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The Real Shoe Monster
79 Plays4 years ago
This week, we welcome the hilarious The Real Shoe Monster to the podcast. We talk about why he is a shoe monster and how he gobbles kicks. All of us connect on our love to SBs and share sentiments on why they are so hard to cop. We also talk about the segment that made Hass laugh from an episode of This Monster Week in Sneakers. Also we talk about how he started being included in the Goody Two Shoe Show!
Tune-In and don't forget to leave a review & subscribe!
Follow Monster:
Socials: @therealshoemonster
Where to find the Goody Two Shoe's show: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nn5_MMXpAfsN2JOmsJONA Instagram: @goodytwoshoeslv
Follow the pod:
Got a my kicks story? email us at myfirstkickspod@gmail.com our IG is @myfirstkickspod
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Ify's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ifynwadiwe
Music by Gordon Bombay: https://thegordonbombay.bandcamp.com/
(Cop something and tell him we sent ya!)
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Transcript
Introduction and Banter
00:00:10
Speaker
What's up, everyone? Welcome back to my first kicks. This is episode 31. What's up, Effie? What is good? How you doing? You know, I'm percolating, if you get what I'm saying. Yeah, it's time for the percolator. It's time for the percolator, percolator, percolator.
Meet the Real Shoe Monster
00:00:33
Speaker
Yo, but this week we got on the real shoe monster who comes to us from the goody two shoe show. You know, this is definitely the, he's not part of the host of the show, but he brings in a great segment that he also incorporates into his YouTube channel. So it's, he's a hilarious sneaker YouTuber and he makes really funny content each week to bring us what's popping in the,
00:01:03
Speaker
the world of kicks, unlike us. We bring everybody what's popping in the stories of kicks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. In the stories of kicks. I mean, in the end, I mean, kicks are something where it's like, truly, truly, it don't matter. You can listen to three, four, five different kicks, podcasts. It's always going to be different because everyone's going to have a different take. You know what I'm saying?
00:01:28
Speaker
Right. Yeah, exactly. And I mean, we we put our spin to it. We're definitely more of the the funny comedian type because we crack in jokes. Oh, yeah. With the stories, you know, we're not here as like, you know, as some of these other podcasts where we just want the hard, the cold, hard facts. Yeah.
Podcast Style vs. Fact-Centric Shows
00:01:44
Speaker
No.
00:01:46
Speaker
We're here to joke, we're here to relate and talk about what it was like being a sneakerhead or what it was like to have or be in a certain situation as well as the guests that we've had on, such as the real shoe monster who definitely tells us some really interesting stories about living in different areas and then finally settling down in Vegas and just like,
00:02:12
Speaker
telling us like how it was becoming like a sneakerhead like into big sneakers and just collecting big sneakers then too. So but what about this week?
Luxury and Gift Box Stories
00:02:21
Speaker
What have you been up to? Oh, man, you know, you know, I'm always in these streets seeing what's good. I'm going to get a little high fashion.
00:02:30
Speaker
On this real quick and say that we have the NBA capsule collection drop with Louis Vuitton So, you know, I did pick up some shorts and I did pick up a shirt because your boy when you got three jobs You got a you got a you know, you gotta while I just a little bit just a little bit
00:02:49
Speaker
Which ones did you get? Did you get the Laker and Louis Vuitton ones? No, no, no. They had this like, I'll drop a picture of it for you to see, but it was a embroidered, it was the flowers that they have. And then they put like, you know, like little strategic kind of like writing on it, like it's plays. It looks, it's very subtle. It's very chill.
00:03:12
Speaker
It's really dope, but I got I copped those joints and then I got the NBA basketball letters with the Louis V, which is gonna be interesting because it's definitely one of those like This goes against my rule for Louis V where I'm like if I'm spend all that money. Oh They be they be they coming for me I was about to say coming for me
00:03:41
Speaker
The fire station is pulling up. Oh, no. I don't know. I don't feel it getting hot. OK, but yeah, my rule. Yeah, this is fire. Yeah, this one's cool. I mean, you know, the LV is there, but I feel like if you don't know, it might be lost on you that I'm wearing Louis. But you know what? It's so clean. I was like, I had to do it. Yeah, I mean, I'm not up on I'm not I'm not up there. I just got.
00:04:09
Speaker
I got one job at this podcast. I'm like, I'm not up there. I'm not up there. I'm not, this is not, I'm not gonna. This is a, this is a Chris Paul alley upen and Griffin blew out both his ACLs. That's me right now.
00:04:27
Speaker
Honestly, this is a big move for me because now spending all that money, I feel way more comfortable going in on these big things, because I'm like, okay, I've proceeded to. Go way beyond that. Just our text chain is just me being like, yo, you should get these.
00:04:48
Speaker
Yes, indeed. Oh, man. It's literally that's what it's become. But I mean, even even even on the stream, because like I just wanted to bring up on the stream, I sent you a video that I felt like you should watch on stream. And if you're if you're not following me on Twitch, like you have to because I will drop in and I will try to come in and make him laugh. So.
00:05:11
Speaker
There's a video of a sneaker YouTuber, speaking of sneaker YouTubers, there's a video of this sneaker YouTuber named Harrison Neville. And Network, which is a company if you work for, sent him a gift box. Because I don't know why, but yeah.
00:05:29
Speaker
carry on from there. Yeah, OK. So, you know, we on that network, you know, they did the family style fest at home situation and I was real hyped. They gave me a little stress stress ball burger. It came in a burger box and it had a wristband like at the old family style fest. I was feeling good. I was real hyped about it. Then I go and we tune in to this video and I see they sent him 10 racks worth of sneakers.
