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Stop Falling For The Cheese with TMark
99 Plays3 days ago
This week I am joined by TMark, we talk about how music impacted his life. How growing up in the Bronx shaped him, how much of a culture shock living in Queens was. Also we touch on his sneaker history and how being tapped in with sneakers paved his way. From being in sneaker battles over the internet to in person on Complex. To how DJ Clark Kent embraced him and much much more!
Where to find TMark:
Socials: IG: https://www.instagram.com/tmarkgotkickss/
Site: https://www.styledbytmarknyc.com/
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Intro Music by The DoppleGangaz: https://thedoppelgangaz.bandcamp.com/
Outro Music by Gordon Bombay: https://thegordonbombay.bandcamp.com/
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Transcript
Introduction of T-Mart: A Legendary Figure
00:00:15
Speaker
What's good, everyone? Welcome back to my first kicks. I got a special episode, another special episode as I'm going to episode 200. Had to bring in, had to bring in, you know, the man, the myth, the legend, T-Mart. Damn, all that? I appreciate it. Thank you, bro.
Why the Delay?
00:00:32
Speaker
Come on, man. Appreciate you. I was supposed to then do this, too, so.
00:00:36
Speaker
I just wanted to clear the air. I was supposed to bet and do this for a while. I wasn't going to bring it up. I wasn't going to bring it up. I know my boy pressed you, too. My boy, Hooley, pressed you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no, no, for sure. I'm happy. I was able to do it and get here now, so. Nah, yeah, we here.
T-Mart's Influence on Sneakers and Hats
00:00:52
Speaker
I mean, look, you got like a really storied career with sneakers and, you know,
00:00:58
Speaker
I know you mostly from hats from back in the day, just like, not back in the day, but like before, even before the big hype. Yeah. Before everybody, you know, when you was doing, cause I was, you were, you were the only person, and I'm gonna give you this, you're the only person that have gotten me so close to buying and a Yankee fitted. And maybe like, I'm not a Yankee fan, but you put that, see i got him I'm a Mets fan. met smith so But you put up that Doom hat and I was like,
00:01:28
Speaker
i love dohouse also But then it's it's weird because people are like, oh no, but he's, I'm like, he wore, Yankee, he's Mets, Knicks, like he wore different joints, like, so. Yeah, he's big, he was big big New York guy. It was just a New York thing, it wasn't, you know, I didn't argue with people about certain hats and, you know, why you don't do a Rockefeller hat on a Mets hat?
00:01:54
Speaker
oh Show me a photo with Jay, Damon, anybody where anything met. To make it make sense. So like that was really big like ah for me where just trying to make it
Creating Culturally Inspired Hats
00:02:07
Speaker
make sense. like I didn't just do it just to grab a dollar or some shit. like If I did that, I would be doing all sorts of hats. People ask me to do pun hats on a men hat and I'm like, bro.
00:02:21
Speaker
when He was from the Bronx. so like He rep the Yankees. He did that one photo shoot and I did a Yankee hat and Metz colors.
00:02:33
Speaker
He did the photo shoot when he's dunking with the New York Knicks jersey. So that was like the play, but I don't know, man. A Mets hat is kind of wild for fun to me. But, you know, people- The only thing I would be like, maybe, I would be like, it would make sense if you did a terror squad hat.
00:02:53
Speaker
with a Mets hat because of the beatnuts. Because the beatnuts are from Corona. I would have to tell that story within that. Yeah. But if I'm thinking Terra Squad, are we thinking beatnuts?
00:03:05
Speaker
Nah, we're probably not. exactly probably You know, joe or even Cuban, even, you know, whoever else, Remy, we're digging other people like that. So if we're going Armageddon. So I've heard that. You know, we're thinking.
00:03:25
Speaker
something like that. So like a Miami hat on the Terrace quad, you know, people, yeah Miami, but they're like, oh, okay, Cali, something like that. so And then you got to put the We The Best on the other side. and Yeah, something like that. But yeah, I didn't have so many arguments about what hats I should do for what teams. And Yo, you should do this. I ain't got, yo, do cash money on, oh, Boston hats. I'm like, all right, bro. No, because Wayne loved the Boston hat, because he was blood and all that. Oh my God. See? Yeah, overthinking it. But that's what happens. Cause like, yeah, New Orleans just doesn't have a baseball team, bro. It's all right. You gotta put on the pelicans hat. Put the young money on the pelicans hat with the big, the pelican mad big on the front. That would be so bad. That would be so terrible.
00:04:23
Speaker
I like the old NBA hats. like yeah Like the new ones, they just go crazy. yeah Like my man, God, that's not on camera. He'd be wearing like certain old school Knicks hats. And I'm like, damn, like if they dropped that now, I would be like interested in even getting it. I think Tibbs did a New York Knicks hat. the new york I gotta actually go still pick that hat up. But he did a hat with hat club and it just said New York, but it was clean. It wasn't,
00:04:50
Speaker
the big doofy logo that a lot of people would be using. The diamond joint or the... No, just NBA logos in general. I feel like they go and... Put it like the Jersey Stitch or something like that. Yeah, put it max size. Put it the biggest size you can put it on the front. Feel like it's just weird you see that that athletics hat and it they did like a there's like a 3d logo or something like that, so The A's it was like and it's a a with the commas and the s and it says so they just basically say ass Somebody said that to bring that shit back like block letter People was going crazy for like the script
00:05:33
Speaker
The whole script last year, I see. But then it's just like people do that and then they'll jump to something else and jumps to something else. And it's just like, don't fall for that. Don't fall for it, man. When it's all said and done, greys and greens and OG colors is always going to stay. Oh, yeah, for sure. Right.
