I was listening to an old No I.D. instrumental, and he used a long sample of Biz Markie on one of the beats. Pete Rock always sampled Biz on his early work. Beasties did songs with Biz..
Biz is the producer’s favorite rapper, your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper, and now he’s your favorite DJ’s favorite DJ, so I’m kicking myself for not ordering one of these Converse shirts 26 years ago.
Yes I made digital versions off the tape and they knock.
There’s no way I can knock when a shoe company partners with the stars. I’d have to make fun of myself because when I was a kid I idolized the Beastie Boys and RUN DMC and wanted to get the same kicks they had.
I never did get a pair of the Patrick Ewing Conductors- at $160ish, that was like a thousand teenager bucks. I did have some shelltoes and Stan Smiths though.
That was the late 80s. A quarter-decade later companies collaborate directly with entertainers to come up with a signature product that they hope will get you (or your parents) to open the wallet- especially as the classrooms of September loom over the waning summer calendar. It is virtually raining rapper sneakers. Let’s see:
Detroit Rapper Big Sean has some new Adidas high-tops inspired by the Hawaiian Islands.
Pittsburgh emcee Wiz Khalifa has a whole new collection of Wizzed-out All-Stars with Converse (Nike).
What about these Maison Martin Margiela pony-hair high tops for Kanye West– maybe inspired by Luke Skywalker’s Tauntaun ?
Kid Cudi got with Giuseppe Zanotti and coming out are these:
Rap girl Iggy Azalea is reportedly launching a footwear collection via Steve Madden next year. Madden recently scooped up Dolce Vita for a cool 60 mil last week.
He holds a tennis rod instead of a mic. Tennis pro Roger Federer now has his own Jordan (Nike) branded tennis kicks.
” I sport New Balance sneakers to avoid a narrow path”– Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Buggin’ Out’
“How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers), is a picture book that takes readers through the creation of sneakers- specifically the Converse All Star– at a former Converse factory in Lumberton, North Carolina!
I remember around the turn of the century when I heard that Converse would no longer be producing their All Star shoes in the USA. The company had been rescued from a brush with bankruptcy and would soon be purchased by Nike. I picked up a couple pairs of the all black high tops and kept them in my bullpen.
I thought All Stars were good for BMX freestyle bicycling. Their lack of girth around the foot and archless flat rubber soles made dancing on the pedals, tires and stunt-pegs more natural, as opposed to bulkier basketball-type sneaks.
When I became more of a mountain-biker in the 00s, All Stars remained on the roster. Whenever I tried to walk far wearing them, the tongues would always slide to the outer side of my foot- even when wearing proper socks. I started to get into footwear with more developed leather uppers and advanced footbeds.
My last pair of Made-in-the-USA All Stars “died” a couple years ago. I cut them apart in reverse to see how they were constructed (before Michael from Allston Massachusetts gifted Popdiatry with this excellent book).
If I desire the All Star body again, I would probably go with some Etiko clones. Etiko, not to be confused with Ekito, is a post-millennial shoe and clothing company that pays special attention to fairtrade issues, and goes for eco-friendly manufacturing practices. Since I walk a lot these days, the flat arch design of this type of shoe is not optimal; but for certain activities like bike riding, weight training, or just lamping, the classic no-frill design of a “Chuck” may be just what the podiatrist ordered.
I hope you are having a happy shoe year so far. This will be the first of many Popdiatribes, where I will run through monthly observations about footwear and the feet that fit them. In my home of New York City, it has been wet, cold and salty (in that order). That means boots, and proper boot care. Don’t be that guy who never takes off his All-Stars trying to navigate slushy northeast sidewalk ends, unless you have bread bags over your socks. Or maybe you are a running enthusiast who wears Icebugs.
Late last year, I couldn’t ignore the stories about how NBA star LeBron James wasn’t loving the design of his signature Nike high tops. Then on January 2nd (Heat vs. Golden State Warriors) he fell during the game and sneakerheads wondered out loud about the tread marks left on the court- presumably from the soles of the improved version of those Nikes. Maybe he just went to an unclean movie theater before the game? The NBA also saw New York Knickerbocker J.R. Smith being suspended for repeatedly pulling opponent’s shoelaces untied during free-throw formations. Remember to double-knot your laces whenever you visit Madison Square Garden. NBA All-Star week is coming up and all the big companies are rolling out more kicks than you can blow a whistle at- remember to save for retirement!
I’m thinking of doing a periodic piece called “shoes I was curious about, but never bought”. Clogs would be on the top of that list. I have always heard they were an excellent choice for people who worked on their feet all day. “But what if there is an emergency where you have to run?” I would say. No matter, I really enjoyed Rebecca Adams’ HuffPo piece Why Dansko Clogs Are Pretty Much The Best Shoes In Existence .
New Balance did something with Disney, Adidas got 2 Chainz, Converse did Black Sabbath, Vans did The Beatles, and have also dipped their toe into high-school art class with their Vans custom culture contest. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker stepped into the market with her own line of shoes. The term maximalist shoes is now coined, and I have to walk away from this computer right now.
