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Complexcon Recap & Trauma Bonding with Morgan Jones
147 Plays1 year ago
This week we I bring Morgan back on the pod just to recap ComplexCon and talk about his new podcast with Flex. We also talk about our recent cops, touch on sneakers we think are making our Sneaker of the Year list. I try to get him to open up about why he continues to have a huge collection. He also spends a lot of time really close to the camera. Great episode this week!
Where to Find Morgan:
Socials: @morgan.sneaker.room
Support the pod by trying Magic Mind: https://magicmind.com/mykick Use code kickpod20 on checkout!
Support the pod by downloading DROPS and COLLECT by SoleSavy: DROPS https://links.solesavy.com/myfirstkicks
COLLECT https://links.solesavy.com/myfirstkic...
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Music by Gordon Bombay: https://thegordonbombay.bandcamp.com/ (Cop something and tell him we sent ya!)
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Transcript
Morgan Jones Returns Post-Complex Con
00:00:00
Speaker
what's good everyone welcome back to my first kicks this is episode 151 and this week we welcome back Morgan get to the podcast Morgan Jones Morgan sneaker room say what up Morgan what is going on how we doing everybody yo thank you for jumping back on you know like I said before we jumped on this that I just didn't want to jump straight into another interview and just after post complex con so
Freestyle Episode Structure
00:00:28
Speaker
I mean, we could talk about conference call. We could talk about, you know, whatever you want. But this is going to be a no structure. Not a not a not a kick talk because. But we'll probably jump into talking about kicks. But I wanted to stray away from the norm because in order to jump, I did way too many interviews while I was over there, bro. And and hopefully we'll drop them slowly at me and my boy Foggy working on it. But it was I tell you, man, I'm socially
00:00:59
Speaker
I guess social social taxed out is the word I want to use. So it's just comfortable to talk to me. So yeah, you know, go back to go back to the roots. Yeah, you're one of the the early early guest.
Social Media Influence in Sneaker Culture
00:01:18
Speaker
And I mean, look, we could be real with these people. We want to Dre on as well. It was going to be me, you and Dre and.
00:01:28
Speaker
I wanted to talk about him hitting. Yeah, I wanted to talk about him hitting 100K. But we're not giving him any more people to listen to or make it workflow. Look, I've been at 23K for months now. And yeah, if y'all want to follow me, go ahead, please
Authenticity vs. Commercialization in Sneaker Content
00:01:49
Speaker
do it. Because some of these other these sneaker creators, man, you know, who have more than me.
00:01:58
Speaker
I'm still trying to figure out why. We could talk about it, bro. We could talk about it. Let's talk about it. I mean, I'm not a big fan of sneaker creators in general. We could be real about it. I mean, I don't consider myself as one in terms of just like, I mean, I make content based around sneakers, but I'm not like reviewing sneakers every week and buying early pairs.
00:02:24
Speaker
I'd like to talk about the stories and then it's connection to me, but I'm not out here trying to get brands to work with me on the real. So you're not trying to tell people like what they should buy and what they shouldn't buy this next week on the sneakers app. Right. Exactly. Gotcha. Okay. Okay. Just checking. Have you ever seen me? Have you ever seen a video I put out and that's the
00:02:48
Speaker
That's what you get. Like that's never. Never. But I see so many of those videos. It's hard to keep track of who's doing them and who isn't. It's it's it's not fun. That's like I've always said that, like to me, that's not the fun part of sneaker, tick tock or sneakers in general, that the whole selling it so that people can like, I don't know unless unless somebody is giving me money to
00:03:17
Speaker
to push the item, maybe. But at the same time, it's like, I don't make content that would make brands want to be like, yo, here's something. Sell this for me, you know? Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. The idea. You've told me some alley oops in the past. I know. I have. And I try to get them alley oops for me. Nah. It's not working.
00:03:48
Speaker
It's definitely not working. But I guess talk to these people about where they can find you. Let's get that off early in here. Yeah. You can find me on TikTok at Morgan's sneaker room. You can find me on Instagram at Morgan's sneaker room. I really just try to post everything that I think is funny.
Influence of Sneaker Culture in Marketing
00:04:17
Speaker
Yeah, that's just and I try to talk about what I like about sneakers. So I'm not trying to sell anybody anything. I'm just just like Haas talking about the stories behind sneakers as much as I can. So yeah, give me a follow. I mean, look, you've gotten some really good follows regardless. I think it's when you when you talk about passion or like sneaker passion, I think
00:04:45
Speaker
real brands or like people that work at those brands do follow, like find you. And that's like the difference of it, you know, the of like when people who, which is what I was trying to like talk about on Twitter is that there are a lot of people that are jumping into these brands and working as like marketing people, but they're from sneaker culture. So they kind of gravitate towards that instead of
00:05:12
Speaker
like, how like, Mikey would be like, Oh, let's who's the hottest person? Let's give him let's give him a shot. And I think that's, I don't know if it what do you think? Like, does that connect with you more or or, or like, what do you like more? Do you like when somebody is just talking about a sneaker and not really that passionate about it? No, I want you know, I, I gravitate towards passion, I gravitate towards
00:05:40
Speaker
like nerding out over a sneaker, whether it's the story, whether it's a person, like, you know, we've talked a lot about the Action Bronson New Balance collab. And yeah, one of my contemporaries on TikTok doesn't seem to like him. You know, he just doesn't understand why, you know, Action Bronson getting a New Balance collab is good for sneaker culture.
00:06:10
Speaker
I like nerding out over that type of stuff. I like nerding out over materials and colorways and history and that type of thing. Whenever you get somebody who buys their way into sneaker culture, and you can always tell who it is.
Platform Dynamics: TikTok vs. YouTube
00:06:29
Speaker
They can't stay camouflaged for long. I get repulsed by that.
00:06:38
Speaker
the I mean, we can talk about like, just because I've always was wondering. And I mean, I think I don't know if I don't know if this is right. But I think your I guess the meteoric rise is tick tock, right? And the I think I think it's just so separate how like, tick tock
00:06:59
Speaker
Instagram, like all the socials don't commingle, which is, you know, you get different types of sneakerhead on one platform. And then when they try to migrate to another platform platform, they get they get bounced out like so. I don't know. I don't know if that's happened to you or like, have you seen that? I've definitely seen it with other creators like there are
00:07:25
Speaker
We can talk about YouTube, so YouTube creators who I used to watch when I was younger. I've seen them try to migrate over to TikTok and it doesn't work for them. I have seen some people have some success over on YouTube who came from TikTok. But for me, I'm not looking at it as a sense of being successful. I'm looking at it as like,
00:07:54
Speaker
TikTok is just a huge group chat where we can balance ideas and I can put something out there and then people can comment on it. Whether they agree with me or they don't agree with me. I've started to look at it like that rather than, okay, I'm trying to get as many followers as possible. So that has kind of been a shift that I've made over the last
Content Creation Fatigue
00:08:23
Speaker
Few months because for a while I was thinking like okay. I got to get more followers. I got to get more views Let's see if I can make some money on this and it stopped being fun. And so I took a step back and Now I post whenever I feel like it And it's not great for the algorithm, but I don't really care anymore But I feel like I have the type of content and I have the type of
00:08:52
Speaker
you know, sneaker taste that I think if I put the same effort into Instagram, I would be more successful over there. But I've already got momentum on TikTok. And I don't I just don't feel like I have the energy to to spend my time on both platforms. No, yeah, it sucks. I have to do every single platform just to push the podcast. So I understand it. And that's why I never really put a ton of effort into my TikToks. You know, I think that
00:09:22
Speaker
the idea of, I mean, I was talking to the homie, Brian Medeiros, who does Nacho's average finds. So me and him were talking and he was just like, you know, content grind is just like a totally different beast and it just wears you down. And I totally get that because I'm like, and that's the biggest struggle in that. I mean, even in your episode we talk about of just being like,
00:09:52
Speaker
I have to make all this extra stuff just to get eyes on this. I'm like, why can't I just do this and do it extremely well and then people will find it. It doesn't equate. You have to do all this extra stuff and then be like an extra personality on top of what I'm doing here. I don't find that appealing.