00:05:54
Speaker
to the forefront, for me, because it's timeless. This is like- Back in the lids the lids era. Yeah, it's timeless. It's like mom and pop stores. and you know I remember traveling to Harlem, but this was probably like, oh wait, and all, because they started doing the black under bills and like, oh wait. Yeah.
00:06:15
Speaker
And it was a store on Westchester Avenue by San Diego where I'm from that had some grays. um oh Older Chinese guy owned it. And he would still have grays, but then they started surely like just disappearing and more black underbills. And then we had jowls fashion. That was like on elder, same thing. But Pegasus on 109th and 3rd,
00:06:43
Speaker
Grades and greens for days. They never stopped Selling them and we used to go there side patches all of that. So That was
First Sneaker Love: Nike Penny 3
00:06:53
Speaker
definitely a time. Oh,
00:06:56
Speaker
But you're here to answer the question yes that i asked that I ask everybody each week. And that question is, what's your first kicks with that first person because you absolutely needed to have? The Nike Penny 3. When I was a kid, um that was like one of the first phone positive shoes that emulated the men's pair.
00:07:14
Speaker
So I had the wave on the side with the phone positive and the men's and the kids was like pretty much identical. Right. Yeah. So like I had the Tim Duncan's as a kid, but it was soft positive. It wasn't the phone. bu Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So and a penny three. That's that's crazy, especially as a kid. Yeah. like knowing the difference. My brother was into Nike basketball and then my oldest brother was into Jordan. So that's why like my love for the both comes from them two. So um if I had to say Jordan, I remember
00:07:56
Speaker
I remember the Aqua Eights and I remember the Carolina Nuns. Cause I remember the photo of Jordan sitting on the basketball. And I remember it not having the 23 in the back as a kid. So yeah, if I had to go join them and do that, but I felt like
00:08:22
Speaker
Damn, this is crazy because it's just like I have so many memories with sneakers, just having all the brothers and my moms being in tune with like what we was into. But- And your whole family is from the Bronx? Like y'all- Yeah. Like I remember in 99 when the Breads and the White Cement Fools came out, my moms bought me the Black Pit.
00:08:50
Speaker
So I'm still wearing a kid's size. My older brother was wearing a delt size. So she bore him nose and I begged my grandfather to buy me the white cement. So I was able to get both. And he was pissed because he was only able to get one, but he's wearing a men's size at the time.
00:09:08
Speaker
um But yeah, to answer your question, pay me three, for sure. I want three. So like, I mean, you said your mom was, you know, in no of like what you guys wanted to wear growing up. So like, where where does that your fashion sense come from? And, you know, how much? My fashion sense comes from a hundred percent. She was into it. She was, ah me I I don't want to add out her laundry, but yeah, she was She's getting some money. Oh, yeah. She's getting some money, so.
00:09:41
Speaker
um And then I guess my older brothers, they knew. So she was just like in tune for herself. And then she was in tune of like sneaker stuff because of them as well. Like she used to bring us downtown early, like you know living in the Bronx. The main key shopping spots was Fordham, Third Ave, Simpson.
00:10:09
Speaker
Maybe, probably not even really Bay Plaza like that when we was younger. Yeah, I've only ah ever heard about Bay Plaza yeah one time. Yeah, like, I mean, Bay Plaza had a fire, a snake is still called Basics. They used to have so shoes early, but... Yeah, it was always Fordham, Third, Simpson. And then I feel like every borough has like a, you know, shopping area where people went to their shop. you know, Queens, is Jamaica, right Green Eggers Mall.
00:10:44
Speaker
queen sanal I was hoping you would shout it out. That's the only one, I remember going into that Modell's there, playing every day. And then you know Brooklyn was downtown, I'll be square and all that. Right, yeah, Fulton. Fulton, and then Harlem was what, two-fifth, thirty-fifth, forty-fifth, yeah stuff like that. so I feel like every borough had like a shopping area, like shopping areas where people always, but my mom used to bring us downtown to like Century 21, Burlington,
Fashion Experiences in the Bronx
00:11:20
Speaker
fucking so many different places. And this is before even 9-11. So this was like years, years ago.
00:11:28
Speaker
damn So like, were you, so were you known as like best dressed in school or like, you were you always like the fly kid? Yeah, I'm yeah. Like I had an Abrams when I was in fourth grade. That's crazy. Like we need a picture of that. all i know now as great That's fire. yeah they race Like fourth grade, like, well, um,
00:11:50
Speaker
like the adult avarice, like the leather one, not just, not like the wool one. People had, and I remember like older people on my block, like yo, like how you, like.
00:12:06
Speaker
But my mom was just like that. like She was just like that. That's wild. the the idea Even just the idea of seeing a kid in an Avorex is like... Yeah. like and I had a Vansen when I was in seventh grade. A Vansen? I had two Vansens. Hopefully. High school. Peles. So that's why like when I see all of this stuff now, it's just like...
00:12:31
Speaker
It's dope to see it, but it was just like, I did it a long time ago. You did it as a kid too. You know what it was, it was like, that was the peak of it. so it was like All the stuff that's coming out again is like- When people really was in it, but it was really violent to like even be outside with it. like It was it wasn't ah scary. like You had to move in packs. I was young, so I used to always...
