FRESH FLY FABULOUS

On a hot summer night in August of 1973 DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy put on a back to school jam in the rec room of their apartment block at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the West Bronx The rest is history The birth of hip hop rippled out across the globe influencing music and fashion for generations Fresh Fly Fabulous 50 Years of Hip Hop Style draws on the experiences and memories of those who were there from a foreword by Slick Rick to interviews with Disco Fever club owner Sal Abbatiello and designers Dapper Dan and April Walker to chapters from Vibe stylist Emil Wilbekin and former editor of The Source Kim Osorio Topics cover the range of hip hop s influential style over the past half century tracing the evolution from early hip hop style born of aspiration individuality and practicality to contemporary fashion steeped in luxury brands Hip hop style is a local story told through spotlights on Times Square as an early fashion space as well as an international phenomenon shown in the prominence of hip hop fashion leaders on red carpets Inventiveness the art of the remix and a diverse set of influences are consistent themes in sections that examine hip hop style from hair and nails to shoes and sneakers Fresh Fly Fabulous is the definitive sou