Podcasting and Content Strategy
00:10:15
Speaker
I don't find that as fun.
00:10:17
Speaker
to just want to constantly post up or put on TikTok of my funny quips or whatever and my takes. And then it kind of just, I have to come up with that stuff in order to get to the podcast stuff. And then when the podcast stuff doesn't do well, I'm kind of like,
00:10:40
Speaker
Oh man, this kind of sucks. Like, why am I doing this? Yeah, I've definitely been there. I've been there with TikToks where it's like, I will spend a lot of time editing. And I mean, you've seen, I've gotten kind of nice with the photo editing and the video editing. And I'll spend a lot of time. I mean, nice is relative. Here we go. Here we go. I'll still talk, man.
00:11:05
Speaker
Look look I went to school for graphic design you you telling me nice with the editor. I'm gonna look at you sideways, bro I'll be like nah I'm doing these things and like just trying to get creative with the video and the photo side of it and
00:11:32
Speaker
You know, when it gets 500 views, it's kind of like, well, shoot, you know, that sucked. But I wish I had 500 views. I know you do. I know you do. But when you have, I've got almost 24,000 followers, which is small when it comes to like TikTok numbers, but in real life, like having 24,000 people who
00:12:00
Speaker
think that your content is interesting. Like, I'm still baffled by that. But yeah, I mean, I definitely understand the grind of like, you put out something and you put, you know, your your heart and soul into it and then it flops. Like, it sucks. Like, I was think I was equating is to because I don't know if you watch the May the Lord watch Little Brother documentary.
00:12:29
Speaker
But you got to watch it. You like a little brother, right? Yeah. OK, I was about to say we're about to end this podcast right now. North Carolina's finest. Whatever North Central. That's a high school high school.
Cultural Misunderstandings and Group Dynamics
00:12:45
Speaker
Fonte is listening right now. Like North Central. But the but like just the idea, like if you even if you compare this to music, right, where you put another album,
00:12:59
Speaker
I'm basically I'm putting out an album every week and like it's not it's not doing anything, right? And you look at it like you look at it from the from the grand scheme like, man, am I doing something? Am I doing something? And the TikToks go nowhere. And I'm like, I've been at 700 followers for God knows how long. And I'm trying to like, yo, let me at least get to 1000 so I can show my face on on one of these lives. Like, yeah.
00:13:26
Speaker
I'm tired of you being like, Oh, he can't even show his face on here. Like talking crazy. Bless you. The best. I'm not editing that out.
00:13:50
Speaker
But I mean look you're starting you're starting your own podcast with flex which which is I don't know how you gonna do this, but I I I implore that you do follow through with it just so I can see how this goes. Yeah, I am I'm a very big proponent of Let's just see what happens So
00:14:14
Speaker
That's what I plan on doing. I'm letting him kind of take the lead and I'll do whatever he wants me to do.
00:14:29
Speaker
I mean, what's your idea for that? Because I wanted to pick your brain. I wanted to talk to you, but Flex wouldn't let me on to the live that day when he announced it. And I wanted to pick you guys' brain about what do you guys expect to do with the podcast or what do you want to do with it? So what I see, and we haven't really talked much about it, but
Lessons from Online Communities
00:14:52
Speaker
I feel like he's got some ideas.
00:14:57
Speaker
What I think is we both have very different opinions on sneakers, even though we both, you know, we get along and we agree on a lot of things. We both, I think come from very different spaces when it comes from, when it comes to sneakers. So, um, while he might be excited for the next Jordan 11 that comes out, I'm like, ah, but other whack, like I'm not.
00:15:20
Speaker
I'm not feeling those, right? One thousand percent. Right. I mean, but that's like if we if we made a podcast, it probably would not. I mean, this is what we're getting. The people are going to be like, oh, these two dudes are just they they they grew up in the same type of sneaker them like. So it makes sense. Yeah, right. Like, you know, I feel like Flex is very new to not very new to sneakers, but he's not as ingrained
00:15:50
Speaker
as we are. I think he's somebody who appreciates the sneakers for what they are and the design and stuff like that. But I feel like the two of us would, again, nerd out over a colorway, nerd out on the storytelling. I still can't get Flex to watch do the right thing. He still thinks that it's a sneaker movie. Oh, my God.
00:16:17
Speaker
I try to be cool about it, man. But I mean, he thinks it's a sneaker movie. So how is that? I mean, I don't know. Oh, my God. I don't. I would probably have like a conniption if I if I try to get into this with him. But, you know, yeah, I agree with you. You guys in the group chat are hilarious. I mean, you guys argue like.
00:16:43
Speaker
It's not very often that you guys argue, but when you do, man, it's like nobody, nobody's going to back down. Neither one of you guys back down. He's, but my thing is like, he's, I think flex is to like,
00:16:59
Speaker
When he has something in his brain that he thinks he's 100% right, then he's like, oh, I have to prove you're right. And then for me, I'll admit I'm wrong, because I've been to where he's at, where I just think I'm right all the time. That was me on the forums. That's me on the forums. I was on the forums every day. It would be like a post, and I'll be like, nah, you're wrong. And then I'll go. I remember I got into it with somebody. I don't know if you listen to Jedi Mind Tricks. Do you know what Jedi Mind Tricks are? I know of them.
00:17:29
Speaker
But so the Jedi mind tricks was Vinnie Paz and just a lot, right? Just a lot made all the beats Vinnie Paz was rapping. And so they also had two separate names, right? So they would call each other Vinnie Paz would call himself icon the hologram. And then just a lot would call himself
00:17:48
Speaker
something like Megatron, whatever. Some weird name that involves like Transformers. Yeah, like Ghostface. So I kept saying, there's four people in the group. And I was like, that's how hard headed I was. And people were telling me like, no, you're wrong. No, you're wrong. And I'm like, I listen to the songs. And this is before Google had all the answers. So this is me like listening to the album, looking at the book,
00:18:15
Speaker
Right. And then being like, nah, there's four people because they don't really put their faces in the book and stuff. And then it's like, see, is icon a hologram? Then he passed like, and then I was just like breaking it down. And people were like, man, you're wrong as hell. And then I had to you had to like, once people put you in a place enough, put put you in in your place enough times, then you have to be like, all right, man, like I get it, you know. And then so I'm quick. I'm always quick to be like, all right, I'm wrong. Like I have no problem being like, I'm wrong. So.