00:13:02
Speaker
hang out with like the older people on the block and they're going to parties like Skakey and, no thank you I remember people riding around in vans, hopping out, robbing people for their jackets, cutting them in their face. Yeah. It was, it was tough it was tough. But, you know, those, those, those times was different, but it was, it was fun. It was fun too. It was fun to party. It was fun to go out. It was,
00:13:30
Speaker
It was just fun, like now it's just, it's scary, but it's like, I'd rather just stay home now. It's like that type of a scary, like he's not even adventurous anymore, like. Is there is there like a story that like rings true to your head where you were just like, I'm done with that, um no I'm done going outside or going to parties like that? oh I mean,
00:13:55
Speaker
I think I might've went to a party and, It just didn't fit. It felt like a Sophie club. It felt like it was a pissing contest or how many people could buy bottles and how many bottles you're buying.
00:14:08
Speaker
a whole bunch of people smoking hookah, recording themselves, rapping music, rapping meek mills, Dreams of Nightmares. yeah a light over And it's just like, yeah, this is not it. This is not it. This is not even fun. Like, how do you have fun doing this? yeah So that might have been one of the things I was just like, yeah, I'm good.
00:14:31
Speaker
But even when I was going out, when I was younger, like I always went with my gut. Like when I felt like something was off, I'm like, I'm out, what you're doing here? Staying with me out, like, and just avoiding like bullshit. But that just comes with like the street. Yeah. If you're being an outside a lot, it does come with that. It comes with that.
00:14:51
Speaker
You know, like, yeah, I grew up in Queens, so I was around a lot of like crazy shit happening, too. So please bug me out because my mom's with the Queens in 99. So where is it? St. Olvens. OK. Yeah. So right on. on I was on Linden.
00:15:10
Speaker
So for me, I stayed in the Bronx, but I was always coming out there on the weekends or vacations and shit, but Queens like bugged me out because it was just like a whole bunch of houses. And I'm like, yeah. And then people was like schooling me on Queens, like, yeah, cause you know, that block right there. And I'm like, that block, like, those houses, like, nah, but they be chilling right here, shit go down. I was like,
00:15:35
Speaker
yeah that's a j b over but I'm like, yo, it's houses. Like in my mind, I'm just like, yo, but it's houses. Like how, like how I'm so used to the projects and people living on top of each other. I'm seeing people with driveways and two cars and mom and dad. I'm like, how, like, this is the life. Like why are y'all bugging out? What are y'all upset about? Like, is that living in, like, I just couldn't figure it out. And then,
00:16:04
Speaker
As I got older, I'm like, oh, okay. I started seeing why in this and it was like, oh no, there's ghettos everywhere. yeah like you know Especially like if you when you go to l LA, and you'd be like, yeah, it's all houses and it's crazy out there. yeah I mean, I feel like LA is another place that's like, yeah, what the hell? That's true. That is true. But I just feel like people know like what territories to go to. like just like If you're from there, you just know that I need to stay away from there, or I shouldn't wear that collar over there. Yeah. It's funny, I was recently talking about that on Twitter, because the news was... the I was blaming... Somebody posted ah the report on... There was like a news report on the 14th, though.
00:16:57
Speaker
fourteens What's the white and black with the vampire teeth? I always call them vampires. fourteen for s art So black and white fourteens are coming out. And so there's a news report about people getting killed over the fourteens.
00:17:11
Speaker
in ah or No, no, no, this is old. This is old back then. So I i was just like, I retweeted and was like, you know, I always hated the news because it stopped me from getting a lot of stuff. Like I wasn't. My mom was always like, oh, you can't get that. You can't wear red. You can't wear blue. I hate the
Media's Influence on Fashion Choices
00:17:28
Speaker
news. I hate the news because they'll show you 20 negative things and one positive thing. I should brainwash you to
00:17:38
Speaker
And there's so many people that do copycat shit. yeah like I always talk about this story in particular, but it was one um when people started beating up like Asian people. yeah And I'm like, you know how many Chinese restaurants was like in the hood and we never never bothered them? yeah So like now it's just like a thing. Now people just going around being the older Asian people. I was just like, what? It didn't make any sense. But that's the news putting the magnifying glass on it. And now people are like, oh shit, I can make the news by doing something like this.
00:18:18
Speaker
I want to be famous. Yeah. I mean, I think the same thing. Remember the knockout game. Yeah. That's I feel like was like, oh, I can get on the news because it is, you know, yeah the train. What is it? Oh, yeah. Train surfing. Train. Yeah. Subway surfers. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like that's. stupid It's insane. And even these challenges on social media. But I blame us, bro. Like I blame.
00:18:46
Speaker
Cause we fall for it every time. Like we fall like us and people should know what I'm talking about with us. Like us, like we fall for the challenges every single time. It's a quick, easy million views.
00:19:03
Speaker
Yeah, but let's do a challenge with something that's actually positive and constructive and that's going to help. Like we create challenge. Like, come on. oh Yeah, that went that went crazy. And and I didn't understand why, because we if you like stores are so Dallas and point of signs that we're out of crates. Come on, bro. Like nothing comes out of that. Like nothing positive comes out of that.
Critique of Viral Challenges
00:19:29
Speaker
I might've seen one or two people like ever complete that challenge. Somebody died doing it and then it's like, let's stop. I know we have to stop. I didn't even know somebody died. Somebody to die. I didn't even know that. People that broke arms, legs, backs, everything. I know I saw that one where the guy, where the person fell and they fell directly onto the stack.
