Review: It's a sneaker thing!

Way back on ‘Illmatic’ in the early 1990s Nas exclaimed how “Nikes on my feet make my cypher complete”, whilst only last year Jay-Z claimed to be “searching for kicks like a sneaker head” on The Blueprint 3. Just two of the countless references that have seen hip-hop and sneaker culture grow together over as the last 35 years like Abigail and Brittany Hensel, the dicephalic conjoined twins.
 
Respect on the streets was how it started, and if you had to carry a tooth brush to clean a scuff you picked up at ‘The Ruckers’ (aka Harlem’s infamous Basketball court Rucker Park) then that’s what was required. As the street culture became a cultural movement, the brands moved with them – launching desirable, durable footwear that was often in limited editions. From then onward, the ‘sneaker head’ became synonymous with customised kicks, hip-hop music and shooting hoops beyond sundown.
Books have been published, conventions have been organised and super limited editions can be bought on e-bay, but sneaker fiends can now celebrate their obsession online.

‘It’s a sneaker thing’ is a user-generated website from Footlocker where sneaker heads all over the world can share their memories, discoveries and passion.

Imagine a multimedia montage containing classic sneaker movie clips and stills (think Marty McFly fastening his Nike ‘power laces’ in Back to the Future II) to boredom breaking viral videos for when you are “on a break” at the office. You can also stay updated via their Facebook page and see which of your mates has kept their hidden obsession quiet.

The site has been launched alongside ‘Sneakerpedia.com’, an open source catalogue built for and by the world’s most ardent sneaker fanatics. Footlocker’s marketing president Stacy Cunningham explained how this project is “bridging the gap between continents and raising awareness of a shared passion for sneakers”. Ms Cunningham went on to say how “sneaker enthusiasts can now share their knowledge, interest, and expertise of the products that unite us." 

Expect to see viral videos of people like Adam Smith, who did not exactly feel valued at work when his boss gave him grief over wearing his fresh Jordans in the office on this clip which went viral!

I can think of a few things worth posting up without a doubt! For example the Brookyln based designers, Sneaktip had their renowned T-shirt with the slogan ‘99 problems but my kicks ain't one’. It works a great icebreaker at house parties when your mate’s getting intimate with the toilet bowl…

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