00:18:45
Speaker
Well, I was I was going around telling people that Redman was in Wu-Tang Clan. So he's affiliate. I think he's affiliate now. Yeah. Yeah. So for a long time, I was talking to Redman was and was in Wu-Tang Clan. So yeah, that that that I mean, like the the idea of just like
00:19:13
Speaker
I mean, when I was in high school, I was, I was a big liar because I wanted to fit in. And I feel like everybody has that moment, right? Where you just like, yeah, I'm going to make that lie. I've never in my life heard anybody. I'm admitted right now. I'm admitted in right now. I'm not a liar. I'm not a huge liar now, but I used to be like, yeah, Rona Deion was my cousin. Like I used to, I used to. No, in high school you were doing that? No, no, no. Middle, like middle school. Not, not high school. Did I say high school? Middle school. Middle school. I was a kid. Okay.
00:19:42
Speaker
Go on. So what were you lying about? But, but yeah, I used to, I used to just to fit in. I used to be like, yeah, you know, I'm Brazilian. So, you know, such and such is my cousin. I used to be like that. That's, that was me. That's, you know, I knew a lot of people in elementary school who said Lil Balal was their cousin. That was elementary school, man. That was, everybody was doing that. Everybody was saying Lil Balal was their cousin.
00:20:11
Speaker
So everybody related. Yeah. Okay. Like I'm I'm in third grade, but I'm not dumb. That's wild, man. You know, I definitely want to talk about the I mean, we talk we could talk about fucking my time with J tips at complex con and you know how this damn shoe sold out in eight minutes online. I'm sorry.
Complex Con Experiences and Sneaker Acquisition
00:20:41
Speaker
Um, I, so I used, I used the connection, right? Right. And, uh, I, you know, I, I shared the, the J tips, um, Instagram posts and I tagged, uh, Oh boy. And it, and I was like, y'all still didn't get my pair. And, uh, there's still hope, there's still hope. Um, I'll be getting the package soon.
00:21:06
Speaker
I mean, I pray for you. I hope you don't I truly hope you don't though How much you pay how much you pay for yours 160 I caught them at the booth I got them signed I got the box signed and then I had to leave the box in Cali be my boys crib, so I
00:21:29
Speaker
Let me see if I can get the box on. I gotta send a message. I hope you don't even get the shoe. I'll straight up say it. I wanted to make a video about this. I just wanted to make a video and be like, I'm not happy for you if you got a shoe that I wanted. Straight up. If I didn't get the shoe. Yeah, that's fair. Let me tell you about the time.
00:21:54
Speaker
Let me tell you about the time and Chris, shout out to Chris. He listens to this. This is the homie. He's been listening since episode one. I wanted these damn Doran Becker five so bad. The one with the black light and the lettering. So we both put in raffles at the same spot, all the same spots. Right. And I didn't hit. He hit, but he picks me up to go drive around, to pick up his shoe.
00:22:20
Speaker
The entire time in the car, he opens the box and shows me the shoe. I'm upset. I'm fuming. I'm in the car like, good for you. And he's like, no, we'll just go to another full locker. They probably got him. Like, no, bro. It's over. It's over. I'm hoping to grab the steering wheel. I mean, I want to grab the steering wheel and kill the both of us. That's how I would have handled that.
00:22:48
Speaker
I'm never happy for anybody that gets shoes. Shoes that I want. I'm happy for you if you got a shoe that you want and that I didn't care about and be like, yo, good on you. Shout out to you. But if you get these J-tips, if you get the blue pair of J-tips and I don't get the blue pair of J-tips, I'll be like, nah, I hate you more. Anybody that got the...
00:23:16
Speaker
I'm not going to lie. So hopefully, I can get that brown pair sent to me, right? But if I have to, I will pay resale for that blue pair. I will pay resale for them. I mean. I can get both of them. The resale is taxing now. The retail is. It's because rents not due yet. I tried to pay. Rents not due yet.
00:23:45
Speaker
Got something cooking right now. I got something cooking right now on eBay And this may be my best way yet. When are you gonna um, when is this release? It's a release in next week All right bet. So I'll hopefully I'll have them by then. So What size you wear now, you're a 13 on 13. I was not having it. All right, perfect. So volcano gel light fives and
00:24:12
Speaker
Yeah, they don't even, they didn't even come out in a size 13. So you're fine. Bro, 260, 260 on eBay, OG box, OG everything. So that is currently cooking. I mean, I pray, I'll pray you get those because actually, no, I pray you don't get those. I'm taking it back because I'm so bitter that I wasn't able to cop when they first dropped
00:24:42
Speaker
And I remember going to Kith and pulling up, waiting on a line, get there, get to the front of the line. And I go, 13. They go, we didn't make a 13. And I go, what? What? And I was pissed ever since, bro. Volcano. You have the threes, the July threes? No, I've only gotten the only pairs of Ronnie Fags
00:25:11
Speaker
I have are the GT2s, Brazil Colorway. OK. And I have those. Yeah, I know you do. But you ain't Brazilian, so it don't matter. I could be. That's actually true. You could be. I'm racially ambiguous. This is definitely the racially ambiguous duo over here. We're making podcasts together. That's what we should call it, just racially ambiguous.
00:25:42
Speaker
Then we might have to do that if the if you inflex don't work out we could do that The and then I also have the Eastern Conference whatever the Knicks colorway Okay, I mean as as natural born rivals here cuz you know, I hate the Pacers and
Complex Con vs. Sneaker Con
00:26:06
Speaker
You can, I'm glad you won't touch them. So let's, so, okay. One day, one day, you know what we need to do though? You know what we need to do though? We need to either figure out a game where you either come to New York or I come down to Indiana and we watch the Knicks versus Pacers. We need to make that happen. Okay. I've been to, I've been to a Knicks versus Pacers game and I was as close to court, court side as I'm ever going to get. Like I could, I could have,
00:26:35
Speaker
I see who was on who was even on that Knicks team at the time. This was like 19. Oh, OK. So they weren't bombs. So we're looking at. So Pacers was like T.J. Warren was on the team. Yeah. Victor Oladipo. You know, this was that time. Yeah. I was close enough to the court. I could have spit on T.J. McConnell. Yeah. The Knicks, Knicks beat us and I was hot.
00:27:03
Speaker
Yeah, it's like I was the year that was the surprising year for the Knicks where Randall showed up and and he was like, I'm a score 30 a game. Like he's yeah, he was going crazy. I'm about to sneeze real quick. All right. But me that time. Thank you. I mean, you got me because you didn't get to go to complex. You got any questions for me for complex con?
00:27:33
Speaker
For complex con I'm gonna be honest with you, man I went I went to one sneaker con and I never had any interest in going to another con ever again Well, I'm gonna tell you complex con is a thousand percent different than any sneaker on yeah, I will gladly shit on any sneaker con to be honest because and
00:27:56
Speaker
They've never hit me up. I will probably never go to one unless they asked me to go to one and I'd probably give like bad takes anyway, but the sneaker con got souls like I They don't intrigue me. I think they're probably the bane of sneaker culture right now of just capitalizing on reselling and complex con is about yeah, I
00:28:20
Speaker
And complex is is what you'd hope a sneaker con would be. So brands come. You get to learn about new brands. You get to walk the floor. Celebrities are there. You get to talk to them. You get to like booths like all the booths were all individually dope. The I mean, I got to meet Jay Tips. I got I got a gaita gaita from Lil Dicky Gaita Instagram. He put he put he pumped the pod on that. I got a video with him. I got to talk to
00:28:50
Speaker
Jay from Saucony, shout out to Jay. And we got to talk. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's our guy. That's our guy. I mean, he sent me stuff. I mean, listen, he's going to do an episode of this podcast. So I'll hash it out. I'll hash it out with him to make sure that you don't get any more stuff. I'll do that.