00:19:55
Speaker
So it was like, it took somebody to actually die for us to be like, all right, this is enough. Like, come on. Like, are we good. Now we good. Yeah, like, yo, come on. Then it just stops. Yeah. And now we move on to the, now we're doing a cinnamon challenge after that. deal Hot wing challenge. Hot chip challenge. Yo, come on, man. And it be mostly us. Like, I'm not saying that the other side don't do it.
00:20:23
Speaker
But I see us doing it. And it's just like, yo, why? Like, why do we fall for?
00:20:30
Speaker
We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We We We We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream. We all cream.
00:20:45
Speaker
We all cream.
00:20:50
Speaker
i've got fifty tyson look at look at them let them be the example why is jj fish or whatever his name is It's like j j yeah you look at it. All right. What's the got him? What's his name? oh These nuts? yeah i' was they but that's what i saying all cook bro Like finish like And granted, they might have like something mentally wrong with them, but there was people around them that was exploiting them. Yeah, for sure. For that. For that film. For that film. 15 minutes of fame. And then it's just like, that shit is not worth it. It's not. It's not. It's not. Go viral from doing something positive.
00:21:34
Speaker
Go, go, go save a cat out the tree. some shit go Do something. help us do something um I do want to bring it back to like, you know, the, your influence with like, how do you, how are you, what was the first like steps for you to be like, I you almost start making these patches and like, you know, putting these
Musical Inspirations and Custom Hat Design
00:21:53
Speaker
hats out. Like where where where did that inspiration come from?
00:21:56
Speaker
Oh man. ah Am I mad if you answered this question like a hundred times? I don't even get asked this question all that I have in in the past, but not often. um To be honest with you, it was just my love for music and my love for the Yankee hat. To be honest with you, um my step pops, he bought me and my brother ah first like Yankee hats and like I want to sell like 95, like 95, yeah, like 95, 96. And then, you know, my love for the Yankee hat and the Yankees, cause I remember going to the parades and it just felt like every year we just went to the parade and did it at one point, like it just felt like it.
00:22:43
Speaker
As a kid, I'm not even really paying attention on how much time is going to buy, but it just felt like a lot when he was going into the parade. Like, are we going to the parade this year? Yeah. So it was just like, and we would get a Yankee hat and just stay in the third. But then, you know, I feel like hats in New York is like a part of like the whole outfit, like that was a thing. like yeah and Especially in the Bronx, I feel like the Bronx was... Yeah, I mean, but like even outside of like the Bronx, right like just other teams, like we just always just the way it has to complete the outfit.
00:23:20
Speaker
so um I remember it was just a thought. I think I was on vacation and it was a thought and I'm like, I was collecting all 27 World Series patches. So I went back and I was like, all right, let me, has this shit even been done? And I'm like,
00:23:41
Speaker
hunting down these hats and finding these hats. And then I'm like, all right. So when I'm done, like, what else? I'm just rebought a hat. So then I started learning that was the anniversary patches, and patches when they lost and other shit like that. So I'm like, all right. And then I was just like, oh, damn, like, what if I wanted to <unk>m fucking spending all this money on hats? like What if I wanted to try to make my own? Like, I had no idea of like,
00:24:11
Speaker
the embroidery process, none of it. Like I had no idea. So I was just like, I might've seen a magazine or I was on Google. I might've just schooled something. I was like, yo, how the fuck can I tie hip hop with baseball? yeah You know, we think hip hop, we think basketball. Like for sure. Yeah. yeah really saying You think baseball. Yeah. But that time and that era, that golden era hip, everybody wore hats. And also baseball jerseys too. A lot like Nelly pulled up in the baseball jersey. yeah They all wore Fittish Revas in these cities or another city if they was there doing a show or something. And I was like, aight, boom. That's how I could tie it in.
00:25:02
Speaker
But then the process has to happen, right? now Yeah. It's not just going on. And I always thought about the um like the street team. Street teams, they used to always do the hats, but they had the logo on the front. Right. Super big, super big. And I always hated those type of hats. I'm like, why is the logo so big? Like the rough ride. I remember that rough ride. Yeah. It's like It's like past this. It's past this. It's going up there.
00:25:32
Speaker
and I used to be like, so I'm like, yeah and then I was like, yo, side patches, side patches. Cause I was collecting all of the, uh, world series patches. I'm like, what if I made it a side patch? So then figuring out the process now now was like, okay.
00:25:53
Speaker
Who does embroidery? I'm putting this on Instagram, a couple of people go, oh, my man doesn't let it out. So one of my boys put me on his man that was doing it in his crib. at a oneahead machine He And he kinda explained the process to me, like, yo, now, like I'm sending him the logos, like I stood over, like, Rockefeller bad boy, Terra Squad, and Rough Riders, yeah.
00:26:21
Speaker
And I'm just sending him the logos off Google. He's like, yeah, it doesn't work like that, bro. I'm like, what you mean? He's like, nah, you got to send it to get digitized, and you got to come back, then you got to write a sample, blah. So I'm like, all right. And I mean, my sample was terrible. Like, he was so, like, I don't, hopefully it got better, but she was doing it for me, and maybe because it was the first time, probably, trying to do something like on the side, maybe.