00:05:57
Speaker
And I was like, oh, that's what I could have had. That's what I could have because because I was happy with this until that happened.
00:06:12
Speaker
You were on the stream squeezing. You kept coming back to it and I could not stop laughing. Like I was turning red at this point because you were just going back to it like and this is what I got. They give this man a whole it was a it was a
00:06:30
Speaker
If you guys just check out the video is Harrison that will pulls out this like bin and it's like a it's a metal. It's like an aluminum and metal thing that looks like a juice box and you just open it up and he just has off whites and all this. I'm like, yo, this is crazy. Well, if he's on the street, squeeze it, squeeze it, squeeze his his his burger stress burger.
00:07:02
Speaker
Oh man, you, you, I definitely think like, you know, it's, it's, I don't know. We gotta, I'm just saying we gotta get to that level. There's nothing, there's nothing, there's no coming back from that though. What do you think? Yeah, yeah. You know what I think. You know what I think. Because your silence is killing me. I'm good. I'm so mad.
00:07:33
Speaker
I mean, listen, we this is part of the stories. Look at that. You wouldn't have had a story if I didn't. I guess I guess I guess I rub this in your face. Oh, my gosh.
00:07:49
Speaker
But, you know, it's so much so that let's let's go ahead and talk about where you can find monster. Of course you can find monster on all social medias as at the real shoe monster. That's all spelled correctly. No, like.
00:08:04
Speaker
you know, funny letters in there. You can hit up his shoe channel, his YouTube channel, which you can find in descriptions, of course, but just search up the real shoe monster together. No spaces. And also definitely check out the Goody Two Shoes show.
00:08:21
Speaker
It's in the description. And where can they find you? If, uh, you know, uh, if you want to wait on Twitter and Instagram, but you know, you, you, you may not have, uh, if you go to my Instagram, you, you will see that I am hopping off of Instagram and Twitter for a lot of focus on things like, you know, getting guests booked for this writing the hot shit.
00:08:41
Speaker
streaming on time, which I am not at this moment. But definitely, yeah, peep there. If I do hop on there to say something, it'll be to let you know of another show. For sure, for sure. And you know where to find me. I am at who is hostile, all social medias. I didn't go viral this week. It's all good.
00:09:02
Speaker
but make sure you follow the podcast for all, you know, sneaks, teases, trying to get a little bit more creative on there as well. At my first kicks pod, use that hashtag, my first kicks pod, my first kicks as well, because right now it's just pictures of babies and we need to take over like ASAP.
00:09:22
Speaker
and hit up the link tree in the descriptions for our stuff and also for Ify's stuff. And don't forget, send us your My First Kicks stories to myfirstkickspod at gmail.com. But onto this week's guest, Shoe Monster. The real Shoe Monster? Yeah, the real Shoe Monster. Either way. Either way. Either way. Let's hop over there.
Shoe Monster's Sneaker Journey
00:10:02
Speaker
Hey monster, welcome to the podcast. What is good? We good. We good up here. Welcome to my first kicks, man.
00:10:12
Speaker
Appreciate it, thank you for having me. Nah, no problem. Yeah, no, it's a pleasure to have you on. Real excited to talk about your first kicks, but just for the listeners to get like locked in. If they don't already know who the real shoe monster is, why don't you give them a rundown? What do people need to know about you? My name is the real shoe monster.
00:10:38
Speaker
I like to gobble shoes. I have a lot of shoes. I love shoes. I love talking about shoes. I love acquiring shoes. I love people who like shoes just as much as I do. So for me, I go by the real shoe monster just for that reason, because when I see shoes that I like, I gobble them up.
00:11:01
Speaker
I pretty much just got into shoes for no reason at all other than I like them a lot.
00:11:12
Speaker
That's about it, man. I started doing this kind of segment where I talk about shoes that are coming out every week, and I've developed some cool relationships along the way, and I'm just happy to be part of what we like to call the sneaker community.
00:11:33
Speaker
Ooh, that's a fact. That's what's up. Yeah. I mean, you're you also have a segment on the goody two shoe shows where where where people can find you, but you also have your own YouTube and where you take that segment, which I I watched all of them. And I told you before we started recording, it's still my favorite, even though you just recently put a new one out. But that chicken air max bucket segment is my favorite.
00:12:04
Speaker
Yes.
00:12:06
Speaker
Um, yeah, I do, I do a weekly segment on a show called goody two shoes. And, uh, I came to meet, um, those three gentlemen, uh, Brian, Aaron, and Carlos, um, on their show, they kind of developed a show through, through quarantine and boredom. Um, and, uh, they asked me to be a guest on their first season. I think it was like, uh, I want to say like their, their second or third, something like that episode. And.
00:12:36
Speaker
I guess they just thought I was fun. And after that, they were kind of, they were kind of asked me to come on again. And we developed kind of a friendship, but I've known Aaron for a little while. And Aaron, we met, I met him like just doing
00:12:56
Speaker
trunk deals out of his deals out of his trunk in the parking lot of an EOS gym here in Vegas. And it was so sketchy. I was like, this dude is going to kill.
00:13:11
Speaker
But no, on the contrary, he gave me like some crazy deals, sold me some crazy pairs on the low. And we just kind of developed a friendship through through sneakers. And yeah, I'm blessed enough to have been asked by them to come on their show and develop something to
00:13:33
Speaker
do you know to talk about the upcoming releases and so they had this this segment this section of their show that they needed filled and so i kind of developed this thing called monster weekend sneakers and uh
00:13:47
Speaker
I do a lot of stuff like I've always kind of been silly. And so I thought it would be fun instead of just like this cookie cutter like, oh, coming up on this day is this shoe. Let's talk about the materials. Like we see all that kind of stuff. I wanted to do something more fun.
