How Your Favorite Rappers Dressed When Their First Album Dropped

Image via Complex Original

Album: Thank Me Later

Release Date: June 15, 2010

Drake's style was kind of…well, boring in 2010. A mix between a Banana Republic catalog and a suburban kid who shops on Karmaloop, Drake was decidedly clean-cut and still relatively untested—both sartorially and musically. His public appearances either have him in a black suit for formal occasions, or with basic dark wash denim and a hoodie or T-shirt. Looking back, it's not surprising that he was viewed more for being the dude girls could take home to their parents and less for his attempts at hip-hop greatness. But when you're marked as a Gap ad stand-in from the jump, that means you only have to create bigger and better things to overcome the stigma.

Album: The College Dropout

Release Date: Feb. 10, 2004

There are people who swear by Kanye's current style, but Yeezy's style range is almost as wide as the breadth of music he's been involved with. The fact that he's gone from being  the Louis Vuitton Don and pink polos to his current fashion-forward steez might be one of the biggest sartorial turnarounds in hip-hop. But before he was name-dropping some of the most niche name in high-fashion, Ye had a Polo-heavy prep look that most "regular" guys could relate to going strong when he first started making national waves.

Album: Long.Live.A$AP

Release Date: Jan. 15, 2013

While A$AP has since sworn off brands he once heralded (and even worked the runway shows of), his general sartorial philosophy has remained the same: clothes get weirder. When his album released in January 2013, Rocky was known not only for his love of black-on-black-on-black streetwear sets, but also high-fashion designers like Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto.

The face of the A$AP mob really has generally stayed true to his favorite designers and his darker aesthetic, but it seems like the Harlem native has gotten a little more formal. Recently, Rocky's been seen rocking dressier items from labels that still require an innate knowledge and sense that most rappers simply don't have. But even if Flacko's been expanding his range to include menswear alongside the streetwear, there's still no debating Rocky's power to affect the dialog on fashion in the hip-hop community. 

Album: Reasonable Doubt

Release Date: April 9, 1996

You might now associate Jay-Z with Rocawear, or the “American Gangster”-era suits, or even with Tom Ford jerseys, but before all that, Jay was just a hustler from the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn. His style at the time of his legendary debut reflected what dudes in the streets tended to wear in 1995. Sure, Hov suited up for the album cover and a few music videos, but his style is most accurately represented in the “Ain't No N***a” video: a combination of warm-weather Mafioso style played against colorful tees, gold chains, and strapback caps.

Album: In My Mind

Release Date: July 25, 2006

Pharrell was streetwear in the mid-2000s, and he didn't meet a bold graphic clothing item that he didn't like. Along with ascending through the ranks of hip-hop, P was also instrumental in bringing BAPE to the top, along with his brand Billionaire Boys Club. 

While his vibe is still eccentric (cough…Pharrell Hat), his style has toned down a bit since his initial release. That doesn't mean that Pharrell is shying away from bright designs, though. His monochromatic adidas Stan Smiths in nearly every color prove he still carries a bit of the “In My Mind” Pharrell from nearly 10 years ago.

Album: Doggystyle

​Release Date: Nov. 23, 1993

In 1993, Snoop was roughly two decades out from the Snoop Lion-era, and his style reflected his surroundings. Jerseys, snapbacks, baggy jeans, and (inevitably) Cross Colours were all in rotation, and with Snoop's stick-thin frame, everything was that much more drapey and oversized. Now, Uncle Snoop, as he's taken to calling himself, looks like just that: your cool-as-hell older relative who can out-smoke you and is still adding onto his body count. It might look ridiculous when a regular 43-year-old tries to keep up with the kids, but as for a legend like Snoop who hasn't given a fuck since the late-'80s, it somehow works. But that could be the contact high talking.

Album: Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

Release Date: April 26, 1994

Existing as a pair of two extremes is what made people realize from the jump that OutKast was going to be one of the most dynamic duos in hip-hop history. Though their style diverged down the road, the debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik had Dre and Big Boi looking like normal dudes from Atlanta. Jerseys, braids, snapbacks, baggy polos, and denim were all in a day's work, and the pair made sure to put on for their hometown.

Soon after their meteoric rise, André began to get more experimental with his style, switching it up from futuristic ATL-ien to southern gent and back again. Big Boi was slightly more conserved in his approach, and any wild risks he took were typically outshined by Three Stacks. 

Album: Tha Block Is Hot

Release Date: Nov. 2, 1999

The cover of Tha Block Is Hot is a pretty accurate look at Wayne's look at the time. It was pretty standard for a member of the Hot Boys, and for a lot of men in the late-'90s. Weezy was all about the sagging baggy pants, tall white tees, and bandanas. Compare that to the skateboard-centric Lil Wayne of today, and the transition over the last 15 years seems to be a complete 180. Let's put it this wa:, The Tunechi of '99 is not someone who would be making Rebirth, trying to ollie in Supras, or rocking zebra print leggings.

Album: The Hybrid

Release Date: March 16, 2010

Danny Brown notoriously didn't get a record deal because 50 Cent didn't think the Detroit rapper's look fit into G-Unit's image. Danny's current style is more high-fashion rockstar weirdo than anything else, and he's always had an affinity for dressing outside of the norm. Along with his sound, Danny's affinity for dressing outside of the norm always marked him as an outsider from the mainstream, but after years of evolving, dude has cultivated a dedicated core following and is only gaining in popularity and skills with each project.

Album: Based on a T.R.U. Story

Release Date: Aug. 14, 2012

Formally Tity Boi of the College Park, Georgia duo Playaz Circle, 2 Chainz had been in the game since roughly 1997 before switching his name up in 2011. In 2012, 2 Chainz released his debut solo album (though several solo mixtapes proceeded this release) and breakout Based on a T.R.U. Story. Living up to the new moniker, 2 Chainz's style had an emphasis on heavy vintage jewelry and Versace-like opulence, along with gaudy jackets, studded leather, and sunglasses. The rapper has scaled it back a bit from his steez in 2012, but there's always an element of luxury in any fit he rocks.