00:26:50
Speaker
He was terrible. um ah still I still still have those samples, though just to have it yeah um but like that shit was trial and error. And then I remember hitting, I had posted it and then Clark hit me and he was like, yo,
00:27:12
Speaker
where I went, like, how can I get them? And I'm like, these are just samples. this time The senate third is like, no, I need these. And I spoke to him and I was just like, yo, has this ever been done? He's like, what? I'm like, the hip hop low was on his side. And he's like,
00:27:29
Speaker
I've been collecting hats for 30 plus years. I've never seen something like this. And I'm like, okay, I'm the first person to do it, right? He's like, yeah. To my knowledge, because I was on Google search last, it's been done. I don't want to copy nobody. no I don't know how Ben did that, bro. So I'm looking at websites from Japan, everywhere, like nothing, that's crazy nothing popped up. And I was just like, I bet. I think I got something. And then when I was making it, I made it with the intent that it was more than just a hat, because I use a fan of a fan of a fan of
00:28:14
Speaker
It was going to just like be something near and dear to you. like It wasn't just that regular hat. like It just wasn't something that, oh yeah, let me do this and put it in the back of the closet. It's going to be something that you hold to a higher standard.
00:28:27
Speaker
so um doing that and then trial and error, getting better at it, finding a better spot. And ah then I started flipping patches because people started copying what I was doing. oh And then i just we just started oh creating our own patches.
00:28:52
Speaker
still same concept with certain things, but we just started creating our own patches. Especially like Nas, Nas has the NES logo. Right. I remember that Nas, I wanted that Nas. I wanted to do the Illmatic logo. That's the, it's like a maroon joint, right? Then fucking Mobb Deep. They have the infamous Mobb Deep, but I wanted to do something, but the circle and the Queens Bridge in the background. yeah So those are like the first two ones I flipped and then I started doing like others other joints. so the So like, where did your love for hip hop come from? like My mom's and my brother's yeah for sure. I remember my mom's buying high 97 CDs and I remember us listening to
00:29:46
Speaker
high 97 in her car. I remember us having Jay-Z, Reasonable ah Dead Presidents, the promo tape. Before Reasonable Doubting came out, I was like 95. I remember us having that. That definitely must have blown your mind because that song is crazy. Dead Presidents 1, 2, not even the one that was on the album. The one. um
00:30:18
Speaker
Yeah, like she, my mom was like one of the millennium moms early, like before the millennium mom thing was a thing, like she was like super hip, super. She tapped in. Yeah, she wasn't, like she was strict when it came to school shit, but like not.
00:30:36
Speaker
us exploring like things we liked. like and We liked hip-hop. She wasn't like, oh no, turn that off. That's curses. She just knew we can't curse in front of adults and you know stuff like that. As long as we knew that and respected that, she was she was with it. No, i sorry. the the So i mean you mentioned Clark. in like Well, the connection, I wanted to know like when does the sneaker and hack connection happen because you know there was a time where you were doing sneaker battle, you did a you did a sneaker battle. Who'd you do who'd you battle in sneaker battle? Went on Complex? Yeah. I think my boy Heck might've been first. I think I did it twice, if I'm not mistaken. I did it at the studio in Complex and I did it during COVID. Yeah, I remember the COVID war. Yeah, COVID one, I think it was Heck and then in the studio was Mouse.
00:31:26
Speaker
And then you also did it, IG too, right? Yeah, we used to just show Chicago, we really just got creative. We had nothing but time. Shout out Clubhouse. Yeah, we had nothing but time. Nothing but time. But that's when like, I was following you before that, but then that's when I started seeing your crazy collection. And so, you know, you've amassed such a crazy collection, but where does that connect? Where does that like, you know, you creating hats lead to you just having like such a massive collection? I felt like even before, like growing up, that shit was just a part of...
00:32:10
Speaker
That shit was just a part of the culture. For me, I'm not doing anything forceful. It's more so like, this is what it was growing up. Back then, I don't care what sneakers you had on. If you had a bullshit outfit, people would still call you out on it. You can't have Jordans and Paco jeans.
00:32:34
Speaker
shit like that where it was just like, nah. So for me, it was just always a part of the uniform. Like the hat was just the crown, but like the outfit was important. The sneakers was important. I mean, that was just growing up. Like a lot of that shit ain't important now, but just in general, like that was one of the things that um growing up, you would get bullied. You need to bring bullying back.
00:33:05
Speaker
In a very positive way. I mean, I just feel like a lot of people just go with the flow now. Nobody's really giving real ah honest opinions on certain things and the world's so sensitive and you can't even tell somebody the outfit is whack now. People are like, yo, you hating, bro. Get out of here. That's crazy. so I don't even know you.
00:33:30
Speaker
Like so for me, I just I mean I hit people with the evil you rockin that I just Because These brands and these companies they they fall for like the sneaker culture is dead. This shit is whack That's what you think that's what you think right now. It's finished, bro. Like I We can, if you really want to get in debt with this conversation, we can really go. Cause it's just like these brands, like, like what, like what is, what what are you guys trying to accomplish right now? Like what what is the brands trying to accomplish you think? I think it's, um,
00:34:14
Speaker
I think that's they're confused, right? They either want to sell sneakers or they want to push stories. Like it's always, it's it's like- But are they really pushing stories anymore? I feel like, and you know, I'm not going to just single out Nike and join a brand, but those are my two favorite brands. Like everything else is irrelevant. I mean, that's the biggest brand. I feel like Nike and Jordan brand built their brands on storytelling and marketing. And now shit is just dropping. For sure. but And I also think that's also in part to lots of leakers too. So like, you know, yeah, but also
00:34:58
Speaker
Where's these leakers getting this information from? The call is coming from the house. It's coming from somebody. It's coming from inside the house. Exactly. So that's one thing and then another thing is more so...
