Rocawear

Hip-hop relevance

Rocawear was launched in 1999 by Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem 'Biggs' Burke as the apparel arm of the Roc-A-Fella entertainment empire — an explicit attempt to translate the rap label's cultural cachet into a vertically-integrated streetwear business. Jay-Z sold the brand's IP to Iconix in 2007 for a reported $204 million, retaining design and marketing involvement.