Hip-Hop | Vintage T-Shirts | Tees

Lived Large

November 9, 2011 by Jimmy J · 2 Comments

A vintage t-shirt gallery inspired by current events.

Headline: RIP Heavy D.

Availability: Currently Available on eBay

Sadly, Heavy D. (aka Dwight Arrington Myers) passed away today from respiratory issues. He was only 44. Thankfully the world was graced with a rare appearance by Heavy a few weeks ago at the BET Hip Hop awards. It was his first live performance in 15 years and the big man didn’t miss a step.

Heavy’s biggest success came in the heydays of 80s and 90s hip hop with three platinum and two gold records to his credit. He also created the epic TV theme songs for In Living Color and MadTV. But the man didn’t just make music for TV he also had a successful acting career which started with A Different World – the Cosby Show Spin-off. In recent years acting became his focus – he’s even in the current box office hit Tower Heist along side Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy.

Category: Headlines, Hip-Hop

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Kurtis Blow

July 20, 2011 by Jimmy J · 1 Comment

Defunkd’s exclusive collection of vintage t-shirts for sale at reasonably exorbitant prices.

Item #34: Kurtis Blow

Year: 1985

Circulation: Rarer than Kurtis Blow lyrics with curse words. Don’t Believe Us? Check eBay.

Kurtis Blow was the first hip hop artist to sign with a major label when he linked up with Mercury records in 1979 and released “Kurtis Blow” in 1980. His biggest hit, “The Breaks” was just the break he needed because he went on to release 10 albums over the 11 years. His influences have been seen and heard – hell, Run of RUN DMC was originally billed as “The Son of Kurtis Blow” and even Nas covered one of his tracks in 1996. Kurtis was also a spokesperson against drugs and booze, and emitted other messages of positivity across the hip hop nation. But then he went and got busted for pot possession at LAX in 2010 and got slapped with a fine, because, well, those are the breaks.

According to his unverified Twitter account Kurtis is now a licensed minister.

Brand: Sportswear

Measurements: 19.5″ (pit-to-pit) 26.5 (rear collar-bottom seam)

Condition: Excellent vintage condition.

Variables: None

Price: $375.00 (includes expedited shipping w/tracking and insurance in U.S. and Canada)

Category: Hip-Hop, Private Reserve

· 1 Comment

Bring The Noise

July 10, 2011 by Jimmy J · 2 Comments

Defunkd’s exclusive collection of vintage t-shirts for sale at reasonably exorbitant prices.

Item #32: Bring The Noise Spectrum Jam

Era: 1980s

Circulation: Rarer than all these guys being in one room. Don’t Believe Us? Check eBay.

P.E, Doug E, Big Daddy, Rakim, Eric B. and Moe Dee (whose name is spelled with a C.) But this epic jam is somewhat of a mystery given we can’t tie it to any specific date. We’re assuming it was held at the now demolished Spectrum stadium in Philly sometime between 1987 and 1989. The Spectrum was host to some of the most legendary rap combo concerts ever, check them out here. Yet a review of their concert schedule doesn’t bring back any hits on this exact line-up.

Brand: Health Knit

Measurements: 17.5″ (pit-to-pit) 27.5 (rear collar-bottom seam)

Condition: Great vintage condition.

Variables: Print is off center. Professional repair job near collar (above right.) Faint marks lower rear – hard to see and impossible to photograph because of vibrant red.

Price: $675.00 (includes expedited shipping w/tracking and insurance in U.S. and Canada)

Category: Hip-Hop, Private Reserve

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Pimpin Aint Easy

June 22, 2011 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment

Defunkd’s exclusive collection of vintage t-shirts for sale at reasonably exorbitant prices.

Item #30: Big Daddy Kane

Year: 1990

Circulation: Rarer than bad BDK lyrics. Don’t Believe Us? Check eBay.

Big Daddy Kane is one of the best lyricists in the golden age of hip hop. In fact, MTV put him at #7 on their list of greatest MCs of all time and Kool Moe Dee listed him as #4 on his list of 50. Pimpin Aint Easy is a single from BDK’s best selling album It’s a Big Daddy Thing. As you can tell by the design on this tee he’s also one of hip hop’s godfathers of bling and babes pimpin’ it when it was a novelty and not just a formulaic element to every single modern day hip hop video.

Brand: Hanes

Measurements: 19.25″ (pit-to-pit) 27.75″ (rear collar-bottom seam)

Condition: Near mint vintage condition.

Variables: None.

Price: $275.00 (includes expedited shipping w/tracking and insurance in U.S. and Canada)

Category: Hip-Hop, Private Reserve

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Getting Busy

June 1, 2011 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment

Defunkd’s exclusive collection of vintage t-shirts for sale at reasonably exorbitant prices.

Item #27: The Arsenio Hall Show

Year: 1989

Circulation: Very few. Don’t Believe Us? Check eBay.

A.H. began his career as a stand-up comedian in L.A. who landed plenty of T.V. work including a stable gig voicing Winston for The Real Ghostbusters cartoon. In 1987 he filled the empty seat of Joan Rivers when she was fired from The Late Show and quickly proved himself in the ratings despite cancellation. After starring with Eddie Murphy in Coming to America Arsenio was given his own show in 1989 – Roo, Roo, Roo, Roo, Roo! [while pumping fist in the air]. But by 1994 the ratings for his Dog Pound went to the dog house while he and the network butted heads behind the scenes. Many believe his fate was sealed by inviting a controversial Nation of Islam leader to be a guest on his show who he proceeded to interview for the entire duration of the broadcast. No doubt, Hall’s early years were his best but his entire tenure was an important medium for hip hop given the other mainstream talk shows mostly ignored it. What other host put Vanilla Ice on the hot seat regarding his so-called street cred and called him out for dissing MC Hammer? That was a very important issue that needed to be dealt with.