00:35:12
Speaker
theyre like Certain shoes that mean something to us when we was growing up doesn't mean anything to somebody else. 18, 17, 16. sixteen that's the my biggest... like And there's no fucking story being told about Ola Braun watch the throne on. There's no story being told about a South Beach 8. There's no story being told about a K-84. Right. Yeah. I mean, I brought that up recently. There's no fucking story. Like, do you understand how crazy the K-84 Nerf was when it came out? Yeah, it was. Like, House of Us, 125th Street Zoo, 34th Street Zoo, fucking Roosevelt Field Zoo, South Beach 8, Zoo on 34th, 42nd Street.
Nike Basketball's Consumer Disconnect
00:36:02
Speaker
14, wherever you, wherever you could think of a fucking zoo, like grade school, South beach eights was going for almost Iraq. Yeah. Like, so my, like,
00:36:16
Speaker
And enjoy so Nike now, Nike basketball is pretty much like signatures and the GT cuts. Like they don't even consider like the Barclays pennies. That shit is lifestyle. It's lifestyle now. It's not even. Oh, it's all old tech. Yeah. It's like, don't even yeah. But.
00:36:37
Speaker
Nike basketball is so focused on the tech and that work and then i focused on the look. like The Lebron 7 and 8 wasn't a bad shooter hoop and it wasn't. The technology was amazing, people hooped in it, but it was an option. I can wear it on court, I can wear it off the court. So I don't mind spending this 160. But now when you charging people 200, 220 or whatever the price is, and I can only wear it on court,
00:37:10
Speaker
It's like it's only a performance you at that. I'm not six eight. Yeah, I'm not 260 pounds. I don't jump like LeBron. Yeah, I don't move like LeBron So why the fuck do I need a shoe where the technologies benefit for LeBron and not me? Right? Yeah, you feel me? So it's just like that and then it's just a lot of these lifestyle shoes is just no story. Like people don't even understand like the Barclays and all of that shit. They sell out, but they sell out because they don't make a lot of pay them and they put them in urban stores. right yeah
00:37:49
Speaker
Every store doesn't get Barclays. No. Or even, for example, the 17s when they dropped with the suitcase. ah Lightning or UNC. Did the USCs drop? Yes. Oh yeah. But I didn't hear anything about them. Yeah. I mean, shout out to Jonah Brand, they actually sent me those. But like if they didn't, it probably would have been impossible to get, to be honest with you. and That shoe did well because it was money to be made on a resaw. A lot of people that really, really wanted the shoe didn't even get the shoe. You know, I mean, there's that classic video of Fat Joe in the car and he's like, you know, talking about up NYC. No, no, no. I mean, granted, like granted, like he, they own the store. It's not much they can do. No, I'm saying. But it's more so there was people that really, really wanted that shoe that couldn't even
00:38:48
Speaker
touch that shoe at all. Yeah. Cause the resell is overpowered it. And a lot of people was older now. Nobody wants to deal with being on the flushing. It's getting rowdy. Now it's getting violent. Like people just don't want to deal with this. No, yeah. But I don't. I barely get on lines now if I don't get the, if I don't get the, you know, you pull up like that's what I'm saying. That's why I don't, I'm not dealing with it, bro. Like I'm not dealing with it. I'm sorry. Like I put too much time, energy, pain, money, everything you could think of when it comes to the sneaker culture and all of this, like.
00:39:25
Speaker
I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it. I'm sorry. I feel like, um, I paid my dues and I appreciate the people that do look out. I appreciate the brands that do, you know, look out. But the culture now is just weird. Like people just want, they'll stay sending shoes to people that's behind desks and game chairs, coming up with fake stories on Google. Like if they was outside for this shit, like I seen somebody post.
00:39:56
Speaker
about the flight pauses that's dropped and talking about the pairs that dropped in 99. He don't even look like he might've been born in New York. It's insane. i i have a big I have a big like, I don't know, this whole thing about just like the way So your culture is definitely going because a lot of these people are just getting free pairs, but not like they're just, not i just I need the people, I need them to wear them. Yeah. I need the influence with that. Like if you wearing them now, I'm like, oh shit, them shits look good. you Yeah. I want a cop. Right. I'm not getting that. Right. You telling me a story that you fucking Google and wrote notes and all of that. Like, I don't want to hear that.
00:40:37
Speaker
Like, that shit is not making me want to get the shoot. No, it's not. like But it's like, so, I mean, you question about like, you know, these retail companies, what's the motive? And I just don't, we don't know what the, like, cause I feel like it's the people that are sending out the sneakers. are they now that They're not like looking at it like, okay, this person has posted a story or like they posted a post from them and their mom. I'm going to tell you the craziest shit though. What's the illest brand right now? Singer brand.
00:41:06
Speaker
right Honestly. Honestly? And be honest. There's one answer. There's one answer. I mean, is it Sockety? No. Is it Adidas? No. A6. A6.
