Right now it seems that over doing it is what it's all about. From the three quarter million dollar whips to the chains that cost more than the average price of a home in America, hip-hop has always been about excess.

It's good to see some of the hip-hop trends move away from the flash and more to the class. Hip-hop should be tasteful and simple, elegant and timeless. It has been drifting back to this course due to the preppy meets pimpin phenomenon started by such artist as Lupe, Kanye, T.I., Wayne, and even Kid Cudi.

It started with killa cam bringing pink back then Kanye popped his collar. From there if it wasn't a white tall tee it was preppy. The preppy faded and the rocker came in. But now what hip-hop fashion needs is to dumb it down. Forget the $200 goofy club tees. You know the one's i'm stressin, the douche bag Ed Hardy and Affliction type tees. Spend that money on something more useful, like your bills, and just wear new plain tees every day. Stay fresh. Stay 100. All the big stores have the big ass packs of white and black or whatever color you need, and they last just as long, if not longer, than those lame ass designer shirts.

Being economic in this time doesn't hurt but that's not the point I want to make, the point that needs to be put across is play it down. Simple solid colors always look better than bright clashing colors and rhinestones. Even all the artist with these former tastes have caught on to this trend. If you look at the fashion credits for many articles your going to to an increase in labels like Hanes and Polo not Crooks and Castle or 10 Deep. The fitted white tee has always been iconic and its going to stay that way. Wear it more.

But a five dollar tee won't make the outfit. The key is the jeans, kicks, and accessories. You gotta get the cut and seam of the jean that fits bets for you. Baggy is out and fitted is in. Fitted is especially in to show off the sneakers. Sneakers are back, the retro's have become current again largely due to the hipster influence on the hip-hop scene. Blazers, dunks, shell toes, supras, air force's, alife, and Nike SB's are poppin right now and will stay hot for a minute. There is no shame in a good loafer from gucci or ballys but I would save those for a real night out. Your feet gotta be covered, why not do it right? Spend the few extra bills and get something fresh kicks that will pop out and really make the whole shit be fly. Last but not least is accessories, and unless you got the paper for some dope jewelry don't do it. Fake is fake. Rock a bandanna or a scarf if you don't have the paper for that new Louis rag. Not to mention, playin it down is really playin it up. Do more and say less.

What to Listen to:

-DJ KaySlay: Thug Luv, this track has some killer apperences on it like maino and red cafe who can really represent the east. As always almost anything with KaySlay is gonna be raw and his new album should be no different

-Young Jeezy: Lose My Mind Feat. Plies. TM 103 seems to be on track and this song goes hard as fuck with plies goon voice screamin and jeezy's trap house flow just tearin the beat apart. If this song is anything like what the concept of what TM 103 is gonna be like, shit should be stellar.

-Kanye West: Late Orchestration. In between "Late Registration" and "Graduation" Kanye did a small concert at the Abbey Hall in London to show off his skill. He is accompanied by a full string ensemble and 8-track is doing the spinning. The whole album is live so he does fuck some stuff up but the strings and Kanye's direction play off each other beautifully and each song is truly shown in a light that demonstrates just how good his music is