Dapper Dan on hip-hop fashion, Harlem history and constant reinvention | The Limits
On today’s episode of The Limits, Jay talks to legendary fashion innovator, Dapper Dan. For over five decades, “Dap” has revolutionized the way hip-hop and fashion have influenced each other, dressing the likes of Eric B. and Rakim, LL Cool J and Salt-N-Pepa. He also always makes sure everything goes down in his native Harlem, where Jay met up with him.
Once a gambling prodigy, Dap briefly went to prison on drug charges, but he came out with a renewed respect for Black culture and sensibilities. He started dressing gangsters and hustlers, and gained popularity for repurposing the logos of brands like Gucci for hip-hop icons.
When the brands and the FBI came after his namesake Harlem store, it seemed like Dap would have to shut down for good. But he remained a cultural fixture, and in one of life’s great ironies, built a new chapter in his career in a 2017 partnership with Gucci.
At 77, Dap thinks like a historian, relating everything he has made to the musical and cultural movements of the time. He tells Jay how Harlem has evolved, how he’s managed to always look forward, and who he sees as this generation’s successor to his vision.
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—— Contents of this video————————————–
0:00 – Intro
4:59 – The evolution of Harlem
7:56 – The blueprint behind Dap’s vision
15:21 – Dap’s early fashion career and influence on hip-hop
18:48 – The FBI raids Dap’s Harlem boutique
21:52 – Internet outrage sparks a new Gucci partnership
31:29 – What cancel culture gets wrong
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