00:29:13
Speaker
Oh, but like I implore people because I think the one thing about complex is I've always been a fan of complex. You know, it's funny because the minute I walked in and started walking around, guess who I ran into? Who's that? Mark Echo. No, Mark Echo. So I walk in and I'm like, I'm like out of sight, like just walking around. I'm like, I'm like, Mark. I don't know. He's like, he's like, yo, what's up? And I was just like,
00:29:44
Speaker
I'm like, yo, bro, because me and him, we go way back. We go way back, bro. When the year that Getting Up came out, the game about graffiti. So I'll tell you this story. So he did a Q&A on IGN, and I got one of my questions asked, right? So he did like a black book graffiti signing
00:30:13
Speaker
And he had all the like legends from the game, like actual real graffiti legends pull up to Virgin mega store on 42nd street. I go there. Cause I wanted to get my game signed by all of them. And I realized, Oh, no, they stopped me and they go, Oh, you had to have been invited to get, to be part of this. So then I yell at Mark echo. I'm like, yo, Mark, this is the, this is, this is the, the balls I had on me. Yo, Mark.
00:30:42
Speaker
Do you remember me? You answered my question on IGN. And he goes, oh, snap, yeah. So he let me get all my shit signed. And I got to meet Rakim. I was in a picture in the source of Rakim because of that. It was in the source, in the source. Yeah, like Source Magazine. That's crazy. Right? That's something that happened in Indianapolis.
00:31:06
Speaker
You gotta move bro. So then fast forward to complex Connor run into him. I tell him the same story. He remembered me, bro. I was like, what? And I told him about the podcast. I gave him a sticker.
00:31:21
Speaker
No, no, no response back. But the just like the I was just telling him, yo, man, you know, like it was just a wild time. Like you actually like helped me get to get to meet all these graffiti legends and stuff like that. I got my book signed and he was like, yo, that's crazy. Like I remember that was crazy version of Megastore. That's wow. I was just like, yeah.
Complex Con as a Cultural Hub
00:31:39
Speaker
But yeah, that was like complex con is just really dope. I implore you to definitely pull up next year. Yeah. Yeah. It might be that might be something I do.
00:31:49
Speaker
Cause it does look like a lot of fun. Now, did you go to the, did you go to the panel, the sneaker of the year panel? I couldn't get in. So I was, I got there late, but I guess a lot of the people that were really like wanting to go to sneaker of the year panel, they stayed from the, the panel before. And then they were like,
00:32:14
Speaker
Now a lot of people were like they only let in a couple people. So by the time we get there, they weren't letting anybody in. And I had a media pass. So they were like, oh, you know, you get to go VIP, whatever. So I could skip all the lines. But there was no space for me to get in. And I was I didn't miss the whole panel. Right. Did you see the list? And did you did you see the list? I saw I saw bits and pieces, man. It's it's a very complex
00:32:42
Speaker
I mean, they definitely, I mean, Terror Squad Air Force One is making the list, man. How? Are you pulling it up now? Yeah, I'm looking up right now. Let's see, because I talked to Brendan Dunn after and. He was like, I'm going to have to talk about this for 20 shows or whatever, so he didn't tell me what the list was. Yeah, it's.
00:33:13
Speaker
Let me see. Let me see. I'm going to pull it myself. Yeah. Oh, this is twenty twenty two. Look at the twenty twenty three. Let's see. What about Instagram? Is it on the Instagram? It might be.
Debating Sneaker Awards Credibility
00:33:41
Speaker
Let me see.
00:33:47
Speaker
Alright. I know they pulled out the red boots. Tiffany Air Force Ones. SB Jordan Fours. Nah, I don't got no list. You don't have a list? I just know that SB Fours won. Somebody said SB Fours won.
00:34:19
Speaker
What on TikTok? Had the list and he was yeah, he was going through and putting putting his opinion on him and I was like, this is nuts. What are you? I mean. What do you think? Is like. About this list in general, because like, or do you think what do you think about list in general, like?
00:34:48
Speaker
So subjective And that's that's one of the things that's why I like this time of year to put out my own list because My list is way different Than anybody else and then you know, I get accused of being you know trying to be different and stuff like that but it's like just by the nature of what my taste is it's gonna be different like I feel like the SB force are
00:35:19
Speaker
Um, or one of the top sneakers of the year. A lot of people are calling it, uh, number one is not in my top five. Um, but I would put, I mean, I'm looking at the stack of boxes over there. Um, the gel NYC, the bodega gel NYC. Um, I wasn't a big fan of those. Like I was, I was hesitant to be like.
00:35:46
Speaker
Like I get the I get the inspiration behind it. But for some reason that like darkish colorway did not appeal to me. Well, this is just in case somebody from Bodega is listening. OK. Oh, the concepts, the concepts, you know, I don't think I don't think that should even be counted because it's a shoe that originally released in 2013. So that's so no retro Jordans account.
00:36:15
Speaker
Sure. I'm fine with that. Like, if we want to put that, I mean, I'm for that stipulation. I really like the, like it has to be, if the collab, like the SB fours count because it's a brand new shoe. Like it's, you know, it's a new way. Yeah. But if somebody's like, say if they released a Bordeaux
00:36:37
Speaker
Sevens this year. Yeah, you can't somebody go
Storytelling in Sneaker Culture
00:36:40
Speaker
sneaker of the year. I'll be like, all right, bro. Like pack it up. Like that's not that's It just can't go on the list at all or it's like it can't be top I don't think it should be considered like if it's a shoe re-releasing just because it's in a different year It doesn't yeah, I don't think it should be considered in in a sneaker of the year list. Yeah, okay Then so I'll start
00:37:05
Speaker
With that in mind, just some sneakers, the gel NYC, the bodega joints, the Color Plus company, I ended up getting sent one pair. I already had the beach pair, the beach ramble pair before that. And then I just got the glacier pair that just came out. I really like all three of those. I like the glacier pair the most. Yeah, those are really nice. Yeah.
00:37:35
Speaker
a sneaker I got recently that you don't have, the extra butter sambas. Yeah, those are sneaker of the year for me. I was gonna make a video about it because of just how close. Yeah, that's literally number one for me because of how closely connected I am to that shoe. And like when I look at it, I'm like transported back to my time in Brazil. So like that to me makes it sneaker of the year for me.
00:38:02
Speaker
because it's just it's a culmination of this movie I love. You know, it's connected to like my family like is that immediately puts it to number one for me. Yeah, so I do have the shoe. Yeah. All right. You don't gotta rub it in. And I've never been to Brazil before. I've never seen City of God. You know? Yeah, okay.
00:38:30
Speaker
You were you seem to sit on you. It's wasted on you. It might just sit in that pile over there for a while. I mean, my biggest problem with you in general is that you have too many sneakers. Hey, I love it. I like I've made a couple. I've made a couple of videos of
00:38:52
Speaker
talking about you and squint specifically, because squid also buys a ton of sneakers that he never wears. Right. And I'm like, I mean, I get it, right? I want every pair, but I think we need to just be a little bit more subjective into like, Okay, am I gonna wear this? Am I
00:39:11
Speaker
And then if I'm not, should I just let it go? Because a lot of these sneakers are just sitting in a closet. They're not being worn. Sneakers are made to be worn. Please do something with them. You don't need 700 pairs, bro. You know what? You know what? I hear you, but I'm not listening. I hear you, but I'm not listening. Matter of fact, I just got this in the mail. I just got this in the mail.
