By Bobby Panza

Jewelry from hip-hop legends sparkled at the American Museum of Natural History on Wednesday, May 8, at a media-preview event. On May 9, bling from Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., Nicki Minaj, and many more went on display to the public in “Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry.”

At the event, Roxanne Shanté, the Queens-born rapper famous for her work in the hip-hop collective “Juice Crew,” discussed the significance of jewelry in the hip-hop community. “I think now what has happened is hip-hop artists have grown when they understand that certain jewelry is actually an investment,” she said, adding that it is also a way to showcase their success and identity. By wearing expensive jewelry, artists could communicate their achievements without needing to explicitly rap about them; the jewelry itself became a symbol of their success. “It took us from poverty to now being priceless,” said Shanté, whose ‘Juice Crew’ ring is featured in the exhibition. She compared wearing her ring to donning a superhero’s cape and suit.

During a post-event interview session, WSR asked Shanté about her “poverty to priceless” statement, wondering how she sees the evolution of jewelry within the hip-hop genre over the years. “Jewelry fashion is just like fashion. It goes full circle, and it comes back around, especially in the Black community and the ways that we express ourselves,” she responded. Shanté recalled a time when rope chains and large medallions dominated the scene, explaining, “The bigger the chain, the bigger the status.” She observed a shift in the 1990s and 2000s, when diamonds took center stage, starting with earrings, then chains, followed by rings and bracelets. Designer brands like Tiffany, Van Cleef, and Patek Philippe watches have become increasingly popular in the present age.

Vikki Tobak, curator of the exhibition and author of the book “Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History,” called the exhibition “a love letter to hip-hop, New York, and all the ways that hip-hop and jewelry have changed everything.” 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the genre. “We focused on pieces that were based on iconic figures, moments, and fixtures in the genre…pieces that were accurate indications and markers of new eras and shifts in hip-hop history or the culture at large,” Tobak explained.

Some of the emblematic jewelry being showcased in Ice Cold includes The Notorious B.I.G.’s legendary gold “Jesus piece,” the 14k gold nail rings with diamonds, worn by Beyoncé in her 2009 music video for “Sweet Dreams,” and Tyler, The Creator’s Bellhop necklace adorned with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and additional stones.

Visitors will also discover one of the many “Barbie” pendants worn by Nicki Minaj, a graduate of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts on the Upper West Side. Additionally, the exhibition features Ghostface Killah from the Wu-Tang Clan’s Eagle arm band, one of hip-hop’s most iconic jewelry pieces.

“Ice Cold will truly spark a sense of excitement and curiosity into our world of jewelry and baubles as an extended form of hip-hop culture, which has inspired the global state as an extension of our art,” said hip-hop mogul and the exhibition’s senior advisor Ricky “Slick Rick” Waters in a statement.

“Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry” will be on view in the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery, located in the museum’s new Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, from May 9 through January 5, 2025. The museum is located on Central Park West, between West 77th and West 81st streets.

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