Hip hop music is one of the most personal and authentic expressions of freedom. Drake pours his heart out in his ballad-like sonnets, while popular legends like Lil Wayne use genius wordplay to impact his audience.

A style of trap music that originated in the South Side of Chicago was known as Drill. Drill music is a highly personal, nihilistic, and ominously dark style of rap music. However, its increasing popularity in the mainstream is likely thanks to the most prominent Drill artist: Chief Keef.

 

 

As the frontrunner of a brand new subgenre, Chief Keef enjoyed immense success and fame through his popular hit song “Love Sosa.” And like many rappers in the game, he had no problem proving to people exactly how much success he has by icing himself out with some huge chains.

Chief Keef has a crazy assortment of diamonds and gold at his disposal, and it’s tough not to feel a little jealous. Let’s look through the Chicago rapper’s collection and learn how you could look just like him at an affordable cost.

The Gold Diamond Cluster Chain

No rapper’s wardrobe is complete without a ton of iced out chains. Chief Keef was born on the South Side of Chicago, so he loves wearing stunning chains loaded with diamonds to show how far he’s come.

One of his most iconic chains is a gold diamond Cluster chain that he purchased from legendary jeweler Johnny Dang. Cluster chains look more like a traditional necklace, with individual gemstones being connected to each other by a wire. This allows for the entirety of the piece to focus on the diamonds themselves.

This particular one uses a whopping 84 carats of pure diamond. To put that into perspective, most diamond engagement rings aren’t too much more than one carat. So it’s very likely that Keef dropped six figures on this chain.

It’s tough to argue that the price wasn’t worth it, though. The diamonds are absolutely huge, and it is mesmerizing to look at. Luckily, you can get something extremely similar for a much lower price.

Better Alternative

Chief Keef’s chain is probably so expensive for a number of reasons. For one, he had it custom made by a renowned jeweler, so the labor cost was likely sky high. But second, diamonds are extremely expensive. The thing is, they’re really only expensive because of market monopolies; it has little to do with the quality themselves.

This means that you can find alternatives that look just as great. Cubic zirconia is probably the most recognizable diamond simulant, as it can be cut and styled in the exact same ways as the real gemstone. The only difference is that it can be much more cheaply produced.

 

Cluster Tennis Chain

 

You can get a Cluster Tennis Chain that looks just like Chief Keef’s for a fraction of the cost. This alternative looks so similar to the Johnny Dang custom piece that you’d probably even have him fooled. This is a great piece for any occasion but would look especially good if you pair it with a Diamond Star Ring in White Gold for maximum effect.

The Glo Cup Pendant

One of Keef’s most recognizable accessories is his Glo Cup pendant. This is his bedazzled sun chugging a solo cup that he seems to always wear from his favorite chains. It was so popular that he even did a limited release of replicas of the pendant.

But his Glo Cup pendants used real diamonds and real gold. And considering the sheer amount of bling that covers the thing, you could really only imagine how much he must have dropped on it.

Better Alternative

It can be difficult to exactly replicate custom made pendants like this one because of their price and the meticulous time it takes to craft them. However, you can get your own custom made jewelry for a lot cheaper than you would probably think.

 

Custom Picture Pendant

 

Customized pendants can use the same diamond alternatives that you’d find in chains, bracelets, or rings; only you can have some agency over what the piece will look like. You could show off your favorite sports team, prove your love for a partner, or just put your favorite designs into a Custom Picture Pendant.

If you really want to embody Chief Keef, you could put his iconic Glo Cup design onto a pendant as well. The possibilities really are endless, and since you won’t need to worry about dropping racks like Keef, you can keep exploring possibilities.

The Diamond Embezzled Watch

Keef seems to favor Johnny Dang for his jewelry impulse buys because he also bought himself a diamond encrusted golden watch from the jeweler, among many other accessories.

 

 

Chief Keef seems to wear this watch often, probably because of how spectacular it looks. It’s made with solid gold and real diamonds around the black watch face, which is about the size of his palm.

Yet again, we can only imagine how much this cost him. Watches by themselves run on the pricey side, but when you throw diamonds and gold on top, you’re looking at six digits at the lowest.

Better Alternative

The watch really does look so fantastic, so it’s hard not to want one of your own. A dark watch face surrounded by bling has a particularly icy look that is unmatched by other bracelets and chains.

 

Presidential Watch with Black Dial

 

A Presidential Watch with Black Dial is almost identical to the Johnny Dang piece that was custom made for Keef. It’s a look that shows you’re professional while also showing that you know how to get down.

It’s yet another example of how diamond alternatives look just as good as the real thing. No one would ever be able to look at them and know they’re not the real thing without using special tools.

The Cuban Bracelet

On the opposite hand of his watch, you can often spot Keef wearing a gold Cuban chain. Cuban chains are one of the most popular chain varieties, defined by large, ovular rings interconnected to one another. And when you stud them with diamonds just like Keef does, it makes for an exceptional piece.

Better Alternative

Any chain that uses real diamond and gold is going to cost an astronomical amount of money. So going with alternative materials is a necessity for achieving the same drip as Keef.

 

Diamond Cuban Bracelets

 

You can get Diamond Cuban Bracelets affordably when they use diamond simulants instead of the real thing. Like always, you’d never be able to tell the difference between the two.

The Jesus Pendant

Chief Keef usually wears so many pendants around his neck that it probably weighs him down. In addition to the heavy Glo Cup pendant, the Chicago rapper likes to sport a huge Jesus pendant as well.

 

 

Pendants with religious symbolism are extremely popular, as they allow you to express your devotion to religion with high quality, breathtaking designs. Keef’s in particular is absolutely huge. And with the solid gold plating, it probably cost him a pretty penny.

Better Alternative

Solid gold jewelry can be very pricey, but there is a much cheaper alternative that achieves the exact same visual effect. Through something called gold plating, a thin layer of the precious metal is overlaid on top of a base metal. These base metals are typically made of nickel, silver, or stainless steel. Stainless steel is the especially corrosion resistant option.

 

Big Jesus Pendant

 

This dramatically decreases the cost without sacrificing much quality. This Big Jesus Pendant looks identical to Keef’s and looks stunning especially in well lit rooms. You could also add other symbolic pendants, like a Cross or a Praying Hand, to show devotion to faith while simultaneously improving your style.

Wrap Up

Chief Keef defined one of hip hop’s most respected subgenres, and his fame and success is a testament to true talent and hard work. He’s earned the right to show off some insane accessories, and he really takes advantage of this.

From custom Johnny Dang chains and pendants to huge embezzled watches, he isn’t afraid of weighing himself down with some huge rocks. Every single piece of jewelry that he owns is mesmerizing to look at, and it’s tough not to some for yourself.

The good news is thanks to diamond simulants like cubic zirconia and gold plating techniques, this kind of jewelry is more accessible now than it ever was. You no longer need to take out a loan to look your best.

Sources:

Why Are Diamonds So Expensive? | Boston Consumers' Checkbook

How to spot a fake diamond | Cape Town Diamond Museum

What Is Stainless Steel? Part I | Thermofisher