Legendary independent hip-hop collective, Hiero Imperium (the label created by underground staples, the Hieroglyphics), has announced the launch of their new clothing line with the introduction of a new line of high quality denim jeans for men, called Hiero Jeans.

As the clothing line's first release, the jeans will consist of a hand-numbered, limited edition, vintage indigo "basic" style denim, which will initially be available online exclusively.

Following the debut will four different denim jean styles including an organic jean, a resin-coated jean, a soft grey denim, and an all-black formal "Phantom" jean.

According to the group, delving into the realm of fashion has been a natural progression. "We can't keep our t-shirts and other Hiero paraphernalia on the shelves -- it's time to offer fans more with high end, top-of-the-line 'fits." said Casual, co-owner of Hieroglyphics and Conceptual Designer of Hiero Jeans. "We've received strong interest from buyers and stores all around the world. It's an exciting time."

The new jeans are made of high quality denim, including an organic mixture that is produced from cotton grown here in the United States. Available in men's sizes 32-42, the soft textured jeans are "stubby enough for the hip-hop crowd," yet "sturdy enough for the big outdoors," says the group.

Specific design elements include silk-screened lyric quotes from various Hiero members on the inside of the jeans.

So far, fans are loving the new line. Chuck Johnson of TBN (Town Business Networks) and a longtime fan, has been purchasing Hiero wear for many years. At a recent a sold-out show at The Fillmore in San Francisco, Chuck responded to the announcement of Hiero's new denim line with extreme excitement. "It's about time," he proclaimed.

Fans of the Hiero have been sporting the famous and very recognizable Hiero "face" logo for over 10 years. From t-shirts to car air fresheners, the three eyes/straight mouthed logo can be seen everywhere, including a Hiero Jeans t-shirt worn by Casual in the new commercial for Zune, Microsoft’s new 30GB media player.

The new denim line will include this logo -- proclaimed by Rolling Stone Magazine as the third most recognized logo in music today -- as it's featured on the button and leather brand tag on every pair.

"When I invented that symbol, I never thought it would get this big," says Del The Funky Homosapien, creator of the logo and co-founder of the Hieroglyphics collective, during an interview for SF Weekly.

The jeans are set to debut at the upcoming fall MAGIC convention in August, and will be available internationally at exclusive boutiques, retail department store chains, and online at HieroJeans.com.

In addition to the denim line, Hiero has designed new complementary t-shirts and sweatshirts, which can also be found at these locations. They also plan to launch a women's line and more in 2008.

"Hieroglyphics has been setting the standards for underground hip-hop since the 90s, especially here in the Bay Area." says Charles Lyle of Blazon Entertainment, who coordinated the production of the line. "With their creative minds and vision, a clothing line just seems like a natural fit. I can't wait to get some myself."

"We don't make clothes for genres but we will make a genre from our clothes, just like we do with our music," added Del.

The line is set for release in August.