00:41:22
Speaker
yeah A6. How many people get seated at A6? Probably not even a lot. I don't even think anyone. I don't know anybody for real. I don't even know people that they don't know. A6 sent me some joints like, but how they figured out something that's works and that's just, and they pumping them out. It's crazy. It is crazy. Yeah. Cause it's all these kids now. That's everybody that's what rocking. But here's my thing. has That's why I don't understand it. Like people, oh yeah, comfort. and yeah Youngest shit, which I mean, comfort. Like I'm making it seem like I got bad wheels. I don't got bad wheels yet. You got good. You got bad arches. Yeah, you got good. But it's something else that's there. Like I don't like haven't figured it out yet. I think it's maybe the... yeah Maybe because...
00:42:15
Speaker
Maybe the Balenciaga. That's what I was gonna go. Yeah. I think it's the matter the way it looks. Cause it's, it's, it trickled down to where it's like, okay, instead of paying $500, $600 for a Balenciaga, you know, you can get a clean but even on sale for like 70, 80. You can get a silver, all silver and white chunky shoe. That's comfortable.
00:42:38
Speaker
but that was just never the thing. That's why like times are different. Like before it was like, oh shit, you're wearing a May six and she's only seven hours. so Like it was that, like it wasn't, he was getting clowned back in the day. She was so My thing is I just feel like Frank is back over at Nike and joining brands. So, you know, hopefully that helps. But we probably not going to see no real change until like another two, three. Yeah. So they always they always do their rollout or whatever, ah like years in advance. So by the time he gets to touch, you know, and bring back the the sneaker culture into it and the feeling back into it, probably be.
00:43:22
Speaker
the Yeah, three, four years. I think the storytelling in the marketing has to improve over there. I feel like a lot of shoes just drop and there's no connection. Like you go to a store and be like, where the hell you just dropped? It's like, what the hell? like And it's just not exciting anymore. Retail's high. So a lot of people just waiting for shit to go on to on sale. yeah but I don't know, man. I just feel like even with the bread ones, they said the price is 250. Like, I don't know whoever's at Jordan brand.
00:44:04
Speaker
And whoever's at like these meetings and all that, I can decide that. But the Jordan one was Ford 2013 was the most affordable Jordan ever, ever for sure.
Rising Jordan Prices and Nostalgia
00:44:16
Speaker
Like those are sales. Like I remember my mom's buying me grow you ones on sale, like on the table sale. I was still I think I was still in a grade school size, but it was still like on sale.
00:44:32
Speaker
It's like you're charging $250, like you're still paying for Mike's funds, like from 85. Like I don't know what it is, like you're still paying for the funds. Like he just got the letter yesterday. Like you're still paying for the funds that Mike, like is he still getting fined? I don't know. Like don't wake up treating it, it's crazy, yo.
00:44:57
Speaker
Yo, that's the weight. 250 is crazy. That's more than a pair of foam posits. Yeah, it's crazy. And the technology is from 1984 to 85. They're not giving us nothing. And even on the last dance, the most recent thing of him wearing it is him being like, this shoe hurts my feet. Exactly.
00:45:18
Speaker
Like, all right, bro. All right, I got it.
Timeless Appeal of Air Force Ones
00:45:23
Speaker
I definitely want to talk about Clark and you posted recently, you know, a bunch of Air Force Ones, but what does the Air Force One mean to you? Yes, Air Force One for me is its timeless. It's just that shoe you've seen growing up. You see today and you see so many fucking barriers of it.
00:45:44
Speaker
high tops, mids, lows. Are you a fan of the mids? Cause he, he said no mids. Um, for me, I remember having a pair in 97, the NYC Joe yeah pair, the black, red and white. And I always wanted the gray one, the gray on gray. yes I had two pairs of mids then, but the gel swoosh, the leather was crazy premium and I had an NYC on a strap. And that was like the only meds ever that I had. um For me today, no, I'm not wearing no meds. Look, if you got 13, hook me up.
00:46:26
Speaker
was you know, even with Jordan women's, right? A lot of people clown them. 2001 is mid cut the band with the extra back. yeah new love That shit is not highs and people, people just don't understand the difference in this shit. That's why like, I don't even like talking sneakers with a lot of people, even people that work at these companies because They really have no idea. You got a degree, you applied for the job, you got the job, but that don't mean you know the history of this shit. yeah so like
00:47:03
Speaker
It's hard having sneaky conversations with certain people. It's just like, all right, cool. Like people seeing these Wu-Tang dunks that's coming out and thinking money. Like, oh, how can we sell? And it's like, nah, that's a nostalgia. That's something that we thought we would have never seen. I remember being on forums and being like, one day, one day. Exactly. one Like, what? Are y'all crazy?
Nostalgia for Wu-Tang Dunks
00:47:29
Speaker
like seeing the golden rods and like, damn, why they just can't do the When they dropped the be true tokew this Be True To Your School pack, like when they did that like vintage run, yeah and I was like, yo, I just need to get those. But I ended up getting the Iowas as Bs. So that was like my routine. Yeah, but it just wasn't the same that W would just hit different. it was And then me being a fan of fucking hip hop was like, nah, these woots ain't dunks. It's crazy. So for us to get them, like,
00:48:04
Speaker
Thank you, Nike. Thank you. And they did a decent job with the marketing. I thought that was Rizzo, though. Rizzo was hands on with it. Bong Bong. Yeah. So for me, you know, I've seen Don C post um a photo of the Vibe ah magazine. They're false ones. And he was saying like, you know, that shoe was for ah Quincy Jones. Oh, snap. Yeah. He's like, yo, nigga, we need to bring like shit like that. like yeah But it's like.
