It’s an honor for my work to be included in the All Gone book by LaMJC for the 3rd year in a row. This edition features the New Balance 999 ‘Kennedy’ and the Adidas Forum ‘Crest’ which were both released last year.
Shouts to my guy Michael Dupouy / LaMJC for another great release.
I got alot of love from my peers in this video.
Shouts to Complex for the support.
I grew up 50 miles west of metro Boston in a city called Worcester, MA. Just to clarify, Worcester is not a suburb of Boston in the literal proximity sense, or in the “green grass & white picket fence” sense of the word. My hometown was the stereotypical urban experience that would either sharpen your sword and harden your armor – or break you down if it got the best of you.
Elementary school is when I began to take notice to what the older guys in my neighborhood were wearing. They became the bar and were clearly influenced by hip-hop culture, which was the native language of my 4-block radius. Inner city Boston was notoriously known for their loyalty to the trefoil and that radiated up the Mass Pike through friends, family or visits to the nearest “big” city.
The swoosh’s stronghold wasn’t fully developed yet and it was a common occurrence when an older brother or cousin would try to deter you (sometimes with threats and intimidation) away from anything that didn’t bear 3 diagonal stripes secured to its sides. My first memories of A-Dogs (a Boston term for adidas way back) were the obvious Superstar popularity of the early and mid-80s. As much as I appreciated the shell toe it really didn’t move me – I wore them but was one step outside of the age group that really wore them.
Like any northeastern city, there was a hustling and drug dealing culture that fueled the neighborhood’s fashion sense. Dealers were decked in the latest and greatest regardless of the price tag. The one shoe that was introduced to me as a direct result of this illegal fashion show was the adidas Forum, a basketball shoe that was applied to a street life uniform even when worn hanging out at the schoolyard courts.
One day, around 1990-91 (estimated – hard to know at this point) I noticed some hustlers wearing what seemed to be high Forums that were a tonal navy blue with a “crest” embroidery on the ankle and tongue. A small detail that might have went otherwise unnoticed by most people – but to me they epitomized hood luxury at an unheard of hundred some odd dollars at retail. I was instantly infatuated with the shoe, mostly for what this shoe represented – elevated status.
adidas Originals Forum “Crest” HI are avialble 12/3 on BoylstonTradingCo.com
To say that Run-DMC changed the game is a bit broad. First you need to identity the sport. Is it hip-hop? Or better yet, music in general? Is it Fashion? Is it the sneaker industry? All of the above.
Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay hailed from the Hollis section of Queens NY and took the world by storm. They became the global ambassadors for not only rap music but also for introducing a style of fashion that began as their neighborhood uniform and made it a universal staple.
The Adidas Superstar was originally released in 1969 but it wasn’t until Run-DMC released the ‘My Adidas / Peter Piper’ 12” single in 1986 that there was an official connection between footwear sales and inner city popularity. Legend has it that some Adidas executives were invited to a Run-DMC concert at Madison Square Garden and witnessed a sea of kids lift their unlaced Shell Toe’s in unison on command.
The rest is history.
Adidas has released a limited edition Superstar 80 in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Run-DMC classic ‘My Adidas’.
The shoe features Run-DMC logos, “1986” embroidered on the heal, 3m reflective stripes, premium leather and a tribute to the late great Jam Master Jay on the back tab.
An amazing shoe and an even more amazing tribute.
Thanks Adidas.
Time for another episode of “It’s the Cons”.
The Straight Shooter canvas low was my go to shoe this summer and now it returns in dope suedes. Super clean and simple. A win.
The real story is how crazy these Straight Shooter highs are! Nice leather, a canvas cut-out and toe cap with an extended rubber side section that reinforces the toe stress point. Almost Visvim-esque but super light and affordable.
Could be my favorite First Strings so far. Dropping this month in black and maroon.
Shout to Big John, IG and Sleeper Cell.
Photos by Even
Very cool gift from Adidas.
The classic Adidas Campus returns for the “Back To Campus” campaign.
Packaged in a huge hollowed out composition notebook with Adidas branded pencils, pads and eraser, it makes me feel like I had a class to skip!
Shouts to Adidas and DJ Clark Kent