00:39:42
Speaker
eBay oh yeah top top star yeah, I didn't know what it was I still really don't I don't know what it basically it gives you Like a insight like you get an extra portal that you can buy like rare sneakers rare sneakers At like close to retail pricing so yeah
00:40:02
Speaker
But you have to maintain a certain amount of spending or selling in order to maintain the top star. But it is like my homeboy, if he was part of it and he would like he cop like the I think the desert Travis Travis sixes off of there for retail. So it is beneficial. But it's also mostly just newer stuff, though. You're not going to see like
00:40:27
Speaker
the Kennedys pull up on there. Like you're not going to see nothing crazy. You know, you're not going to see a gel light three salmon toe. You know, you're not going to see the boys. The boys. Yeah. I just got some Deidora Capito's. That's another Brazilian. That's a Brazilian theme shoe, right? I mean, I don't know that one. Let me look it up. It's Deidora.
00:40:57
Speaker
Capitos? Yeah, C-O-P-I-T-O. Capitos. It's also a monkey, like a gorilla. 24 calates. 24 calates, yeah. Is that how you say it? Calates? I'm from Indiana, so we just say calates. I mean, we've got, we've had somebody on here saying,
00:41:26
Speaker
Nice. Nice. That's your boy. That's your boy. Um these are from 2016. Yeah. Uh Japan's extra large and Spanish sneaker shop. Twenty-four Calatas.
Sneaker Authenticity and Production Variations
00:41:45
Speaker
Uh teams up with the Adora for this collaboration. Uh Japanese
00:41:53
Speaker
brand gorilla logo with the fact that Italy was home to the world's only known albino gorilla, Coppito, who lived at Barcelona Zoo from 1996 until his death in 2003. Has nothing to do with Brazil. You should learn more about your sneakers. I've got so many. It's hard to, it's hard. That's all I'm saying. How are these sneakers being appreciated, man?
00:42:20
Speaker
I'm telling you about him now. I had to tell you about the shoe now. You didn't even know about the shoe. OK, but once I knew it, all right, what else? So some Air Max 120s. I love finding those on eBay. I don't know why, but that sneaker is just, I feel like it's one of the best Air Maxes of all time, but it's super swept art.
00:42:47
Speaker
Yeah, I like that spider web on the toe box. Yeah. Look it up. Let me look it up, because if it's the shoe I'm thinking about, then I'll be like, yeah, I'm just like, yeah, I'm just ugly. Oh, go ahead. And that's the outlet shoe. That's the outlet special. Yeah. Yeah, I love that shoe. So I got a list of those recently.
00:43:08
Speaker
this the crackhead special you see these and that man got crack in his hand is that is that a is that a fact out in New York I mean I haven't seen a crackhead in those usually it's the fusion Jordans I've always said fusion Jordans are crackhead sneakers I'll hear it's the the Nike boots
00:43:34
Speaker
Oh, really? They made him down there to where they're, you know, the ACGs go with domes. The all black ones. Yeah. I mean, shoot. Is he selling the crack? Because usually that's that's selling the crack. No. Or cop. It might. Yeah, it could be a cop. But I don't think I don't think cops go undercover as crackers, do they? Unless you got crackhead cops.
00:44:09
Speaker
I mean, look, my last cop is obviously the J-tips. But before that, I caught the Avia 550s. The 80s. Yeah. Yeah. No, no, no. Five fifties. OK. They're the leaders, leaders quality and Avia collab.
00:44:34
Speaker
They're called who diversify soul. Oh, yeah, you know, he'd be he'd be he'd be pushing them. But the I mean, he ain't got these. I'm going to tell you that. But Jamerson, if you watch sneakers, he's one of the host of sneakers live. He has a brand called Leader Quality.
00:45:06
Speaker
And the oh, here's a it's a fifty five. My bad. It's the Avia. Oh, wait. No, is it? Yeah, it is. It's a fifty five. My bad. The he did a collaboration. The shoe is gorgeous. It's like Miami colorway. Leaders quality, the leader quality.
00:45:29
Speaker
And Avia, you just put leader quality. Oh, I see, I see. Yeah. This is nice, like Miami. So to be clear, when you said Miami, I was thinking like Miami Vice. Oh, I was going to say Miami University. Yeah, then you. Yeah, fire. Yeah. So I got to make a video on those because somebody asked me to review them. And the story behind it, you know,
00:45:58
Speaker
Just as it's about creativity, he talks about just people. I mean, I'll read it from here. In the words of Leader Quality, this sneaker is for people in all walks of creativity who abide by the following mantra. Whatever you do, work with all your heart. It's for the creators, by the creators, with the creators, according to the brand. My homie hooked me up with an early pair with the early code.
00:46:26
Speaker
So I got him I got him a day early. It's a dope shoot, bro. Like they're dope for sure. I like them. My my when I hosted the live show, my homie Chaney, Chris Chaney jumped on the onto a co-host with me on the live show. And his thing is his thing is Avia messed up the the U.S. version of their like factory.
00:46:54
Speaker
like messed up all the models of the shoes. So if you want like legit Avias, you have to get them from overseas because overseas uses the right factory that has all the real models.
Adidas Consortium Cup and Sneaker Collaborations
00:47:05
Speaker
And they reworked all the models into the US. So he's like, he's like, you got to get these if you want the real what's the height the sky, the sky top Avia, they
00:47:17
Speaker
Yeah, in the eight eighties, if you anybody, yeah, if you're anybody listening, you'll see that journeys has eight eighties on sale for freaking $50 right now. $60 right now. Do not buy them. Go online, go on eBay and get a European release. They look totally different. My boy cop them. I think he spent like.
00:47:39
Speaker
I think he said he cobble it for like 200 or something like that. But it's like it's uses like the real like the real materials and the real leather and the real model, the meal, the real mold. So it's like he's he's he said it's like a big controversy or something like that. And I'm just like, all right, man, like I don't really care about Avia's like that, bro. Yeah, I've never had a pair. Yeah, I've had a pair before. But I've heard you just show me that eight fifty five. That's kind of fire. Yeah.
00:48:08
Speaker
You should cop them. Cop them. I should. I should cop them. But I got this. I got it cooking on eBay right now. I got something cooking on eBay. So I caught. So one of the best projects of the year that I think is going to get slept on, we kind of touched on it, was the consortium cup, all those different pairs. And I have had to, like,
00:48:36
Speaker
you know, I like to chill out because you know, I like completing packs, right? And so, I'm sitting here looking at all the Samba's like, okay, boom, like, oh, brother, the the extra butter pear fire. Mm hmm. Sneaker politics sent me their Samba. Yeah. Fire. Uh even um nice kicks. I like nice. I don't know if that one's the consortium cup though but and and it is. It is.
00:49:06
Speaker
I think that that has been one of the best. Like programs of the year, not a lot of fun. And now I'm seeing these sneakers come out and it's like, yeah, this is this was crazy. All right. Let me read a little something for these people here, because if you want to check it out, a consortium cup, 16 stores, four rounds, one champion, the inaugural Adidas Consortium Cup is a footwear.
00:49:36
Speaker
design tournament, putting 16 of the world's most renowned sneaker stores and brands against each other after. BSTN's what BST, I don't know what BSTN is winning model from round one. Oh, oh, from round one, the eye catching Samba BSTN releasing just last week. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Showcasing a rather loud approach via Adidas Samba extra butter and
00:50:05
Speaker
the adidas samba politics add color to the classic silhouettes while the adidas samba nice kicks, the adidas samba end, and the adidas samba casino all emphasize the fondness for subtle yet intriguing details. And I mean, we touched on the extra butter pair, but yeah.