00:14:06
Speaker
And where I could eat, I could like make fun of the shoes almost. And, you know, tell jokes and just just be me. Have fun. And that's kind of what I do. So that that chicken, what are you talking about? I did one where I covered an Air Max.
00:14:28
Speaker
What was it? The Air Max 90, right? Yeah, it was the Air Max 90. Yeah. It was like an all Asian, all Asia only. Yeah. Yeah. It was, I think it was Japan exclusive. Yeah. Yeah. And it was the fried chicken joints. And I ate, I ate chicken throughout the entire time that I was talking about.
00:14:49
Speaker
I was just stuffing my face, man, that whole episode. Yeah, but yeah, I have fun doing it, man. It's a good time. It's a lot of work, but I enjoy it. Labor of love, just like this podcast. Do what you love, people. Exactly. Speaking of labor of love, we're here to ask you, what's your first kicks? What's that first pair of sneakers you absolutely needed to have?
00:15:18
Speaker
So it took me a while to kind of get like really into sneakers. Um, I noticed sneakers like growing up, I noticed, um, what was fired and what wasn't, I got made fun of a lot, you know, for my air walks that I was wearing and stuff like that. Um, but by the time I got to like around high school, um, I had a friend, his name was Matt and Matt used to
00:15:48
Speaker
Like he was the rich kid in school. You know what I'm saying? Like he lived in the biggest house in the biggest, like most sought after neighborhood. His family had all the best cars. This kid had every single Jordan that would come out, every single one. And I remember going over to his house one day and I walked into his room. He showed me his bedroom and his, like his room, number one, his room was the size of my whole house.
00:16:18
Speaker
Damn. Which is ridiculous. Right. So he had all of his shoes lined up on the floor and I looked at all these shoes. I was like, bro, these are all Jordans. And I was like, these are cool. I need to give me a good pair of shoes. And so, uh, I wanted to be a little different.
00:16:42
Speaker
And so for me, like it was around 90, 1995, right? And if you know anything about 95, like 95 was a year that was huge for Penny Hardaway. It was a big year for Hardaway, dude. And he was number one, he played at Orlando Magic. He had a shoe and it was the air Penny won the Air Max.
00:17:09
Speaker
And I saw that shoe and I was like, I want that shoe. You know, like I want a pair of those, the Orlandos. And so I asked my parents, I was like, hey.
00:17:20
Speaker
Wait, wait, wait. Before we jump into that. Yeah. Hit a, hit a, hit a with the facts, man. Oh, right. Yes. Uh, so the air mask on Orlando, it was released in 1995. It's the first signature shoe of, uh, and Ferny penny hardaway, uh, the, the Orlando magic port.
00:17:40
Speaker
The Orlando Magic Point Guard who led the team to the NBA Finals that same year. This iteration of the Penny Wands is a tribute to a story tenured with Orlando. It features a leather and synthetic upper and a magic colorway and black and white base accented by Varsity Royal. The full length pylon midsole provides cushioning on the waterways. One cent logo appears on the heel.
00:18:04
Speaker
Tell us about it. How'd you get it? How'd you get them, man? So pretty. Even though, man, I love that description. It was so nice. You made them sound so good. I got this. Okay. So I asked my parents, I said, Hey, will you please buy me these shoes? And at the time we're talking about 1995, those shoes were $130. That was a lot of money to spend on a pair of shoes, even back then. So I was like asking my parents and they're like,
00:18:34
Speaker
No, no, you got, you got to buy those yourself if you want them. And so I worked my butt off. I saved up for probably three months, um, just so I could personally pay for them. I was doing, man, I was mowing lawns. I was doing chores for people. I wasn't legally able to work yet. So I had to ask like to do people favors to save up money and I worked for him and I got him.
00:19:04
Speaker
Where did you live during this time? I lived in Vegas. Oh, okay. Okay. Cause I was thinking, you know, if you're like in a city, it's really like, cause coming from somebody who lived in a city, I couldn't, I hadn't had this ability to be like, yo, let me mow your lawn for money.
00:19:21
Speaker
Right. Yeah. Well, thankfully I had a lot of a lot of friends who had, you know, a lot of like nice parents that would allow me to come over and help them out. You know what I mean? You didn't jangle people's lawns for money. Yeah. Their lawns were haggard after I was done with them.
00:19:44
Speaker
They try to watch you go through with the lawnmower and the, come on, he's a nice boy. Just give him $20. Oh man. Yeah. I remember when I was younger, I was trying to make money and I remember I found it was like this corny book that I had in middle school and it was like,
00:20:04
Speaker
ways you can make money as a kid." And I was like, oh, you could do like a cleaning service. And so my dad, he was the manager of the apartment complex I was in. So I had access to a copy machine. I made these flyers and boy, I undersold myself. I think I was like, I'll clean your whole house for 20 bucks. And so like, you know, everyone kind of saw it and didn't think nothing of it. And then there was this one lady who was always kind of
00:20:28
Speaker
Kind of, you know, kind of like, you know, wild already, you know, like she like she she she definitely was like the weird lady of the complex. And so she calls me or she's like, come clean my house. And when I say she.
00:20:43
Speaker
made me clean. I'm talking about like, like thinking back, like stuff that you'd want like a maid to do to get $20, bro. I'm talking about, I cleaned, it was a two story house, multiple rooms, the bathroom, all that for $20. I was like, I like back then I was like, I was, I don't know. I was just like, Oh, this when it, when will it end?
