He’s a Soulja and His Jacket Says … “Rape?”
Rappers’ fashion statements can be so interesting sometimes. Baggy pants, obscenely large jewelry and accessories, and baseball cap trends (flat brim, authentic sticker left on, turned sideways) aside, getting dressed for them each day must be like Halloween (and walking must be like experiencing the toddler years all over again - waddling around with a full diaper).
Then we have intentionally derogatory sayings and vulgar images meant to offend viewers and help hip-hop icons and their fans keep up a tough, bad boy status.
Just the other day, while waiting for the bus, I saw a tee shirt that simply read: “KILLADELPHIA.” As I said before, I unfortunately am not bold/rude enough yet to snap photos of fashion dos and don’ts that I see out in the street, so there isn’t a photo of this red tee shirt with simple black lettering.
If you aren’t from my city of brotherly killing, you might not know that we are currently living the deadliest year yet in Philadelphia. People - children even - are dying in the streets, at the hands of their neighbors every day. How it cool to paste this on the front of your shirt? I doubt this guy was trying to be fashionable, and I doubt the company making the shirt was haute couture, but I see it as a major faux pas. Wearing “KILLADELPHIA” across his chest (and yes, he did have the baggy pants and giant belt buckle to match) was not only disrespectful to the fashion gods, but to Philly, humanity, violence, and so on.
The spark that lit my fiery rant today, was seeing the photo pictured here, of Soulja Boy at BET’s 106 & Park on October 1, in New York City.
I have no clue who he is
, and it took me a moment to understand his stage name (you have to read it like you have mush mouth … Soulja = soldier), but it also took me more than a moment to realize what his jacket did - or more appropriately did not - say.
Rape? Does his jacket say rape?!
After careful examination, and further hunting of pictures from this event, I realized that it said “BAPE”, which is a Japan-based clothing company that specializes in urban and hip-hop fashions, and stands for “bathing ape.”
But from the majority of angles, it appears to read “RAPE.” You have to realize this, right? This is not fashion in any sense of the word.
Whether you are accidentally or purposefully displaying an uncouth, indecent message - freedom of speech aside - it is not stylish.
Somebody, anybody, agree with me, please.
hip-hop fashion, bape clothing, baggy pants, soulja boy, killadelphia
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