00:50:26
Speaker
I mean, the casino pair is, jeez, that's clean, bro. That casino pair is clean, man. I mean, yeah, the sneaker politics pair was, I didn't see the extra butter pair until later, but when I saw the pictures of the sneaker politics pair, I think Tony
00:50:48
Speaker
you on Twitter post to them and I was like, oh my God, these are gorgeous, you know, because I'm a sucker for leopard print. Like you give me anything leopard print. Like I'll rock the shit out of it. But that extra butter pair is my sneaker of the year just because of what it means to me. And I think that this I wish there was more of this, like just putting, you know,
00:51:13
Speaker
sneaker boutiques who have this much heritage within and culture within the culture of sneaker culture. It is just able to help a lot more people understand and get more. I want to say like ingrained into that. This is not just what's hype. There's much more to this. There's stories to be told. And I thought I thought like I was intrigued by it. I thought the idea, especially using a legacy model like the Samba,
00:51:42
Speaker
in order to enhance like just awareness on people because the Samba is currently having it's what 15th revival or something like that. Like so I think it was a good shoot. Yeah, I agree. And so did you do any voting for the consortium? Yeah, I voted all I voted for only extra butter all the way through. I was voting for extra butter as well because I was hoping to, you know,
00:52:12
Speaker
maybe get some stuff. But no, I think, I mean, I like the story that they tell. Always, they always have a really good story. But the nice kicks pair, I just looked up the casino pair, those are gorgeous. Actually, all of those pairs are really good. I can't, I mean, my favorites out of those are like, I start to get the nice kicks and the end pair.
00:52:41
Speaker
wear them once a year and then. Right. Put them away. Let them collect us. I made a video about my 07 Aqua Aqua 8s. Yeah. I don't know if you saw it, but I made it like I see an hour or two. It's like the Will Smith when his dad, you know, why don't you want me? You know what? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:53:07
Speaker
I mean, the fact that you're making jokes about the waste that you're creating in that room. It's self-awareness. It's not good. It's not good. I got big red boots. I won on a phone positive kick this summer. I won on a phone positive kick and a cop like. Where's the where's the. Just let us know, where is the trauma coming from? Where is the stem from, man?
00:53:36
Speaker
That's a good question. That's a good question. What are these sneakers? What hole are these sneakers feeling? Yes. What hole are these sneakers feeling in my life? I don't know. It's tough. It's tough to figure out. But it's always something. It's always something that I want. Right. What is it?
00:54:05
Speaker
I don't drink, I don't smoke. I just buy sneakers. But those are vices. It's not like, it's not, those are vices though, right? Is sneaker your vice? Like, are sneakers your vice? Could be my vice. But then again, that's something that you feel, you're using it to fill a hole. Do you get, when's the last time you were like, and I've asked this, I've asked this on TikTok to everybody. I was like, when's the last time
00:54:34
Speaker
you felt pure excitement to get a sneaker. And so, and that's the thing, right? Is that even if it's just like the capitos, right? Like that was a pair that I really, really wanted. And when they came in, I was like, cool. What's next? You know what I mean? Yeah. Right. I was excited. I changed the laces up. So they had, they came with rope laces in them.
00:55:02
Speaker
Um, and most people keep the rope
Essence of Sneaker Collecting
00:55:04
Speaker
laces. This is one of the few times that I went to, um, uh, a flat lace and I was like, Oh yeah, this is what's up. Um, I would say the C notes. I was excited about those. Um, but to be clear, once I get these shoes, like they usually go straight to feet. Um, yeah, but I don't, that's fine. I think, but the, what I'm trying to, to relay is like.
00:55:32
Speaker
when, like, you remember that one shoe where you were like, yo, like you were like, you know, you, you, you, you stuck in the UPS guy, you, you looking at the track in order every single, every single second, you know, the, the, or, or even where you're like, Oh snap, I can't believe I hit these, you know, and then you just thinking about the shoe for until it arrives. Like when's the last time you felt like that?
00:56:04
Speaker
man. And I'm not gonna lie, every time I get a pair of shoes, that is my reaction. But you just said it wasn't because you were already that you were like, all right, now what's the next one yours already on to the next one. But I'm excited. I'm excited about like, y'all like, like I'm tracking it every single my multiple times a day, like maybe it's gonna come in early. But once I get it,
00:56:30
Speaker
and I put it on a feed a few times, my attention shifts to something else. But once I purchase it in between purchasing it and receiving the sneaker, I'm like, I'm gassed up, I'm hyped. No, the one sneaker where I was like, I think the reaction that you're really talking about is like, where even afterwards, the one that I can remember viscerally is
00:56:59
Speaker
the A.L.D. 990 V2. No parent talking about. No, it's all good. Why are you doing that, man? I cannot believe that I'm that I have another sneakerhead on his sneakerhead podcast telling me that I've got a sneaker problem like that. Well, first of all, we've pivoted. This is not just only a sneakerhead show, but that's right.
00:57:28
Speaker
But okay, I see it. You at Heritage Meets Contemporary, those? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, they don't do nothing for me, I'll be honest. It's all right. It's all right. We just got your first pair of new balances, right? Yeah, but I mean, for me, you know, it doesn't matter the model in terms of, to be honest, I think for me, what really sells me is just the model itself plus the colors.
00:57:58
Speaker
But and I'm a sucker for blue shoes, especially blue and gray. But that yellow just throws me off. And it's for some for some reason, I just don't do not like the way it's like the way the 990 V2 is slowed down like that whenever I see a shoe like that. I don't know if it's like the Air Max 720 effect where I just go, hell no. Like, I'm just like, I see this and I'm like, nope, it's over. I don't want I don't want.
00:58:27
Speaker
So I love the 990 V2, one of my favorite sneaker models of all time. And I think we've talked about it on this podcast before, but I love the 990 V2. Less now, I used to really, really like ALD, maybe like 2017, 2018.
00:58:53
Speaker
And so those are like a perfect storm for me. Plus, there's some olive green in there. So I like the yellow. I got the yellow laces in them. It's a fire shoe. You see the prices on StockX? I saw the price. I hope you didn't pay that. I hope you didn't pay near that at all. So no. So I mean, it is the most I've ever spent on a shoe. But let me tell you what. Oh, this is the $600 shoe?
00:59:23
Speaker
No, this is the six hundred. No. So it's so I paid more than six hundred. But for the sake of my relationship, I've only paid six hundred. So I was doing Uber Eats during Covid. I drive right here and getting paid to go to school. So I was like, I was just trying to get out the house. And so.
00:59:51
Speaker
I just, I drove all week until I made enough money to cover the price. And I think it's gone up like significantly since then, but it was still crazy back then too. And so I drove until I had the money to buy the shoe and that's what I just did that whole week. So yeah. Nah, nah, I wouldn't, nah.
01:00:20
Speaker
I can't I could I couldn't like you don't you don't remember the beginning of COVID though What were you doing at the beginning of COVID? Working work. Yeah working. Yeah, I've been working from home Yeah, I ain't no instructor I know tennis instructor I I got my this is how I started the podcast I
01:00:50
Speaker
Covid happened. Right. And I was just in the house. And I think that's the like I that was the second most I spent on sneakers that year. I was buying one to two pairs a month, like easily. Right. A month. A month. That's the most. Yeah, because I'm like I said, I've I learned how to be a sneaker here from Russ. Right. Like Russ is.