00:21:10
Speaker
And she's, and she was like standing right behind me, bro. Be like, yeah. And then do get that. Okay, cool. You ain't take the trash out, but oh my gosh. I'm just looking back and I was like the optics of this like old ass woman making this like 12, 11 year old kid, like sweat for $20. Just micromanaging you the whole time. Oh yeah.
00:21:37
Speaker
Yo, that's crazy. What'd you get? Like you were there for probably what, six hours, seven hours? Oh man. I was surprised she didn't have me there that long, but I definitely was there like three or four because I definitely remember getting back in my stepmom being like, what the hell? Like she's like, when she figured out she was pissed. Yo, that's crazy. Basically like you basically got like $5 a month.
00:22:07
Speaker
All that sweat equity, man. That was crazy. She's just on you. Be humble. Let's go. You offered. You put these signs of $20. You know, you got to do it now. I mean, that's wild. So you have you grew up in Vegas this year. Like you spend your entire high school, middle school. I did.
00:22:33
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Elementary, um, through, through about college. And then what, what got you besides your friend and all his Jordans. And cause I never had a friend like that. Cause if I did, I'd probably be in jail right now. I wouldn't have a friend like that anymore. Right. Yeah.
00:22:55
Speaker
I have, I've had, I've had rich friends, right? But they were never into sneakers. Like I remember I, uh, this one kid, uh, I used to be a GameStop kid, so I used to just hang out at GameStop all day. And so like, I remember this one kid was like, yo, come over, you know, we can play a couple games, whatever. This man took me to his house.
00:23:13
Speaker
And I was just like, I was like, all right, cool. So like, is there stairs? He's like, no, we got elevated. Go in the elevator. He puts a key into the elevator, presses a button. We go up and I'm just like, we hear. He's just like, yeah, man, this is the floor. And I was like, what?
00:23:29
Speaker
I was like, what, dude? And he was just like, yeah, you know, it's whatever. My house is right here. This dude had like nothing in his room. He had like a little bit of like some anime figures. We was just there to watch anime and chill. And I was just like, just mesmerized. Cause I was just like, this man, he, his parents own a floor of a building. How is this even possible?
00:23:54
Speaker
I mean, you know, um, what, what were you like in high school? Were you into like kicks before then? Because before that, no, not at all, man. Not at all. I got made fun of bro. Like I was, I was, uh, I was a total nerd, like a total nerd. Um, you know, and I've been a singer, like I was, I was in choir. Um,
00:24:21
Speaker
And I remember specifically like, I used to wear like, like slip-on vans, you know, like the checker, old school checker, you know, slip-ons. And that was like my go-to. And I remember like one day I had, I had this dude, this kid, Jeremy Mariello. I'll never forget this. He walked up to me and it was dress up day. It was like dress up like a nerd day. It was like nerd day at school.
00:24:51
Speaker
And so I wore those. I pulled my socks up almost to my knees and I put tape around my glasses. I went all out that day. And he walked up to me and he looked me up and down and went from my head all the way down. As soon as he got down to my feet, he was like, dude,
00:25:13
Speaker
And he goes, you're a sorry excuse for a sixth grader. Whoa. He, whoa. He came for your whole life, your existence. Yo. I'll never forget that, man. It was by the time he got down, he was at my toes, like, and saying that. I was like, dang, I gotta get me some better shoes, man.
00:25:41
Speaker
Yo, that is, he went for your soul. He literally like, I mean, he took it for, he took it for a while. I'll give it to you. I'll give it to you, Jeremy. You affected me, but I got you now. On the penny slots in the Atlantic city right now. Yeah. I got you, bro. I got you. I got you.
00:26:08
Speaker
What what started you down this trend? Because, like, people who are who can't see this, obviously, because this is not a visual format as of yet. We don't know where we'll be there. You know, we're looking at Schumann's background. This is not a zoom background where he was going to take a picture and they go, here you go. This is this is legit his background. He's got
00:26:33
Speaker
Pairs on pairs on pairs. And the one pair that always catches my eye in every video he's ever done is that pair of Tiffany's, the low Tiffany's that you have there. Right. You have a pair of little Tiffany's, right? I'm not bugging, right? The Tiffany's. The re-release ones, the canary joints. Yeah. Yeah.
00:26:59
Speaker
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. What got you down to this? Like, cause are, have you always been a big SB fan? Cause our previous guests that, uh, before this episode, K deaf, he's a big SB guy. And, uh, and we talked about, he's all into the history of SBs and we were talking to him about it. And, you know, a majority from what we can see is that you have a lot of SB. So what, what got you into them?
00:27:24
Speaker
I mean, I'm not like that crazy diehard that I need to know all of the history and the designers and this and that, you know, like I don't go that nuts, but I mean,
00:27:39
Speaker
I used to skate back in the day and like, you know, I was, I was more into, to other skate shoes, you know, like it was more functional skate shoes for me were like at knees and ESs. Um, you know, I was wearing air walks and stuff like that. Like I've got a bin just full of skate shoes that I've torn up, you know, but I can't get rid of them all.
00:28:03
Speaker
Um, but when it came to like Nike and Nike moving into the skate area, I was like, nah, I'm not with it. I wasn't, dude, I wasn't into it at all. I was like Nike and skateboarding do not belong. So I was one of those hardcore like skaters that were like, nah, I'm not with it.
00:28:23
Speaker
And it took me a while to kind of come back around and revisit, you know, several years later. And when I did, I started like really climbing into it and I guess more examining like what, what, what type of stories they pour into these shoes, you know, and
Appreciation for Sneaker Stories and Designs
00:28:44
Speaker
And just the beauty of all of these collaborations, you know, with all these not so well known skate shops. I think it was, I developed more of an appreciation once I discovered, you know, part of that history.
