Because I have socially conscious lyrics and I'm-a get flak.'Īfter experimenting with various colors for the piece's eyes, West decided that the aquamarine blue eyes were best suited for the piece. 'I love the way it looks with the blue eyes, but I'll get too much flak for it. In an interview with Rolling Stone, West explains complications he had creating the revised Jesus piece by repeating a discussion he had with Jacob. West's personal Jesus piece created by Jacob cost $25,000, was the size of a man's palm and had clear diamonds for Jesus' crown of thorns, yellow and light-brown diamonds as Jesus' blond hair, aquamarines for blue eyes and small rubies for the tears of blood on his face. In 2004, Kanye West partnered with Jacob Arabo, a jeweler that outfitted many hip-hop artists with their jewelry. West wearing multiple Jesus pieces in 2009. Ĭubans with the Jesus piece, with my peeps.

The first rapper to wear the Jesus piece was Ghostface Killah from Wu-Tang Clan in the video for Incarcerated Scarfaces. The Boombox wrote in 2018 that 'the Jesus piece has arguably become one of the most iconic pieces of jewellery in hip-hop' while Highsnobiety penned in 2017, 'the Jesus piece has arguably become the most popular pendant of all time'. Traditional medals in Western Christianity that are worn as necklaces have depicted the Holy Face of Jesus. Cheaper Jesus pieces have also been sold in other materials including wood and inexpensive metals. Many hip hop artists and celebrities, including The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Kanye West, Big Pun, The Game, Kendrick Lamar and Meek Mill among others, have adopted the Jesus piece as a common fashion accessory and have them decorated with many precious gems. A Jesus piece is a spiritual or religious piece of jewelry that is popular in the hip hop community and depicts the face of Jesus with the crown made out of thorns.

Real jesus piece