01:01:17
Speaker
Russ was my my guy in terms of just like, if I look at a sneaker, like, when do I want this? How bad do I want this? Does it hit me, you know, and then, you know, or like function wise, like, is this gonna, you know, do what I needed to do? And so for me, like, I'm fine. And when I when I met him, or even on this episode, I said, like,
01:01:45
Speaker
I'm fine appreciating a sneaker from afar. I don't need to have it. And I think a lot of people feel like to be in this game, you have to have the sneaker. And I'm fine being like, oh, I don't have the Tiffany Air Force ones. That's cool. It wasn't for me. Once you learn that ability of just being like, I don't have to have everything, it's a lot easier being a sneakerhead.
01:02:14
Speaker
I feel like I feel like I mean, if we look at my last pickups, it's all stuff from the past, right?
COVID's Impact on Sneaker Collecting
01:02:25
Speaker
And it's like, right. It's not really like, okay, I have to have this shoe to be in this community. No, but I'm not talking about you at all. Yeah, I'm talking about
01:02:40
Speaker
Like, that's what people think it is. Like, that's the status quo. I'm with you. I'm with you. Yeah. I'm with you. You know? And so once COVID happens, you know, I was going off on Sneakers app every day. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Like, whatever. You know? Because they were dropping sneakers like crazy every week that week. Yeah, they were. And so I did that. And then that made me like a super Nike head at that point, because I was just buying Sakai's, which I think is like now the biggest scam.
01:03:10
Speaker
Um, like, like, how come you, uh, how do you feel like there's a biggest scam? Because they just kept dropping colorways and models. You know how they were just dropping them all over, uh, COVID. And I was just like, like, are they really putting any thoughts to it? Like.
01:03:27
Speaker
I think it really shook me out of it was when I caught the cause colorway, the cause blazers, and I had to pay 25 shipping for it. And I was like, Oh, hell no. And I was just like, this case, because I caught them off of causes website. And then they were just sitting everywhere. And I'm just like, Oh, man, they got me good. Like, you know, I could have just waited and cop these for under retail now. So
01:03:48
Speaker
that to me, I thought that, and I mean, look, Sakai's are pretty comfortable, right? I have the vapor waffles and the, and I have two pairs of the blazers because I thought the blazers were really comfortable, but I was buying up as much as possible during COVID. And then I was just like, you know what?
01:04:09
Speaker
Let me build a computer. So I put my money instead of like midway. I was just like, oh, I got that. I got that, you know, 45 45 sent us that check. And so it's so and so I built this computer and I was just like, let me start podcasting. I bought the mic. I bought everything. And I started I started doing this. But for me, I've that was like the most I ever cop until this year. This year I've been
01:04:37
Speaker
This is crazy how many pairs I have. And that's mostly because I've been walking into stores and seeing sneakers that I want in the stores. And I'm like, OK, it's here. It's my size. Now I got to get them like this. So I was going to ask you, do you feel like you're mostly copying like new stuff or do you feel like you're copying stuff from the past? That's mostly new stuff. OK.
01:05:01
Speaker
So I'm the opposite. I'm mostly copping stuff from the past. I mean, I'm looking for stuff from the past, like stuff that I've missed out on. But to find them in a size 13 is always rare. Yeah, that's tough. Yeah, I'm trying to find. So like Diodorus, for example, I started off liking Jordans whenever I first started collecting sneakers. I was a big Jordan head.
01:05:31
Speaker
And so now I'm trying to cop the Deidora's that released as I was making that transition from Deidora, or excuse me, from Jordan, to Saucony, to A6, to New Balance, now to Deidora. So, you know, that's been kind of what I've been on lately. Yeah. I'm kind of getting into the Sambas, but like only the,
01:05:59
Speaker
only the colorways that I like, just because it's a shoe that I can wear out. In Indiana, you wear a nice pair of sneakers. And if I wore the homage
01:06:12
Speaker
uh, gel light threes, everybody's going to be like, Oh, you know, you got two different shoes on, you know, you got two different shoes on, but you know, you're not always trying to go through that. So I'll get some Samba's that have like some green in them or even, um, the sneaker politics one, like that's, yeah, that's a fun pair to wear. So yeah, that's kind of, I mean, I think you need to pair down, bro. I think you need to get rid of. So.
01:06:40
Speaker
get really lop off a quick 200, in my opinion. Like, if you get... Look, bro. I remember when we first started becoming... I don't know if you want to call us friends, but... I don't. But I remember we did that, me, you and Flex, and I was like, oh yeah, I got like... I remember I said 200.
01:07:08
Speaker
And I was like, I went back and I actually counted. I was like, no, I was only at like 130. And now I'm looking at I'm like, I'm definitely at 200 now. Yeah. And it's to me, I always once I hit like 150 ish, I always feel like, OK, some shit got to go. Some shit got some shit got to go. Stuff I don't wear got to go, because if it's if it's just sitting in your closet and it's not getting any love, then what is the purpose? Like, why do we have it? And
01:07:38
Speaker
That's always been something that I learned from Russ, that somebody will want to wear these sneakers. And if it ain't you, it can be somebody else. OK, that's fair. They can get them from somebody else. They're not getting them from me. I've never been, well, let me go back. I've been compelled to sell sneakers.
01:08:06
Speaker
Only if it was to like when I was in school If it was to find the purchase of another sneaker So I got rid of a bunch of Jordans cuz like I wasn't really wearing Jordans I had no need for a fire red five or yeah, you know a 2011
01:08:27
Speaker
black metallic five or a lot of this was a legend, not legend blue, sport blue sixes, like those colorways that didn't make any sense. Well, the fireworks made sense. Actually, those all those files made sense. But I sold those so that I could get like the jam 992s. Right. But I've never had a
01:08:55
Speaker
I've never had the urge to just get rid of sneakers. And I hear what you're saying about like, okay, somebody else can appreciate them. And that's romantic and all, but like, I don't care. That's not something that really, you know, that doesn't really sway me. I like having my sneaker collection. I like it being a conversation piece for people.
01:09:26
Speaker
Um, it's like collecting, it's like collecting anything. I mean, look, if you lived in a city. Yeah. Right.
Sneaker Collections and Personal Identity
01:09:34
Speaker
That I think you'd have more time to wear those pairs. Yeah. Right. You know, but if you look at Indianapolis looks like it's just, you know, cows and.
01:09:48
Speaker
That's crazy. That's crazy. No, no, no. I'm talking about like comparing it to New York, right? Like it's not New York. You're not going to go out every single night. Like, you're not, you're not pulling up to the bar, you know, every night. That sounds exhausting. No, that sounds exhausting. New pairs of kicks every night. So I think that like having
01:10:12
Speaker
That was one of my questions because I think we both grew up in the era where the legends were the ones that had the crazy big massive collections and we all looked up to them, right? You know, B53 53, Croatian style, franlations, like all these dudes that were having just massive, massive collections and you'd be like, yo, they got those? Oh snap, they got those, right?
01:10:41
Speaker
I think we idolized that. And now you're like, I am one of those people. So I don't necessarily I don't feel like I don't feel like I'm one of those people because it would be like, you know, a lot of exclusive stuff that it's like no about, but you're never going to be able to get.
