Above is a Nike commercial featuring the His Airness Michael Jeffrey Jordan and Mars Blackmon aka Spike Lee in his "She's Gotta Have It" character form. These ads ran in the late 80s-early 90s and were probably the most popular at the time, even with Bo Jackson in his prime years with the cross-training rise and Penny Hardaway introducing us to his charismatic doll figure of himself Lil Penny. Disagree if you want, even with the skill and dominance of MJ and the creativity and genius of Spike Lee, these commercials propelled the fame of both, giving each of them more global appeal. Nike even gave Spike Lee/Mars Blackmon his own shoe because of the commercials' popularity called the Spi'zikes (conjunction of Spike Lee Nike's). On Nike's website you will notice in the Nike ID section you can now customize your own pair of Spi'zikes. Spike probably wasn't too happy about that because he's all about being exclusive.
While Spike's name (and not his penis) is still on the tip of our tongues, he directed another movie that raised the popularity and stardom of another soon to be NBA great, Ray Allen. Also starring the OG Big Dawg Denzel Washington, Allen plays a high school star who is trying to be persuaded by his estranged, imprisoned father, under directions from his warden, to get his son to go to the warden's alma mater. Here you see Allen, whose name in the movie is Jesus Shuttlesworth (that name was probably the same as the guy whipped after Kunta Kente on Roots) hand his dad a pair of exclusive Air Jordans. From this scene on, the White-Black-True Red colorway of the Air Jordan 13's were nicknamed the "He Got Game's". I bring this up because the shoes were recently Retroed and rereleased yesterday morning, of course selling out in a matter of minutes like every other big Nike release. I'm indifferent to the shoe, like many other shoes. But this really got me thinking. If it weren't for Nice Kicks or any other shoe craze website informing people these shoes were "He Got Game", how many people would know these shoes were from the movie? How many people actually know Denzel wore the shoes and not Allen (often mistaken that Ray wore the shoes although he was laced in Foams and other Nike releases in the movie and didn't rock this exact colorway until he joined the Heat)? How many people have even seen "He Got Game"? Welcome to shoe fanaticism and sneakerheads. In this blog I'll be talking about the sudden craze over shoe copping and how it is ruining shoes.
Anybody remember when you were younger and your parents would take you shoe shopping? I loved those days. My mom would take me to Footlocker or Payless or a random outlet store (I was out of Payless sneakers by 1st grade when my dad started buying my shoes more often and I was fresh to def son) and I would gaze at all the shoes on the wall. The variety and different designs and colors always amazed me. There were times where I wanted every shoe, but of course with financial limitations I could only get one or two if my mom sold a few more kilos than she expected during times. Shoe shopping with my mom was a process. The shoe couldn't be too ugly, or pricey, or be a red and black colorway (the colorway of the Black P Stones gang in Chicago who were rampant in my neighborhood and were the rivals of the Gangster Disciple and Black Gangster Disciples). The shoe also had to be my size at the time or a half-size bigger, an attempt for my mom to be slick thinking that the shoes would last longer since my feet were sure to grow. I remember having to put on a black stocking every time I had to try on a shoe because for some reason I always had on socks with holes or no socks. And were feet were always ashy and stinky. Never knew you were supposed to wash your feet and lotion them in the summer. Welp, that's why shoe salesmen make the small bucks. I didn't like the foot measurer, I always thought it was going to smash my feet in. Bring that thing too far back and I was ready to pack. But after a lot of nos and shoes gracing my holy feet, I would come out with a new pair of shoes and a big smile. I couldn't wait to show everyone my shoes. I never got to wear new shoes out of the store, my mom didn't want me to mess them up. I had to wait until the first day of school or the next day of school or a family function to debut my new steez. The anticipation was real. I was always so anxious to wear new shoes, looking at the shoes multiple times, imagining how I would look with the shoes on and people's reactions while I strut in them. When the school came, believe me when I said it was a wrap, RIP to those shoes instantly. I wore the hell outta them. Wore them everyday. Went to the playground in them. Went to gym in them. Stepped in shit in them and kept walking off level as hell. Hooped in them. I would literally wear shoes until the front looked like it developed a face, eyes, cheeks, lips everything, screaming at me "PLEASE! TAKE ME OFF. I'M TIRED" and I would ignore them because I don't take orders from beat up shoes. I think my Creative Recs taught me how to dougie sophomore year now that I think about it. I busted the fuck outta those boys. Yeah I abused my shoes and I didn't take care of them that well, but I put no real value on my shoes. They were just things I put on my feet. However, when I had to throw away a pair or replace a pair, sadness did come upon me because I use to do so much in those shoes. But yet again, Jordan to Cliff Robinson shoulder shrug (you'll get that reference if you're a true Jordan fan).
Now let's get into modern day shoe culture. It's fucked up! Not to say that my experiences with shoes were ideal, but the way things are now are out of control. Every Saturday if you were to pass by a Footlocker, NikeTown, Finishline, or any other retail store that sells shoes, there will be a line for the newest Nike release, whether it be a pair of Jordans, Foamposites, LeBron's or Kobe's. Outside you will see a line of about 100 people at 4am in the morning trying to cop a shoe that the store has about 50 or less of. That means some people are going to be very disappointed. But don't tell that to them, because every one of them has the hope that they are gonna get a pair of that long coveted shoe, although we know better. Now let's talk about the price of shoes nowadays.
