SEATTLE - The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) announces today Styled by the Streets: Black Women in Hip-Hop Fashion, a vibrant new exhibition highlighting the cultural and political force of Hip-Hop fashion created by and for Black women. Paying tribute to icons like Mary J. Blige, Cardi B, and Doja Cat, the exhibition celebrates the past and future of Hip-Hop through the lens of bold, unapologetic girlhood.

Styled by the Streets is MOPOP’s newest long-term addition, open to the public on September 19, 2026. Featuring streetwear, couture, hair, jewelry, and iconic photography, the exhibition showcases style as a powerful expression of Black womanhood across 30 unique artifacts.

“Black women have always shaped and reimagined style,” said Michele Y. Smith, CEO of MOPOP. “Styled by the Streets is a love letter to the Black women and girls of Hip-Hop who set trends and shift the political tides with their stories. The exhibition offers MOPOP an opportunity to continue engaging with themes of identity, politics, and creativity that are central to the experience of pop culture.”

Layered in the colors, textures, and finishes of the late 1990s and early 2000s, the gallery highlights the artists and cultural creators who transcend the boundaries of music to impact global style, self-expression, and identity. The exhibition features custom designer grillz created by mother-daughter duo Dr. Melissa “Melz” and Ariel Jones of Melz Grillz.

“Being a part of Styled by the Streets is a dream come true,” said Ariel Jones. “Grillz have always been a bold form of self-expression within Hip-Hop culture. Seeing them recognized at MOPOP is an insane honor. Being a Black mother-daughter team has not been an easy task in the jewelry industry; however, this exhibit feels like a resounding statement of why we even began Melz Grillz. Hip-Hop style, grillz, and the swag of Black women everywhere has been pushed aside, but we will not be sidelined. Our stories will be told. The game starts and ends with us.”

MOPOP is proud to include artwork from Justice for Black Girls. “This exhibition honors Black girls as cultural architects and demonstrates what becomes possible when museums and community organizations work together to preserve cultural memory, affirm authorship, and ensure young people see their beauty reflected in the institutions that steward our collective stories,” said Daisha Chanel, spokesperson for Justice for Black Girls. “We hope this partnership offers a model for sustained cross-sector collaboration that deepens our collective recognition of Black girls and women as catalysts of culture and possibility.”

Highlights of the exhibition include:

• Lil’ Kim Zipper Wig by Dionne Alexander
• Threads of Her Becoming Nail Set by Ukeme Ekpoh of “So Pressious,” 2026
• Designer grillz by Melz Grillz created for MOPOP
• Custom nail sets, as inspired by rapper Saweetie, by celebrity nail artist Temeka Jackson
• Original prints of Hip-Hop icons like Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott
• Rare editions of Honey magazine on loan from co-founder Joicelyn Dingle

Styled by the Streets is a celebration of Hip-Hop’s evolving cultural narrative, and reflects MOPOP’s commitment to keep uplifting the stories, voices, and styles that determine the many paths of pop culture.