ATLANTA - The hip-hop world is a less bling-bling place these days.

The music genre has been defined as much by diamond-encrusted watches and platinum chains as its gritty urban lyrics. But in the past couple of years, it has scaled down its flash, a trend insiders say has become more pronounced during the recent recession.

Make no mistake: The industry that made an urban household name out of New Yorks Jacob Jacob the Jeweler Arabo isnt entirely reversing course. (Case in point: Lil Waynes A Milli, one of last years biggest songs, which had the rapper bragging wildly about being a young millionaire.)

But the day of conspicuous consumption is gone, said Tamara Connor, an Atlanta-based stylist who has created looks for chart-topping rappers, including Lil Wayne.

Were still going to see some bling, but its just not going to be as much, Connor said. Instead of four diamond necklaces, it might just be a diamond bracelet - and its a piece the celebrity wears all the time. Theyre not changing their jewelry out everyday.

Photo shoots, for example, are being done with fewer of the specialized medallions considered a calling card for the likes of Rick Ross, whose chain with a likeness of his head - complete with black diamond beard - has an estimated value of $30,000.

Instead you might see a rapper in an off-the-shelf diamond cross or wearing lower-quality stones. You can save $3,000 a carat if you do non-ring-quality diamonds for studs (earrings), Connor said.

Ben Baller, head of Los Angeles-based jeweler I.F. & Co., said the shift is most pronounced among up-and-coming rappers, for whom a steady income is seeming like less of a sure thing. Rap sales have declined along with the rest of the music industry.

Before, a new artist might spend $25,000 of a $30,000 advance on a chain, according to Baller, who counts Fat Joe as a client.

Now they would rather try to spend $5,000 and $6,000, he said, adding, theyre willing to talk about options by using sapphires, using very, very low-quality gold.

Some people (are) even wanting to mix diamonds with cubics (cubic zirconia) so it would not be completely ungenuine.

Cost cutting is major for the industry in which the carat-weight of ones ring could carry more cache than record sales. Ostentatious fashion has been in hip-hops DNA since Slick Rick donned layers of opulent gold chains in the 80s.

But in recent years, rap kings such as Jay-Z and Diddy have displayed their swagger with looks that were more boardroom than bling, with button-down shirts and designer suits.

Though Young Jeezy may still sport a huge chain at times, flashy jewelry is not integral to his image

Hell wear a scarf and no jewelry, maybe a bracelet, with a baseball hat, a T-shirt and a pair of jeans thats not a lot of bling, said Connor, who has also styled the Georgia artist.

Rappers arent giving up glamour altogether, theyre just not wearing it 24-7. In the past, several chains were de rigueur for a grocery-store run, now theyre reserved for a show or nightclub, says Baller, who also is seeing more artists trading in old chains instead of buying new ones