00:29:01
Speaker
And like before this last most recent wave of, you know, after the Travis Effect, all of this SB hype, you know, prior to that, I started like really looking heavily more into SBs and just started expanding my collection and then
00:29:22
Speaker
Lo and behold, the market just starts going bonkers and making my conquests a little harder. Thankfully, I got a little bit of a head start. Yeah, that's for sure. Ify. It's going good so far, baby. Ify, I'd never ask you this. You own SVs?
00:29:48
Speaker
I own only one pair of SBs, and that's my wolf in sheep's clothing, SBs, which if you don't, yeah, yeah. Those are the ones with the swoosh, with the tear away and it reveals the teeth. But yeah, no, I religiously take Ls on SBs. I went for the Tiffany's, those went nowhere. And that's when I was like in the orbit to being close to, cause I,
00:30:12
Speaker
I actually, through my old sneaker show, shout out to Fresh Doc on Twitch, I met Fran Alations. And so Fran, you know, he's all about SBs and stuff, and he's actually friends with Nikki Diamonds. And so I was, but like, I, what I really should have done was, was just,
00:30:37
Speaker
like just been like, what's good? Because like he was at an event for it and all this stuff that we talked after. He was like, oh, you should have told me. I would have had you pull up. I was like, I didn't know. I didn't know we were like that.
00:30:54
Speaker
I had pull-up privileges. I only know translations through NikeSB.org. I don't know if you're a member of on there, but any of you guys are a member on there? No, I was not.
00:31:08
Speaker
But I only knew of him through there like I like he post on there a couple times or whatever and like I knew I like he talked about his story of how he got his money and and how he just delve straight into, you know, reviewing sneakers and how like why he stuck with SBS and stuff like that. So like, I mean, the fact that you have pull up privileges. That's fire. I don't know if they're they're they're expired. Yeah, yeah, I think they're being on this fire.
00:31:37
Speaker
Yeah. No, I was, uh, cause it was, it was, it sucked too because we were emailing cause we were, I was trying to do, uh, when I was still at Buzzfeed for a hot second, I was going to do a like whole series about like sneakers and video games intersecting. And so it was crazy. So I was going to like, you know, basically have.
00:32:00
Speaker
Fran come on and show off his collection. And we're talking to round two. And so we were going to have it in round two and we're going to shoot like on location at round two. And I was like, oh, I was like, if I get this and I meet everybody, I'm in, I'm good. I'm in the squat. But like right at I ended up getting a writing job like right before that could crystallize. And it just kind of like just kind of just sat like because it just ended up not happening.
00:32:29
Speaker
I know that shit would have been so hard. I mean, this is, this is your, this is your quote unquote round two. You know what I mean? I'm out here. You know, I'm witty.
00:32:44
Speaker
Oh man. But monster, you know. Whoa. Okay. Don't pull out those heads out here. Come on, man. I've always wanted. I'm tight. The damn you threw my train of thought off of that one. I wore these yesterday. I forgot to put them away. The
00:33:08
Speaker
So, I mean, how long have you been in the game and like, do you feel like you're playing catch up because of that?
00:33:16
Speaker
In a sense, yes. Um, to be honest, like I took a long break from collecting anything. So, um, I don't know. I think I didn't really start back up heavy until I started kind of paying attention around, I want to say 2015 ish. Um, you know, and I, 2015, 2016, I started seeing these,
00:33:42
Speaker
these things called Yeezys on people's feet everywhere I was going. And I was like, all right, what are those about? And I started looking back into the, it made me even just seeing that didn't make me necessarily look at Yeezys. It made me look more like the sneaker game again. Okay. Like what, what's going on now? And as it turns out,
00:34:06
Speaker
it was popping. So I mean, you got, you got if he was a, if he's the easy expert of the podcast, I'm, I'm, I'm BSB expert. Oh yeah. I know it is funny how we are getting to that level. I know easy is such an interesting
00:34:23
Speaker
such an interesting journey because it also kind of dives into just how sneaker and I guess more hype than anything can be just so dominant on so many factors.
00:34:38
Speaker
I mean, even outside of the realm of Yeezys, but the reason that like, if it's a colorway, some like like the mochas looking so close to the Trav ones, you know, making people like cop that is just like so interesting. But Yeezys, I remember when they were just super hard to cop and like, you know, I, and I respected when
00:35:00
Speaker
Kanye was like, well, I want easy to be more accessible. So they started dropping more and then, then thus they're just a little easier to cop. So then the resell is not crazy. And so some, so like it, but at the end of the day, it's like, yeah, you know,
00:35:16
Speaker
sneakers for the people. And my thing is, whenever it asks me, because I am kind of of that same thing, right? Like when there's a sneaker I really want and I can't get it, right? Or specifically like a silhouette I really want and can't get it because it's a super hyped one.
00:35:32
Speaker
And then I got to end up paying out the ass if I really want it. That's when I'm like, damn, you should release a little more. But I do think, you know, as a collector, the collector side of me likes when you get to reward, like, there's only a few of these and, you know, and the ones who got them got them. And I've gotten all, you know, elements of those Yeezys, right? Because like,
00:35:53
Speaker
I had the original Black Friday Stripe Yeezys. And those, you know, those are just going to stay the same price. But then I had like the triple whites and the breads and they did like two re-releases. And I was like, oh, the value of this is just going down, huh?
