BAPE: A Story of Streetwear and Hip-Hop

By BECK KENDIG ‘20

In 2004, Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi moved into his uncle’s place in the South Bronx. A fan of the rising streetwear brand BAPE, or Bathing Ape, Scott began working for a local storefront soon after his move. As the years went by, Scott transformed into the singer/rapper we know today as Kid Cudi. From his early work with “Day ‘n’ Night” to his 2018 joint album with Kanye, “Kids See Ghosts,” Cudi has made an everlasting impression on the genre of rap. Three months ago marked fifteen years after he stepped into that New York City BAPE shop, and Kid Cudi celebrated his thirty-fifth birthday with a chain designed by Nigo himself—the founder of BAPE.

Tomaoki Nagao, known popularly as Nigo, founded BAPE way back in 1993. Before he got into the fashion industry, the Japanese designer was a rap fan. Citing groups and artists like Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy as some of his earliest inspirations, Nigo sought to combine hip-hop culture with his early work in streetwear. His first hoodies and shirts featured bright colors, camo prints, and the iconic sunglass-wearing ape logo. Each month, he would sell half of his gear at his co-owned storefront “Nowhere” and give the other half to friends in the music industry. As BAPE grew, Nigo expanded his business across Japan and began breaking into the American market. Soon, rappers like the Notorious B.I.G and Lil Wayne were rocking exclusive BAPE clothing, and the brand blew up. Nigo, with his love of hip-hop, sought to further connect his brand with the rap world, so he recruited his friend and newly famous rapper/producer Pharrell to work as a BAPE ambassador. The duo would go on to create the brand Billionaire Boys Club and collaborate on an immensely successful line of Adidas NMDs. Around the time Nigo started working with artists like Pharrell and Kanye West, BAPE released the BAPESTA, the brand’s first shoe. With a silhouette almost identical to the Nike Air Force One, the original BAPESTA flashes a shooting star design across chromatic primary colors. The shoe was a huge success during its release in 2002 and would forever represent the original spirit of BAPE. The following years saw the release of the Kanye X BAPE “College Dropout” BAPESTA and the classic shark full zip hoodie. BAPE was in its glory days: suspended in the perfect balance between hype exclusivity and international fame.

Although the brand made its fortune selling clothing, BAPE was mainly popularized by the rap industry. Artists like Pharrell, Kanye, and Biggie—and all those who would follow in their footsteps—forged the culture in which BAPE thrived. Nigo created something that transcended the bounds of the fashion world; his brand merged clothing and music into a single entity.

In many ways, Kid Cudi’s experience with BAPE is a perfect metaphor for the brand’s conjunction with hip-hop. When he was an aspiring artist in New York City, Cudi turned to BAPE to support his career. Even when he eventually made a name for himself in the music industry, Cudi never stopped appreciating the brand, as is shown by his birthday chain. Priced at a staggering 275,000 dollars, this Nigo-designed piece—a Cartoon Cudi pendant that hangs across a colored, diamond-encrusted chain—is the ultimate form of success for the rapper. In 2004, he couldn’t even afford a T-shirt from a store he worked at. Now he’s able to drop over a quarter million on jewelry created by the founder of BAPE. For Nigo, this brand-encompassing chain is an outstretched hand toward the rap world; it is his acknowledgment toward Kid Cudi and hip-hop music as a whole.

Nigo no longer owns BAPE. The rise in popularity brought several issues regarding product demand, pricing, and counterfeit competition. The brand amassed a sizeable debt, and in 2011, Nigo was forced to sell the company. Following his departure from BAPE, the designer established the brand Human Made and now works as the creative director at Uniqlo. Under its new ownership, BAPE remains prevalent in both the streetwear and rap worlds, but it was Nigo’s dream of uniting his two passions that made today’s artistic culture possible. Through BAPE, rap and streetwear became linked, and they remain that way despite Nigo’s departure.

Image Courtesy of Google Images