When Nike's first came out, anyone could afford them. Air Jordan's were about $90 when they were first introduced. Of course, those were still pretty pricey with the economy back in the day but manageable. Foamposites were almost a failure for Nike. The shoes were originally made for Scottie Pippen. However, Pippen didn't like the sneaker. It was chance that Penny Hardaway stumbled upon the sneaker during a meeting with a Nike designer and decided to sport the sneaker. Even then the NBA didn't approve of the shoe because it the colorway didn't have the Orlando Magic's primary color (black) more than it did the secondary color (blue). Fortunately a sharpie marker came in the clutch for Penny. Back to what I was going at, Nike had a hard time selling the Foams. They were often on the clearance racks, even when the retail price was only $125. I bring up the history to compare to the prices now. Avg Jordan prices are $180 with tax and Foams are $220 with tax. That's about a $100 price spike in a ten year period. That's nuts. It's not like the shoes weren't in high demand then, believe me everyone wanted a pair of Mike's and once Penny played enough games in the Foams it was likewise for those. But it's what people are willing to do to get them that makes them pricey.
I know people who will save every bit of cash they have to be able to cop an intriguing release in the future. That means no lunch money for a while, no haircuts, not being able to come with a group outings, all that. There are people who would rather be late on a bill or rent payment than not being able to buy the Air Jordan Grape 5's that will shortly be released this year. I've went to school with people whose parents would do anything in their power and grasp to make sure they were laced in the best shoes. Those people were not always the best off. And that's where it gets to a point where it is nonsensical. A shoe that will most likely be re-released in about 4-5 years is not worth standing in a line for hours, rain, sleet or snow, fighting off hordes of people and potential robbers, for one shoe. When Jordans were still premature, a school in the Northeast had to ban them from school after a student was killed, in the school, for the shoes. It still isn't far-fetched to think people are still being robbed and killed for shoes. In 5th grade, I remember my Navy Blue-Baby Blue Nike Air Max were stolen while I was changing for gym in the bathroom. I walked home 5 blocks, BAREFOOT crying like a bitch. Yeah, shit was that real.
Now I have no vendetta against Jordans or Foams or any shoe in general. Those two shoes are just the most notable one's I can think of to put this argument in true perspective. People are spending crazy money on Nike Dunks and retro Adidas as well. I love shoes. Believe me. I love Air Jordans and I remember my first pair vividly. I got a pair of Flint Grey 15's when I was about 7. Nobody could touch me on the court when I was sporting those. In 6th grade, I got a pair of Midnight Navy 6's that I wore basically everyday. I remember I use to go to baseball practice in them until my coach told me I could play anymore until I wore my cleats. I would have to say out of all the one I owned (6), those were my favorite.
Ok, I went off into memory lane again. Back to the topic, although it seems that shoes are reaching their pinnacle because of all the releases and exclusiveness that's around, buying shoes and shoes in general are losing their luster. People aren't buying what they like anymore, they seem to buy what's popular. Same goes with clothing and electronics. It's gotten to a point where it's cool or being different to not buy shoes. I believe in supporting and buying what you genuinely like and not something that is being hyped up by people who sit on a computer most of their days. How many people buy shoes because they idolized the person who wore them? Believe it or not, there are a plenty of people who don't know much about MJ but will cop every sneaker he and Phil Knight release. How many of you know who Phil Knight is? (He made Nike for all of you who don't want to Google him) Buying shoes was a way we got closer to the athlete's we adored, not because we saw Kanye, Rick Ross or Drake rocking them. You didn't live until you tried to imitate Mike while wearing some Mike's. Some of the best times of my youth were spent trying to hit the right-left switch on muggs and doing the push-off crossover for a kush shot. Now think about when you actually get those coveted shoes and you see someone else with those same shoes on. Shitty right? Well, unfortunately, today's society has made things more about who had it first rather than what it should be. Is it fresh? For you sneakerheads, no matter what you say, somebody had it before you. End of story. Then you have everybody hating on everyone else, always claiming someone's shoes are fake or whack. Nobody compliments anyone else's sneaks anymore. Getting compliments when you bought shoes solidified your feelings of being that fucking man because you were already feeling good of having something dope in your possession. And most importantly, that feeling of shoes being special is gone. Usually when people buy sneakers, they are just added to an already overflowing collection. Remember when I said I use to be really anxious about getting new shoes and I'd look at them all day, every day until I could wear them? That doesn't happen anymore because people are more focused on the next release. A few things I don't understand is how you can buy a pair of sneakers and not wear them, especially not hooping in them. MJ made his living hooping in J's and you're telling me that you wouldn't step foot on the hardwood with a pair of em' on? Preposterous yo. Next pair of J's I get, fuck it, I'm doing work. Yeah you paid almost two bills for them and you would like to preserve them, but that's even more reason to enjoy the hell out of them. Why buy $200 gym shoes to wear sparingly? That's lame. And to resellers, death to you inconsiderate fucks. There are people who genuinely want this shoe and you are making your living by buying one or more pairs of the same shoe just to sell to someone who couldn't get the shoe because people like you were buying them all. And at an absurd price at that.
To conclude, this shoe craze shit gotta turn down a few decibels. There's so much more to the world than dedicating so much to a THING that is just to cover your feet. Now, don't let me take away from your love of shoes. I will always have a love of shoes, just wait until I see racks mannnnnnn. Until then, you'll see me studded in Vans, Nike SB's, Chucks and occasionally moccasins when I'm on my Pablo Escobar shit. I would never tell people what to do with their life or cash. Personally, I see nothing wrong with shoe collecting and idolizing, it's harmless. It's just it dehumanizes us sometimes. I'll leave you guys with a pretty decent song pertaining to the topic. Peace.
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