00:36:15
Speaker
But it's so it's so funny. Yeah. No. What is it? What is it? What is it for both of you guys? What is it the of the the model of the easy that brought you all brought brought it to your attention to want to like dive into it? Is it more of like easy attack? Like, I don't know. Was it more Kanye attached to it or is it more like this is just a brand new model and it's actually piquing my interest.
00:36:42
Speaker
I think the fact that it was so different, it was so different from
00:36:48
Speaker
the norm to me. Like it was like seeing an alien on someone's foot, you know, for a while. And I was like, what is that bro? And I just kept, I kept seeing it everywhere I was going. I was seeing it. I'm like, all right, there's gotta be something to these that either, either it's just over height or they're actually comfortable. Let me find out. And turns out they're comfortable, you know? Oh yeah.
00:37:18
Speaker
Turns out they're pretty darn comfortable. You just have to figure out what the hell your size is because they're different. Every model is a different dang size.
00:37:27
Speaker
Oh yeah. I mean, like I, most of my three 50 V twos, early ones were 14 like 14. Cause everyone was like, you got to get a size up. And in the newer iterations, I've been able to come back down to a 13, but yeah, mine was all completely Kanye. It's fine. I was, I was a huge, huge Kanye stand. I mean, definitely, you know, a huge Kanye stand before the fall is what, what I like to refer to it as.
00:37:53
Speaker
But like, you know, my, my comedy album, the community college dropout is definitely like an homage to Connie. Like, so like, that's how I even got into the world of Yeezys, like Connie brought me into the world of sneakers, but, you know, something that we gonna flip.
00:38:08
Speaker
on you, uh, in a, in a cup in a bit, but I'll just say me, it was the thrill of the hunt that made it more exciting for me when like, cause of me having to learn how sneaker drops work just to get a pair was just like fun. And it like my collector bug. Cause I say, I say, you know, I've said this on many episodes. I'm probably going to repeat it, you know, with many different guests, but I feel like, you know, cause I'm,
00:38:34
Speaker
I'm a video game nerd. I comic book anime nerd. And, you know, when you look at sneaker heads to me, it's not like you're a sneaker head. It's, you have that collector bug. You have that thing in you. That's like, Oh, I like this. And I need to get all my favorite versions of this. I need to display them. I need, you know, that's, and so once that kind of triggered for me, it was a wrap.
00:38:55
Speaker
And I think, yeah, I think it was comfy. Like the ultra boost tech was very new, was very new. Like we, we, not only did you have Yeezy sell now, but you had the, uh, regular ultra boost, just runners selling out. You couldn't get your hands on those. And then I would do, and then these are going.
00:39:12
Speaker
Yeah. I was walking into, um, into Adidas and they just would not be on the shelves because it was just like the new hotness. They're really comfy. You're right. The NMDs. Cause that was my second shoe after I acquired the Yeezy and I felt the power. I was like, okay, I think I get this sneaker thing and they dropped the Bape NMDs. And I was like, okay, cool. And I called the Adidas. I was like, so when I was like, I'm a camp out.
00:39:37
Speaker
I told my sister she was ready too. We got chairs. We were like, we're going to camp out. I called Adidas. I was like, when can we start lining up? And they were like, oh, yeah, you can line up after we close at eight. So I was like, OK, let's come at seven an hour early, and then we're going to beat the crowd. When I said I came at seven and it was already the block was
00:40:00
Speaker
packed. I was like, no, sir. No, sir. This is not how sneaker heads get down. It isn't an hour early. I got there. They're like, no, we've been waiting here since this morning to try and get these. And so it was one of those things where it ended up turning to the scuff release where like they told everyone
00:40:20
Speaker
that they're canceling the release because they weren't listening. And then people still didn't leave. And then like hours later, like five in the morning, they did a in-person raffle. So everyone who like listened to them and went home just didn't even have a chance. I was like, damn, you really rewarded the people who like didn't listen to you. But to them, they're just like, no, we just want you gone.
00:40:44
Speaker
They're like, we don't, they're saying about morals. This ain't, this was like, we need you off this block. The cops pulled up. Y'all still weren't scared. And so, so, so we just, we're just going to give in. And I just remember being so mad, but it was just like the most important leg lesson.
Sneaker Collecting Culture
00:41:01
Speaker
It's like when it comes to the drops, if you trying to do that, that's a different world. And if you're not about that life, don't even bother with it.
00:41:07
Speaker
You don't even buy because that's what it is. There are people who are built for that who's like, yeah, no, I'm going to stay here. The cops going to come. I'm going to sit here. I'm going to just wait here till I get my sneakers. And that's not me. I'm a grown ass man. You know, I'll go ahead and pay the resale before you catch me outside doing it because I also have the shortest temper. And I was like, it'll take one person if because I'm like, this is this is how if he gets locked up over sneakers because I'll do some
00:41:33
Speaker
It's almost going to come with their friends and try and pull up. And I'm just going, it's just going to be, I'm going to be sleep deprived. I'm just going to throw hands. Like I'm not even going to ask. It's not going to be nothing. It's just hands immediately. Because especially like that story you told me Haas about Haas was waiting in this line.
00:41:50
Speaker
Oh yeah, the Supreme line for the Nike SB, like the first Nike SB Jordan collab, the black one, the Craig Stike ones, I got cut in line. Dude was like, no, I was here. He just put a chair and wrapped it around the pole in front of Supreme. And it was like, yo man, no, no, no, I'm here. I've been here. And then there's like six dudes come up and they only had seven, they only had like six pairs. And I didn't get a pair. And I was there at like four or five in the morning.
00:42:20
Speaker
When I tell you, when I tell you.
