Vintage Rap Tees: How to Get the 90s Hip-Hop Look

The 90s rap tee has a look you can spot from across the street: a giant photo of the artist, usually cropped tight, surrounded by chunky type, airbrushed color or a collage of album covers. It was loud on purpose. These shirts were sold at shows, in mall kiosks and at swap meets, and they ended up on everyone from teenagers to the artists themselves. Today "vintage rap tee" is one of the hottest searches in graphic tees, and people want the 90s version. Here is what defines the style and how to find one you'll actually wear.

The anatomy of a 90s-style rap tee

Most of the classic designs share a few traits:

• Photo-first. A rock tee might lead with a logo. A rap tee leads with a face. Big, high-contrast portraits were the whole point.
• Collage and repeats. Multiple photos, album art and track titles stacked together, often front and back.
• Heavy type. Bold block letters, outlined names and lyrics set across the chest.
• Memorial designs. After 1996 and 1997, tribute shirts for Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. became a genre of their own, and they are still among the most recognizable rap tees ever made.

The names that define the rack

Tupac Shakur. No artist is more tied to the rap tee than Tupac. Portraits, "All Eyez on Me" artwork and memorial designs still dominate. Browse the Tupac vintage rap tees.

The Notorious B.I.G. Biggie's crown, his album art and the shared tributes with Tupac. The B.I.G. and Makaveli In Memory Of tee is a good place to start, and the rest are in The Notorious B.I.G. collection.

Wu-Tang Clan. The W logo is one of the strongest marks in music, and C.R.E.A.M. gave the group a slogan that fits perfectly on a shirt. See the C.R.E.A.M. Reaper tee, Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx design, or the full Wu-Tang Clan rack.

Run-DMC. Before the 90s even started, Run-DMC had turned their logo into a uniform. The King of Rock tee is about as clean as a rap shirt gets.

The West Coast. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube defined a whole other side of the decade, and the Up in Smoke Tour tee puts them on one shirt with Eminem and a full city list on the back. More in Snoop Dogg t-shirts and Eminem t-shirts.

Why people want the 90s look in a new shirt

First-run rap tees from the 90s have become serious collector pieces. Prices for the well-known designs climb every year, and plenty of them are fragile after decades of wear. Most people who search for a vintage rap tee want the style, not a shirt they have to keep in a drawer.

That's where 5MV fits. Every tee on the vintage rap and hip-hop rack is a new reprint: the classic designs hand silk screened onto new cotton, most with single-stitch hems like the shirts that inspired them, washed for a soft feel. They look like a swap-meet find and wear like a new shirt.

How to wear a vintage rap tee

• Go roomy. 90s rap tees were worn big. Our tees have a classic fit, so size up one or two for that loose, oversized drape. The size chart lists flat chest and length measurements so you can compare with a shirt you already like.
• Pair with wide denim or cargos. Baggy jeans, carpenter pants or work shorts in summer. Add a fitted cap or a bucket hat.
• Layer it. An open flannel or a satin bomber over a photo tee is pure 90s, and it still works.
• Let it fade. Wash cold and hang dry to keep the print sharp longer, or wash it like normal and let it age. Both are fine. A slightly faded rap tee looks right.

Picking your first one

If you only buy one, pick the artist you actually play the most, not the one that looks coolest in a photo. A rap tee is a statement about what was on your headphones. Photo-heavy designs look best on black or white; collage designs work on almost anything. And if you are buying as a gift, a memorial design for Tupac or Biggie is the safest bet in the whole category.

Where to start

Head to the Vintage Rap & Hip-Hop Tees collection to see everything in one place, from Tupac and Biggie to Wu-Tang, Lauryn Hill, OutKast and newer names. If you like your rap tees with tour dates, the concert and tour rack has a few crossovers too. Free U.S. shipping, 30-day returns, and if you have a question about sizing or a specific design, email eve@5mv.com.