It’s no secret that Kendrick Lamar doesn’t do anything halfway. Even when he performed at the Super Bowl without getting paid, he made sure all eyes were on him. And it wasn’t just his music that grabbed attention—his $1.2 million chain did, too. Designed by Eliantte in just one day, the custom piece featured 515 sparkling diamonds, spelling out a simple yet bold “A.” Clearly, Kendrick’s statement wasn’t just about music—it was about making a mark.

Interestingly, this flashy approach isn’t limited to rap. It’s something athletes have embraced as well, though with a completely different mindset. Carmelo Anthony recently shed light on this during his 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, explaining how the motivations behind jewelry in sports and hip-hop aren’t the same. While both groups love the shine, what drives them to invest in these pieces varies significantly.

For athletes, Melo sees two main reasons behind the trend. “As an athlete, it’s like, yeah, you want to, you want to pop out… keep throwing that s— on, you get what I’m saying? I feel like that’s, that’s one mentality,” he explained. The second reason? It’s about status—showing where they stand in terms of contracts and financial security.

“It’s also the resources too, right? These contracts is a lot different than the rappers rapping, you know what I’m saying?” Melo pointed out. “If I know that I’m making 40 million a year, I’m making 20 million a year guaranteed… I’m going to go look for the best s— to, you know what I mean? To represent that.”

Unlike rappers, who often have fluctuating incomes, athletes operate with financial certainty. So, what about rappers? Melo summed it up simply: their hustle is different. While both industries thrive on image and status, the financial structures set them apart.

Carmelo Anthony’s close friend gives another perspective

While Carmelo Anthony broke down two reasons why athletes invest in jewelry, his close friend Dwyane Wade offers another perspective. Instead of flashy chains or diamond-studded watches, Wade takes a different route—painting his nails. For him, it’s not about flexing wealth but embodying a character in front of fans and the media.

It’s all tied to his alter ego—Flash. “It’s a whole different life being Flash than it was being merely Dwyane Wade as a basketball player,” Wade explained. “I had to become Flash. You had to get into character. I had to get into a character.” The transformation wasn’t just about confidence or attitude—it extended to his fashion choices, his demeanor, and yes, even his nails.

Of course, not everyone could separate the persona from the player. “Like right now, right, you get people who will look at something like, ‘Man, Dwyane Wade paints his nails. That’s not the player that I loved playing basketball.’ That basketball player was someone different. That was Flash,” he shared on Chris Johnson’s Just Win Podcast.

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So, while Melo sees jewelry as a sign of status or financial security, Wade’s painted nails add another layer to the conversation—it’s less about playing a certain character.