00:42:23
Speaker
I don't even know if I would have got a pair. That's not the important part. Somebody was going to catch my face. At that point, it's not even like me getting the shoes. Somebody is going to be like, you're going to earn these shoes. Like, sure, you didn't wait. But at least you're going to be lumped up like, OK, I got these shoes. But yeah, at least because I put in the time. So I'm going to transfer the time over you via these hands.
00:42:52
Speaker
Because it is that attitude, right? You see it, especially like, we're all, you know, older men in here. And I'm looking at the collections in the background. So we all about it. But like, you know, as someone who's like, you know, kind of five years into this, I never had that, like, youngness and that kind of like, you know, that young and dumb, like, you're not really
00:43:15
Speaker
understanding how you're affecting others. You're kind of just in it for yourself. So I'm already coming in here with like Geezer head, you know, old head energy where it's like, nah, we ain't doing that. Cause I, the same thing at complex con, there was someone who was trying to cut for the, it was the Kyrie's that they had the mom ones. It was, um, what is this sneaker, uh,
00:43:35
Speaker
is they're out there by you in New Jersey, sneaker room, sneaker room, sneaker room, Kyrie's, and they had the three versions. And this kid comes in line, he gets his and he tries to cut to get back in and people, and it's so funny too, because like, like now I understand it because
00:43:51
Speaker
Haas explained it, but like the simple fact that like, if a fight breaks out, then it shuts down the whole drop. So everyone has to like play it cool. Even when somebody's doing some like grimy stuff, because like, if you allow it to get that point, then no one gets sneakers. And that was kind of what was going on as people like kind of was from like, yo, you know, this is a cut and the cutting is like, yo, yo, and it's kind of going. And then, uh, but luckily shout out to, you know, the security guard in the Long Beach convention. So he, he, he recognized like, no, bro, you cut, get out of here.
00:44:27
Speaker
But it was so funny. I was like, Oh my God. Y'all were on point. Remember yanked him out. And then, so he's, he start trying to get like buck. And then, um, and he's like, Oh, all this stuff. And then it was like the, the kind of bigger dude who runs sneaker room. Like he kind of walks over. He was like, yo, I need you to not come here with that energy. He was like, you got your shoe. You good. Like, dude, like, and they like, he, but he's trying to get buck. And that's when the client was like, Oh, he's doing it. Like he's trying to shut this down. He trying to get a fight.
00:44:45
Speaker
And then we were like, everyone wants me to clap.
00:44:55
Speaker
going. So nobody could get sneakers because he mad because he can't get another pair. So he's trying to see if he can. So, so then he started trying to antagonize people in the, in the line. And he's like, yeah, what, what, what, bitch, what, you know, all this stuff. And like, I think it was like a point where, where somebody, it was like,
00:45:16
Speaker
But like these hood dudes, I was like, and he came up and was like, oh, oh, oh, what, what? He was like, all right, we're going to come speak to you after I get my sneaker. And I did not see that kid again. I did not. So I was like, yeah, you ain't really about that life. Because some people have patience and will catch you slipping, especially in Long Beach. Don't play that. I will tell you that's the one who grew up out here.
00:45:33
Speaker
They will, you will think they will make you think they forgot you and forgot and will catch you walking back to your car. And then not only beat your ass, but take your sneakers too. Cause that's the, cause that's the gameplay right there. It's like, it's like you think you, you think you game in a system where it's like, these are dudes who are all about the finesse who were like, okay, so now you're giving me a right to beat your ass. Cause there's still that weird hood honor system. And then I was like, okay, you giving me the right, but I'm not going to do it right now.
00:46:00
Speaker
I'm going to wait till you done shopping. But I got my eye on you. You forgot me, but I'm walking, kind of seeing where you at. And when you're on your way to your car, I'm going to get you. It's crazy. I'll tell you what, my friend, get in front of me and get your second pair of shoes. Let's do that.
00:46:20
Speaker
Yeah, but it's so, yeah, it's so funny, but it's so interesting, but in a weird way, it's also what makes it fun, you know? It's like the national treasure. I mean, yeah, I mean, it's not fun when you're on a line, sleep deprived, and then you hear all of a sudden, if I don't get my pick,
00:46:40
Speaker
The whole shit is coming down. Nobody gave you food. You always hear that too. Every single year. I better get my pair. I better get my pair. You go all the way back there. What do you do? You mess this up for yourself. We can't be blamed for you being late.
00:47:00
Speaker
Yeah, man. I mean, I was here way too early to not get mine. Bro, you were here just as early as me. You're standing right next to me. Shut up.
00:47:11
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, you, you touched on, you know, me and on the, uh, you see the sneak community in Vegas, but like, was it, do you have any experiences like this? Like, yeah, I mean, we've had lines, you know what I mean? Like there've been lines, uh, undefeated here. We have an undefeated here. You know what I mean? Like there's been lines in that for, for years. Um, you know, I,
00:47:39
Speaker
Everybody's cool here, though. There's not really, I don't know, just something about this city. It's more love than anything, which I appreciate and I love about that. We have this group, Vegas sneakerheads.
00:47:59
Speaker
Shout out to Chris. Chris started this group like 10 years ago, man. And it's some some big players in the game came up just from that Facebook group. And like it developed this huge family. And like two J's came up in that, you know what I mean? Like, he's a legend now. Like, and that dude, like,
00:48:28
Speaker
I don't know. It just, there's more of like people helping other people, which is nice to see. Obviously there's some instances where it's like doggy talk, but for the most part, you know what I mean? Like in the lines and stuff, there's, there's not really too much funny business watch. There's going to, there's going to be tons of stuff happening now that I said, yeah, it's the game.
