Little Book of Bling!

The expression ‘Bling’ was first coined by BG of the New Orleans rap family Cash Money Millionaires in the late 1990s to describe the imaginary sound produced when light reflects off a diamond. The term spread quickly and ‘bling bling’ now means conspicuous wealthcombined with pointless expenditure. In 1986 the Hip-Hop group Run-DMC made a fashion statement by wearing their Adidas trainers with no laces. This, combined with trench coats and big jewellery, influenced Hip-Hop style. Run-DMC released a song My Adidas, which appeared on their album Raising Hell. They later got their own line of trainers out of Adidas. Around the time, clothing companies started designing Hip-Hop styles.