Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** The American Museum of Natural History will debut “Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry” on May 9, showcasing iconic custom pieces from hip-hop legends like Slick Rick.
On May 9, the American Museum of Natural History will open “Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry,” a special exhibition that celebrates hip-hop’s cultural influence through custom-made jewelry worn by some of its most iconic stars, such as Slick Rick, pictured above. (Photo by Janette Beckman, courtesy of Fahey/Klein Gallery.)
New York—An exhibition exploring the history of hip-hop jewelry is coming to New York City’s American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).
Arriving on the heels of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, celebrated last year, “Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry” will feature dozens of jewelry pieces, tracing the history of the genre from the 1980s to today.
Opening May 9 in the museum’s Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, it will delve into hip-hop’s cultural influence through jewelry worn by some of its most iconic stars, beginning with the oversized gold chains embraced by rap’s pioneers in the 1980s.
The curation will highlight hip-hop jewelry as “enduring statements of individuality, empowerment, and resilience in the hip-hop community and global culture at large,” the museum said.
“Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry” will be located in the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery within the museum’s Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals.
Another jewelry exhibition, “Garden of Green: Exquisite Jewelry from the Collection of Van Cleef & Arpels,” is currently on view in the gallery.
The exhibition will then explore the 1990s, when emcees-turned-business moguls were sporting diamond and platinum record label pendants, and the 2000s, when artists turned to multi-colored, avant-garde jewels incorporating high fashion, pop culture, and rap history references.
Highlights of the exhibition include Slick Rick’s gem-encrusted crown (pictured at the top of the article); the Notorious B.I.G.’s legendary gold “Jesus piece;” a diamond-studded Roc-A-Fella Records medallion for the record label co-founded by Jay-Z; Nicki Minaj’s “Barbie” pendant; and pieces from Erykah Badu, A$AP Rocky, Joey Bada$$, A$AP Ferg, and Tyler the Creator.
Many of the pieces that will be on display are featured in the book “Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History,” published by Taschen in 2022. Written by journalist Vikki Tobak, the book also features a foreword from rapper and record producer Ricky “Slick Rick” Waters and essays by A$AP Ferg, LL Cool J, Kevin “Coach K” Lee, and Pierre “P” Thomas.