00:48:54
Speaker
You're going to message me and be like, listen, man, I got 10 stories. Oh, yeah. We could skip to my first kicks part. Like I'm just coming in with the stories, man. I got it's crazy. He's been crazy out here. No, for the most part, I've never really seen anything too crazy going on. Everybody's, you know, everybody's pretty cool.
00:49:14
Speaker
Yeah, man, I mean, that's very lucky. I think, I mean, the only thing I've seen is, I'm gonna shut this shit down. I've seen a couple fights break out, but that's towards the back. Like, I'm usually towards the front. Like, and I'm also, I'm very this person. I don't know if any of you guys are this person. I look straight at everybody's feet. I count how many 13s I can see visually. I'm not getting on this line. I go to another store.
00:49:44
Speaker
Oh, sometimes I'll be brazen when it was like, what size you wear? Maybe like 13. I was like, all right, cool. How about 13? Because sometimes they'll be straight up. You'll be like, how many 13s in the line? And they'll raise hands like that. Because me and Echo did that. My boy Echo Kellum, I'll never forget. I think it was the Chinese New Year's. It was the ones. The nines? Yeah, with the wood kind of looking joints.
00:50:12
Speaker
Hold on, let me see. It wasn't, no, no, not the nines. Those ones I got a story about too. I think those, they were the, which ones was it? Monsters got them. Pull them out. Let's see them. Let's see. It was, it was the twelves. It was the twelves, but it was the, it was the one that kind of, I did have those. It was, let me see what year it was.
00:50:43
Speaker
Give me the year. 2016. Let's see. I think they're 2016.
00:50:52
Speaker
Yeah, if it's the one that looks like it, yep. That was the 2016, I think is the one with the kind of like wood panel. Yeah, buddy. Yeah, I'm looking at it right now. So it was those ones. And I wanted them so bad because I like the kind of like wood looking joint on it with the plastics. And so we do straight rookie move. We took the L on sneakers and then after taking that L on sneakers, which you know is about seven,
00:51:22
Speaker
pay them our time. Just drive over to the Glendale Galleria to the Champs and we get there already and it's already a line. Like line and we like looking and that's when I was like, what size you in? He was like 13. I was like, what size you in 13? And then I looked at Echo because me and Echo are 13 already.
00:51:47
Speaker
So I'm like, well, so, so yeah, we looked and it was funny too, because the first person in line, the first, the very first person was just like a mom. I was like, damn, this is the mom of the year. She, she, she's the first one in line. So, so we pretty much knew that was going to be a L and we actually like waited. Uh, but like, but of course by the time we got in there, they were so done. They were like, yeah, no, we ain't got it.
00:52:11
Speaker
I mean, if I was you, if I was UFE and your size, I'm like, I'm talking about built like you, I would pull the, if I ain't getting a pair, I'm shining this shit down. Oh man. You show up with a tank top, you look at like Tyrone. That's what you got to do. Who's a 13 that got something better to do right now?
00:52:34
Speaker
I know. I said, I said one of those days, at least before I die in my lifetime, I got to come out, come, come through with like a, like a thick stack of twenties that are about 200 to give it to someone like up the front, give it to a 14 year old who going to be like, okay. Cause I'm like, especially it was like, that's what you hoping to make on a flip, right? 200 cool. Let me hear. There you get. There it is. Um,
00:52:56
Speaker
when this podcast goes big, we will have nothing to do. We're going to get the, we're going to get the family cuts, the friend that bring you along for the ride monster. We got to hook up monster. Yeah. There's no line waiting. Do you just be like,
00:53:13
Speaker
Get that text that says, hey, check the mail. That's it. Check your mailbox. I'm trying to be invoice boys, man. I'm hearing this term recently. Invoice boys? I don't know if you've ever been invoice iffy, but you just get an email to be like, just fill this out and you'll get a pair. Oh, wow. Yeah, I need that. Invoice boys. Yeah.
00:53:42
Speaker
All right. Well, yeah. But we're going to ask it. We're going to say we got some more. We got some more left. Right. You want to. I mean, I mean, you got any stories left? Stories. Nope. All right. Well, go ahead. We have the end then. You know, we end every podcast with this one question. What does the thrill of the hunt mean to you?
00:54:12
Speaker
everything is the reason I got into this game. It's the reason I do any of it. I'm on the hunt every time I have a spare minute in my life. And, and there is to me, no, no bigger thrill than being on the hunt for something and having it work out in your favor.
00:54:41
Speaker
And so for me, I recently acquired these on a hunt. Yeah. Yeah. I need a pair of those Air Max ones. What was their call again? These are the masters, the Air Max one masters. Yes. I need a pair of those. I saw these on a wall of a shop and they were one price.
00:55:06
Speaker
They were next to another pair that I decided to buy instead. I said, all right, I'm going to go back and buy that other pair. They sold. They were gone. They disappeared. Couldn't find them. Looked everywhere. Was patient. I came across that pair again for a less of a price. They were cheaper. They were in better condition. And it's all because I was patient and I was
00:55:33
Speaker
I guess satisfied with continuing the hunt. So there you go. That's why I do what I do. Yeah, exactly. That's beautiful, man. That's beautiful. Let everybody know where they can find you, man.
00:55:48
Speaker
You can find me on Instagram at the real shoe monster. Uh, I also am on YouTube at the real shoe monster. And if you haven't tuned in yet every Tuesday night, I am on the goody two shoe show with my boys, Brian, Carlos, and Aaron at goody two shoes. LV is where you can find us tune in. It's a good time.
00:56:13
Speaker
It's a great time. It's a great time. I'm usually, I'm usually in there and you know, as we say it to end every episode, where your kicks. Yeah. Peace.