The 30 Best Dressed Atlanta Rappers of All Time

Most Known For: Bringing throwback jerseys into the mainstream
Ranking on Our Best ATL Rappers of All Time List: 8

There’s been plenty of debate over who started the Mitchell & Ness throwback jersey craze of the 2000s. Was it Jay-Z? Fabolous? If you ask Peter Capolino, the founder of Mitchell & Ness, he’ll say it was obscure underground New York rapper Cormega. Still, it’s hard to find an example of a rapper rocking a throwback before Big Boi wore a pristine Houston Astros jersey in Goodie Mob’s “Black Ice” video back in 1998.

While André 3000 pushed gender-blending, Afrocentric, futuristic looks, Big Boi’s evolution was more subtle. During Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, it was all about the ’Lo. By ATLiens, he had shifted into tailored pimp suits and wide-brimmed hats. During the Aquemini and Stankonia years, he leaned into jerseys, raw denim, and sneakers. By the Speakerboxxx era, his fashion turned more flamboyant—big fur minks, iced-out watches, oversized medallions, rocking high-end labels like Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

That blend of sensibilities came to life at the 2002 Grammys, where Big Boi wore a Carolina-blue suit, a white fur hat, and gators, while André sported a plaid-and-checkered ensemble. For once, Dre was the conservative one. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo