Rappers fake their 'bling' as recession hits spending power

Rappers who drape themselves in gold and diamond 'bling' have been forced to buy immitation jewellery as the recession hits their spending power.

Rapper Fabolous shows off his bling Credit: Photo: GETTY

Hip-hop artists have even started to taunt each other over the trend, as they increasingly turn to cheaper metals or fake reproductions, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Jason Arasheben, a leading jeweller in Beverly Hills, told the US newspaper: "A lot of these rappers simply don't have the money for real stuff anymore.


Mr Arasheben designed a diamond-encrusted pendant that was acknowledged as the world's biggest two years ago. Weighing more than 5 lbs and including in large letters the message "Crunk ain't dead" - a reference to a southern style of hip-hop - it was commissioned by the rapper Lil Jon.

But such commissions are all but a thing of the past. Some jewellers have been asked to use the synthetic diamond, cubic zirconia, in place of the real thing.

The rap star 50 Cent recently poked fun at another performer, Rick Ross, for allegedly wearing fake and even rented jewellery.

The coining of the word bling to represent opulence and over-the-top accessorizing is often attributed to the New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne.