There are people who played a part in making Rolex a symbol of success. Even if you do not know the names of Rolex models, You might have found yourself singing along to Rollie because of that person. VIVER met with The Quiett in person.

Q. Under the keywords hip-hop and Rolex, You were the first artist that came to mind. What do you think?

Yes. I think Dok2 and I are symbolic. In fact, We were the first to buy Rolexes and show them off. Before that, The watches rappers usually wore were not at the level of jewelry. Even I used to wear Dolce & Gabbana or G-Shock. Before Rolex became popular, G-Shock was the trend so there was a time when Kanye West also wore G-Shock. But after that period, The Rolex boom started in the US. We embraced that trend.

Q. When did you first become interested in Rolex?

It was around 2010 or 2011. That was when J. Cole and Big Sean debuted. After releasing their first studio albums, Those rappers started wearing Rolexes. If you look at the album covers, They were wearing Day-Date. Tyga was the same. But from my perspective, I wondered why rookie rappers were wearing Rolexes. Actually, I debuted before those rappers. It was kind of a confidence contest. At that time, I had already released about four or five albums so I thought I should do it too.
Of course, Even rappers who were doing well in the underground hip-hop scene at that time did not earn enough to easily buy luxury watches. I was no exception. But I wanted to try it. Even based on the secondhand price at the time, Buying a Rolex was a reckless act but because it was a reckless challenge, I felt even more determined to do it.

Q. In a way, That is not a rational purchase, Is it?

Generally, That is true. I did not buy a Rolex because I was a watch enthusiast. Even now, I do not know much about watches. At that time, Rolex just felt huge to me. Usually, Students study for years to get into university. It was a similar kind of goal setting for me. ‘Ah, I have to buy that. I need to work hard and save money to buy that.’ It was a very strong goal for me. It was that important to me so I started a savings account. I saved for a year and bought a Rolex. It was around the fall of 2012 so it has been exactly ten years now.

Q. How much was it? Do you remember the situation in detail?

Yes. I remember everything. It was a very important event for me. The maturity amount of my savings account was 12 million won. After buying the Rolex, There was a little left so I think I bought it for about 11.2 million won.
I forgot the name of the store but it was a luxury goods exchange in Apgujeong. I pointed to the gold Day-Date and said, “Sir, Please give me this.” The first thing he said was, “That is not something young people usually wear.” At that time, Gold watches were not yet a fashion trend in Korea. But anyway, I bought it. Looking back, I think I discovered something fundamental in Rolex. Since achievement in hip-hop and rap is the reason I live, I thought buying it was proof that I was doing well in this field. Everything I did at that time probably came from that mindset.

Q. Is that not the core narrative of hip-hop culture? Being born in the ghetto, Becoming self-made, And then earning your trophies.

That is right. Earning a lot of money and spending a lot on luxury goods is not something allowed for most people. It is not even something most people can imagine. But I learned those values through hip-hop so I wanted to show the world that I could risk everything to get those things. Because it is something I am proud of and fans who see me can be inspired to think they can become like that too. If I did not know hip-hop, For example if I had not known rappers like Nas, Jay-Z, Or Kanye West, I do not think I could have imagined that life could change like that. And as I rapped, I became convinced that I could become like them. Buying a Rolex was the process of turning that conviction into something tangible.

Q. People usually have certain attitudes toward spending. Things like ‘You have to save to live well’ or ‘If you earn 100, You should save 50.’ Why did you not do that? Can you explain more?

People learn about financial sense through their own routes. Usually, I think they learn it at home. But no one taught me about this. Instead, I think I was always the type who was not attached to things. The mindset that it is okay to buy something expensive compared to your situation is a kind of boldness. Of course, It took me time to learn that boldness. But I never felt any resistance during that process. Some people cannot buy luxury goods because they are afraid others will say, ‘Are you crazy?’ and some people actually enjoy hearing that. I was not the type to care about those comments. When people said I had to go to college, I thought, ‘I do not think I need to go.’ It was the same with spending. Through that, I learned my own truth that making money is not about saving but about spending a lot. For example, Ten years ago, I wore a one-million-won outfit to a show where I was paid five hundred thousand won. Clearly, The numbers were negative but I just felt like I had to do it. And sure enough, My value rose rapidly and now, No matter how expensive my outfit is, I get paid enough that I am never in the red for a show. If I had thought, ‘I am getting paid five hundred thousand won so I should wear a fifty-thousand-won T-shirt, ’ that would never have happened.

Q. How did you feel the moment you first bought a Rolex and walked out of the store in 2011?

I was so happy. I was so happy that I posted about it on Instagram all the time. I posted it this way and that way. I was really happy and wanted to show it off. To commemorate it, I even made a song called ‘2 Chainz & Rollies.’ Of course, I knew my actions would cause some backlash. In a way, I think I was trying to attract attention. At that time, The word ‘attention-seeking’ was not really used but I think I used that kind of strategy. Even when ‘2 Chainz & Rollies’ came out, The reactions were not particularly good. There were a lot of comments like ‘What is with this song?’ or ‘What is with these lyrics?’ But the result was obvious. Two or three years later, All the rappers around us ended up buying Rolexes and later, Young rappers who were influenced by us, After making money, The first thing they bought was a Rolex watch. That made me very proud. I felt that we really expanded the range of actions and consumption patterns. In the past, When people made money, They were told to save at least seventy percent. But in a way, These friends broke away from the financial sense they learned from their parents and pioneered their own way.

@ 2 Chainz & Rollies MV

Q. Can you tell us more about the background of ‘2 Chainz & Rollies’?

At that time, The situation was a bit complex. There was the first Illionaire nationwide tour. I finished that tour, My savings matured, I bought a Rolex, And then I went to Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, I filmed the ‘2 Chainz & Rollies’ music video to commemorate all of this. I remember feeling very proud walking around Las Vegas with a Rolex. Because I had been to Las Vegas before but I was not in that position then. I had not gone as a successful person. I did not have a Rolex or any flashy accessories. So back then, I thought I had to come back as a greater person and about a year later, I returned wearing a Rolex. ‘2 Chainz & Rollies’ might just be a song to others but for me, It is something very big that is hard to express...

Q. A soundtrack? The soundtrack of your life?

Yes. That is exactly right. It was like a soundtrack. There were scenes, Situations, Stories, Context, And a whole narrative... At that time, Everything seemed to revolve around Rolex. It was not the result of some deep thought, It just came naturally as we felt it. If I talk about this, It really never ends. What I talked about today might only be about half of it.

The introduction to the Rolex watches owned by The Quiett will continue in Part 2.