Brands are a vital part of culture and that is perhaps more obvious in hip hop than anywhere else. By tracking what brands are mentioned in popular hip hop and rap tunes, Agenda Inc are drawing some interesting conclusions about what brands are hot (Cadillac and Hennessy) or on their way out (Hilfiger and Courvoisier). The list can be seen as “a great barometer of consumer aspiration”.
The brands that appear most frequently in the charts are fashion, cars and beverages. Cadillac tops the list of brands that have been mentioned most times in top 20 singles in the Billboard chart. Top ten are:
1 Cadillac 70 (times)
2 Hennessy 69
3 Mercedes 63
4 Rolls Royce 62
5 Gucci 49
6 Jaguar 37
7 Chevrolet 28
7 Cristal 28
9 Bentley 26
10 Maybach 25
Check out American Brandstand for the full list and a comprehensive analysis in pdf format.