The Perfect Sneaker – Air Jordan III
The perfect sneaker; the Air Jordan III (1988). Nike pump faked and said another retro run would drop this year, but now it’s looking like 2011 will see their return. Below, Michael “Air” Jordan throws it down, with room to spare, from the free throw line in the ’88 Slam Dunk contest. [OG scan via Classic Kicks]
Sneaker Freaker x ASICS GEL-LYTE III x Alvin Purple
Alvin Greene? Hell to the naw. An “Alvin Purple” colorway on the Asics GEL-Lyte III? Surely.*
This shoe with the well named color scheme is a collab between Asics and kick culture destination Sneaker Freaker; due October 1. [Spotted at Hypebeast]
*Old Gold would have been preferred.
Michael Jordan Rookie Card x Pause
I always found this Michael Jordan rookie card from Fleer hilarious. Back in high school we used to love saying “in ya mouth” whenever we were hooping and pulled off a nice play (say, clapping boards, hitting a jumper in someone’s face, and eventually, dunking on a burger).
In this coveted rookie card what appears to be Michael Ray Richardson of the New Jersey Nets is seeing firsthand one of MJ’s high flying forays to the cup. The angle of the photographer’s shot makes it seem like Sugar Ray (yep, that was his nickname) is one of the victims in those Nike ads that got homosexuals in a tiff and were banned a few years back. Pause indeed.
Vintage Nike Sneaker Ads
Classic Kicks just posted some vintage Nike ads that will surely have long time sneaker connoisseurs feeling nostalgic. Also makes a good point about how all current marketing bells and whistles (celeb endorsements, limited edition releases, etc.) tend to overshadow the performance aspect of the shoes. It used to be that style always followed function, which isn’t the case nowadays.
Dope ads for coveted kicks like the Air Max 90, Air Tech Challenge and Air Trainer SC and many more (exactly why plenty have been reissued in recent years) are included. Now Nike needs to stop playing and deliver those Air Jordan IIIs back to stores as promised.
Sneaker Con x Aqua’s LeBron VII P.S.’s
Was at Sneaker Con this past Saturday and unbeknownst to me a photog for Freshness snapped a shot of my Nike LeBron VII P.S.’s. Glad I had on clean socks. Check my coverage of kicks at DrJays.com. Below, the designer (Jason Petrie) of the first new age sneaker from retro-happy Nike I’ve really liked in a good minute speaks on its design. Sorry LeBron, but the Celtics got this.
Back Again: Air Jordan III Retro White/Cement Grey
Air Jordan 3
I was in the 6th grade, standing at the bus stop on the corner of 174th Street & Longfellow Ave., waiting for the BX36 to take me from my South Bronx hood to what was then CS 102 in Parkchester.
It was while waiting for that sure to be too crowded bus in the a..m. where I saw a high school aged dude with a high-top fade rocking the above kicks; Air Jordan IIIs. At that point in time I had no clue what the shoes were. They were bright white, with illy snakeskin—no Nike check, but aha…the Air bubble. Those had to be the latest Js.
Seeing Kid ‘N Play rock them in their “Gettin’ Funky” video on Video Music Box (below), and Mars Blackmon (above), made me fiend for a pair just as much as Michael Jordan’s feats on the basketball court. But being that I wasn’t anywhere near a child of privilege, I didn’t even bother asking mom dukes for a pair. Knowing they were a buck ($100) plus at retail, i had to make due with my lo-top Air Trainers (about 60 to 70 beans at Dr. Jays on 3rd Ave, sale).
When the Air Jordan III’s get a retro-release sometime this year—Nice Kicks says they’ll be part of a Slam Dunk pack (MJ won the ’88 Slam Dunk contest in them)—they will get copped (two pairs), off g.p.
Bobbito Garcia on CNN and Pro-Keds
The video above is of a Latinos in America piece CNN did on Hip-Hop renaissance man Bobbito Garcia. Funny, since I remember first noticing him as DJ Stretch Armstrong’s partner on 89.9 (shout to the homie Sucio Smash still holding it down over there), I’ve never really noted DJ Cucumber Slice as “a Puerto Rican dude.” Just as “a Hip-Hop head,” tried and true. Not on some post-racial nonsense. Searching for that new Hip-Hop music fix made it an after thought.
Regardless, Kool Bob Love has long been one of my inspirations. Bobbito the Barber seems to always finagle a check for doing stuff he’d probably be doing for free anyway. Case in point, he recently collaborated with Pro-Keds to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Royal Flash model. Courtesy of KixandTheCity, video of Bob speaking on the kicks below. Damn him, and all his nicknames. LOL.
Spike Lee’s Joints — Nike Air Trainer II and ‘2.0’ New Era Cap
40 Acres & some kicks…
Wrote a quick blurb about Spike Lee’s growing list of Nike collabs, and a few with New Era too, for Street Level dot com. Good site.
Below, scene from Do The Right Thing when Buggin’ Out is threatening to smack up (2X!) the gentrifier who disrespected his Air Jordan IV’s. Great, great scene.
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