Rappers of color who "make it" are viewed as tokens within American society. This in turn increases the fame of the artist on an individual level, while simultaneously serving to further oppress other members of society who share the same race and/or ethnicity. The neighborhoods in which many hip-hop artists grow up are dangerous to say the least. Thus, it is logical to arrive at the conclusion that from an early age they developed the skills necessary to fend for themselves, with little to no regard for the wellbeing of others outside of their direct circle of friends and family. This (I'm gonna get mine) mentality acquired as a youth attempting to survive in the inner city stays with these artists later in life, and becomes evident once they enter the public sphere. Stereotypes also serve to further the fame and notoriety of many hip-hop artists. Audience members tend to buy in to the stereotypes traditionally associated with rappers, regardless of whether or not their mannerisms, lifestyle, and appearance are truly authentic. According to Robert Price, "the 'thug life' is about hard knocks because formal education is not viewed as the solution to the real-life problems of violence in the 'hood, crack cocaine, no father's name on the birth certificate, being a baby mama, jobless, and so on'" (Price 59).

Price's assertion can be properly understood through a visual analysis of the cover of Ace Hood's 2008 debut album, Gutta. This image depicts an African American man sitting at a table with literal stacks of cash in front of him. These objects along with the text, "Ace Hood", are the most salient objects within the image. There are several important signifier/signified relationships present within the album cover. One can argue that Hood's camouflage shirt and hat (signifiers) signify the idea that he is a soldier of the streets or a gangster of sorts. This has a direct correlation to the stacks of money as well as the jewelry depicted in the image, which signify Hood's wealth (denotated meaning). It should be noted that the clothing and cash carry significant meanings on the connatational level. As stated above, the camo garb associates Ace Hood with gang life, which is often correlated to crime, drugs, and money (cash). Thus, one can argue that these relationships connote that idea that a life of crime pays. This ultimately reinforces Price's claims pertaining to thug life and the idea that for many individuals trapped in the inner city ghettos; a formal education does not provide a solution or a way out. Instead crime and/or "making it" in the rap game serve as more plausible/feasible solutions to escape the grasp of poverty. The contemporary hip-hop audience has "fallen in love with the [stereotypical] image of the wealthy, playboy gangers", ultimately highlighting the significance of this image with respects to discourse. (Johnson 89). Hip-hop enthusiasts see this album cover featuring Ace Hood and they immediately desire the lifestyle that he projects (a life of wealth and power), meaning that they are ultimately buying into the stereotypical nature presented through the image as well. Conspicuous consumption plays a large role in this process.