01:11:02
Speaker
Right. No, I think I think I'm talking about like, you know, having a massive collection of just sneakers. Right. I think a lot of people on the forums were like, that's what they were looking up to. And, you know, now that it's so easy to have it because before it was mad hard to have a huge collection like that. Before it was like, you know, people were putting in hours and time just to get these sneakers.
01:11:30
Speaker
one by one, brick by brick, you know? And they weren't getting gifted. None of these people were getting gifted pairs. Like, you know, PG Knows was going crazy just, you know, searching all over the world for Air Force One signed by, I don't know, Sean Marion or something. So like, you know, these massive collections were stuff of legend, you know, legend stature, you know? So I think, you know, I think, but like I said,
01:11:59
Speaker
Because like, but but it's what's wild is that we can look at any content creator, right? Any that's counting you flex, Dre, like all these people that are on and you could look behind them and they always have a massive collection behind them. Right. Yeah. And that that's I think that that's something that sneaker culture is like, oh, in order to have
01:12:24
Speaker
uh you know a following you have to have a massive collection and so i think that you know that's ingrained in a lot of us you know what i think that's a fair point because like i'll look at a i'll look at a creator like harrison neville who who i used to watch um and he would talk about how he moves he moves pairs through his collection so frequently and i would be like
01:12:52
Speaker
Like, why are you, like he's buying stuff and then selling it like right away, taking a few pictures of selling it right away. But he's also buying random boxes and a lot of that stuff isn't even his size. Cause he's always like in the video, like this is my size. And I'm like, so then you're just buying stuff that isn't your size or these people are just sending him different sizes. So he has to offload this stuff. Yeah. So it makes sense. And then you get like a, like a, did you ever watch like Richie Lee?
01:13:21
Speaker
Yeah, I've watched all everybody. I've seen everybody. So Richie Lee, he would, you know, he talked about how he would just move sneakers. And that's just never been a thing that, you know, that I was interested me. What I think, I think that what my sneaker collection is, is a monument to
01:13:50
Speaker
the hard work I've put in, in my life, you know, just being able to, you know, I could have a nicer car, like I drive a Toyota Camry, I could have a nicer car, I could do, I don't want to say have a bigger house too loud, because I don't know if my girlfriend went to that.
Sneaker Scarcity to Accessibility Transition
01:14:16
Speaker
But this is just like,
01:14:19
Speaker
This is like my monument to like, you know, coming from a, I came from a place, not physically, but I came from a place where I didn't think that I'd ever like go to college. Not that there's anything wrong with being a police officer, I guess. Um, like my brother's a police officer.
01:14:40
Speaker
Um, but I thought I would do something like that or be a firefighter or do some like blue collar work or my whole life. And now I'm in a spot where I'm teaching. Tennis full time. Um, so it's just, this has always been like a monument to like, I just busted my ass for, you know, all this time. And now this is what I have to show for it. And I'm still proud of it. Like I thought that I would be past the sneaker phase by.
01:15:11
Speaker
31 that's how what I am now and I'm not and I'm not even close So just I think I see the collection less About the individual shoes even though each individual shoe is important I think about it more as like the collection, you know, I'm saying yeah, I got you I got you it's it's like a it's the a culmination of
01:15:40
Speaker
stuff I wasn't able to get. Now I'm able to get the and that's the old you having everything is the old to just growing up in the culture and wanting to, you know. Right. You know, in the journey that I've taken here, you know, on November 26, talking to you about sneakers. Right. You know, so I think I think that's why I'm very
01:16:11
Speaker
I'm very, very proud of just having a lot of sneakers because it's just, it's a symbol of the work I've been putting in for the last, I've been collecting sneakers for about 12, 13 years. So all the hard work I've put in in that time. I remember missing meals for sneakers. Well, not missing meal, but like, you know, you get a peanut, but you get,
01:16:37
Speaker
A jar of peanut butter, some bananas and a loaf of bread. I mean, look, I'm fine with that when you're coming up, but Squint is talking about this is what he does. Like my current day. And that man got a family. Yeah. I'm like, bro, what? Well, early to be clear, this is early twenties, Morgan. This was early twenties. And I knew I was getting a paycheck and, and
01:17:02
Speaker
at the most two weeks. So I forgot about that. That was why. I don't understand how you can go into a spot, ask for a happy meal and be like, all right, cool. I'm good. Like, I'm going to get these sneakers. That's not happening. I'm just going to not get the sneakers. Like, it's fine. Yeah. Exactly.
01:17:31
Speaker
The idea of putting sneakers first has never been something for me. I love the culture, but I'm not going to be like, I need to get this.
Prioritizing Responsibilities Over Sneakers
01:17:41
Speaker
So I need to, you know, I'm going to buy ground beef from the Dollar Tree. The high blood pressure is not worth it. Now, when I was younger, I'm not going to lie.
01:17:57
Speaker
I definitely put sneakers first. There were a lot of times I put sneakers first. Yeah, I think it's a phase when you started getting into the culture. Yeah. Especially when it's like, OK, I know I was in the military from 18 to 23. And so it was like, OK, I'm not going to go hungry. I'm not going to lose my house because it's funded by the government.
01:18:26
Speaker
And I know I'm getting a paycheck in two weeks. So I had that buffer. Once I got out of the military, and it's like, I got to pay for my own everything, health assurance, a place to live, all that stuff. Yes. I become like, OK, the stakes are higher. I can't, you know what I mean? I can't mess around too much. So I mean, I wasn't perfect.
01:18:53
Speaker
when the, do you remember the 11 lows, the cherry joints and the blue with the gum bottom? Those both came out on the same day. Yeah. And I could afford one. Um, and so, but I put in for both of them on the sneakers app and lo and behold, I hit on both of them. And that was a, that was a rough two weeks. That was a rough two weeks to say the least.
01:19:22
Speaker
My stomach was growling quite a bit. And like a normal person, a sane person would have like canceled an order or like something like that.
Final Thoughts and Accountability in Sneaker Culture
01:19:34
Speaker
No, I was like, this is just, I'm fasting. I'm fasting. I'm fasting these next two weeks. It's a spiritual journey.
01:19:47
Speaker
I feel you with that. I think it's freeing when you cancel a sneaker because I did that with the with the off white green mids. I was just like I put in. I got them. And I was like, man, get this out of here. And I just canceled it. I was just like, all right, cool. I don't got to worry about this. But I get what you're saying. Look, we're towards the end of the podcast. You know, we've been going on. But you got any final thoughts for the listeners or watchers?
01:20:17
Speaker
Yeah. Hey, hold the sneaker TikTokers accountable, man. They're getting corny. They're getting lame. Not everybody can be everything. There's only one diverse sneaker collection. Don't let them show you 100 Nikes and say that they got the most diverse sneaker collection. Don't let them throw on an all matching denim tears outfit.
01:20:43
Speaker
and say that they're the best dressed, right? Like hold them accountable. This doesn't have to be an accepting and welcoming place for everybody. All right. And then go ahead and follow your boy. Morgan's sneaker room. Yes, sir. And I see. I love it. Love it. I you know, I'm in that realm with you.
01:21:06
Speaker
And then you know where to follow your boy. I am who is hostile. All social medias follow the podcast of my first kicks pod, follow the podcasts and no subscribe and like, and you know, all that shabazz on my first kicks on YouTube and tick tock. And if you have a, my first kick story, hit me up, my first kicks pod at gmail.com. And for everybody out there, you know, we say each week where your kicks peace.