An oversized platinum, gold or silver pendant sometimes encrusted with diamonds and other gems made in the likeness of Jesus. These pendants are worn on a heavy rope style of necklace.
The Jesus piece, and other styles of large pendants worn with rope style jewelry have been a staple of hip hop youth culture for nearly thirty years. Presently, hip hop artists and fans alike use the Jesus piece as a symbol of being "hood" or
keepin' it real and being extravagantly wealthy at the same time. The Jesus piece testifies to the fact "you can take the man out of
the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of the man."
It's like that, and
that's the way it is. HUH!
After the famous hip hop artist assured an
entertainment reporter he was "an ordinary erryday
type-a dude from
around the way just keepin it gangsta and keepin it street"; he turned to the cameras to pose for a photo
opportunity, holding his 150,000 dollar diamond studded platinum Jesus piece in his right hand and making a sideways peace sign with his left.