Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
Popular Jewelry is a fairly generic name for a jewelry store, and its storefront is a rather unassuming one on New York City’s crowded Canal Street. And yet behind the modest doors lies a veritable treasure trove of bling watched over by Eva Sam, aka A$AP Eva.
Eva has owned and run the business since its opening in 1988, a few years after she emigrated from Macau. Its popularity among rappers spread through word of mouth, starting with Cappadonna of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Since then, big names from Macklemore to Beyoncé have turned to Eva for jewelry for their tours, music videos, and personal collections, with everything from platinum to rubies to massive diamond pendants coming out of the small shop.
Follow Racked on YouTube for more videos | Like Racked on Facebook to never miss a video