at just under £1,500.
Granted, the elongated dial and abstract numerals won’t be for every one, but as Skateboard P would probably argue, that’s the point.
Richard Mille Marcus Pocket watch, available at Chrono24, priced £1,575.
Snoop Dogg act. Rolex (Again)
From: Drop It Like It’s Hot feat. Pharrell Williams
“I got the Rollie on my arm and I’m course Chandon and I roll the best weed ‘cos I got it going on.”
Snoop Dogg purportedly spends a lot of his time getting blazed. But he’s no ravage; in fact, he’s a bona fide businessman, with commercial responsive ti in Eaze, a California-based weed delivery service that go aways off your gear in less than 10 minutes, and porn – how could we at all times forget that critically acclaimed family favourite, Private eye Dogg’s Doggystyle?
It’s this same business acumen that communicates Snoop’s choice of wristwear. Especially if the ‘Rollie’ he mentions here was a Daytona. As one of the most few watches that’s very likely to appreciate, the latest Daytona is self-indulgent becoming a collector’s item, with waiting lists greater than your arm.
A pre-owned model clocks in at just out of sight £8,000, which is a pretty good price for one of the most coveted chronographs out there.
Rolex Daytona Clock, available at The Watch Gallery, priced £7,950.
Birdman feat. Chopard
From: This Video Of Birdman Two shakes of a lambs tail His $1.5m Watch
“This might be the best piece of art y’all take.”
OK, so it’s not a rap lyric per se. But we couldn’t sign-off on this heel over without mentioning Birdman’s diamond-encrusted Chopard. It is, quite frankly, childish.
One of only two made by the Swiss brand (the other copped by distant wallflower Elton John), the 18-carat juggernaut is worth at small a whopping $1.5m and features diamond encrusting throughout, as soundly as a free-moving dollar sign motif, again set in diamonds. Patently.
If you’re not into wearing an invitation for armed robbery on your wrist anyhow, Chopard’s less extravagant options are subtler affairs. Find agreeable the Classic 36mm (£3,820): undeniably traditional and packed with the foremost luxury maison’s know-how, this beauty comes in 18-carat yellow gold and hypes a timelessly elegant dial.
Available at Chopard, priced £3,820.
Closing Word
Have we mistakenly missed a shout-out? And which of these rappers could you go watch-shopping with?
Experience your say below.