00:48:45
Speaker
We got the linens. Nobody cared, man. we get we get We're getting shit. We're getting shit. I i'm i'm ah talked about it on this last episode, but the story of Clark going to get the linens and hike yes like everybody, yes like we told that story over and over and That shoe is one of like the premier shoes for like the OG collectors because it was just was different. yeah So if a people for me to see that shoe go on sale and under it hurts, but it's just like...
00:49:23
Speaker
All these brands tapping them with the right people. I mean, I heard we're getting scars. We're getting scars Air Force Ones, too, now? Nah, so that was scrap. There's something else that's dropping in PlayStation. I won't be the one to put that information. I would leave that up to his son to do so when when the time is right.
00:49:47
Speaker
but um Yeah Like I feel like we're getting shit. I reach snake Air Force ones color the moment joints was crazy that is Crazy, yeah, like we can shit. We got the TNs that it came back out the orange pair This sucks that a lot of shit's going under for retail, but there's no story like you're not there's no happening with the right people like people that really was outside for this shit not people that's
00:50:19
Speaker
Coming up with stories yeah and this is how like I catch people when they go. Oh, yeah, you know that it uh, oh he was outside What else was going on around that time? Mm-hmm Tell me something else. Like, i I, you know, you know about the shoe, but what else was going on in 99? You'd be like, nozzles outside. But what brands was, what brands was popular? And E.J. or NYC. Start a different conversation. so yeah like one you into Cause when they behind a camera and they had a desk and they talking, the notes is already in their head.
00:50:58
Speaker
ask them something else, like what was going on around that time. And they're not going to have a real answer. Exactly. Cause a lot of them wasn't even into sneakers or the culture or even outside to even know about it at that time. yeah So while you're sending
00:51:16
Speaker
Not even no weight, like a flight, like granted them flight pauses came back out. I don't like the inside of the sole part. That shit looked like a diet flight. The, the, the, the Royal Green Goblet, Green Goblets. And I bet my bad. I mean.
00:51:34
Speaker
But I see my timeline, a lot of people got it. And I'm seeing people getting sent these pairs. And I'm like, I'm seeing people like talk, yeah, cause you know, they originally came out in 99. They know Wade and buta blah, blah, blah. And I'm like.
00:51:48
Speaker
I could just tell if your aura, bro, you wasn't outside. I could just tell. Cause the shit that people get excited for is just like slobbering foams. probably Or at least mentioned that like KG or like somebody, you know? like The people don't even understand, right? The gloves. A lot of people wore the gloves.
00:52:11
Speaker
Over the flights because the flights was too expensive. right Yeah, and it had the same same technology with the zipper and all that So but that's something that people can't speak on. I remember going to Foot Locker and trying to convince my mom so yeah to get them gloves or like I was just like cuz they retailed so like to it was close to two I feel like it was right on the phone posits. Yeah, like flights was always close right on the phone posits like when it came to price like I remember I being in eighth grade in 2002, Pearls. I was in seventh grade going into eighth grade. One of them grades. So 2002, my mom, like I was wearing a size seven. I begged my mom to give me the Pearls.
00:52:58
Speaker
And the size eight, like I begged her. I remember having those in the pair of fucking jibbal jeans. Fuck it. Let's go. Yeah, like I remember. And I was like an East outfit. It was like close to East. And I was killing them all Easter. And I begged my moms, because I'm like, mom, please, please. She's like, you don't even wear size eight. I'm like, mom, but I'm a dope. I fit them. And she bought me them shits. I remember getting a pearl phone in 2002, size eight.
00:53:27
Speaker
She's like, they don't come in seven and a half. I'm like, they're not going to find them in the seven and a half. The eight is dead. The The extra baggy. Extra baggy. I double sock them since I was able to fit them. That ass. Oh, man. That ass. I remember that. I remember having the Raptors, the French Blue 7s. All that shit in the old suit, bro. So that's why I... It's hard me having these conversations with these people, man. And I really want to have like a ah real discussion with like all of these quote unquote people without constantly that they they they've been into it and just catch them on like off guard. Like no can't like no phone, no laptop, no fucking mental notes. Like no, no notes. Let's just talk. Yeah. And I just want to pick the brains like, oh, yeah, you was outside where?
00:54:27
Speaker
I'm gonna tell you, because I have these conversations, I'm gonna tell you it's about like 10% of them are also. like I know they feel like it's less than that. No, it is, it's 10. I'll tell you it's 10, because like, they I'm talking about like, I want to say the people with like a following per se, right? Like there are the people that just work the algorithm,
00:54:47
Speaker
And then there are the people that were like, yeah, I'm part of this community and I do it. For me, I go back to photos before 2020. Who was you before 2020? Not you. No, I know. I know. I'm thinking about like the people that are like, you know, like the YouTubers. Yeah, I'm like, yeah, that wasn't outside. This is not even y'all a whole different person now today. Yeah. From then. Yeah. That was four years ago.
00:55:12
Speaker
I wasn't at all. That's that resale market. yeah It really got, it really got a ton of people in here. Just like, I'm looking at like, who were you before 2020? And I get like me, not out of 10 people. Like if I'm looking at, I'm always right about it. Like this person's not,
00:55:35
Speaker
who they say they are. no yeah and it's because but then i don't mind it like here's the thing i'm gonna play there like I don't mind who you are today, but it's just the way they speak on it. like but I've been doing this and da da da. So they'll portray it like if they've been doing it,
00:55:58
Speaker
And that's not the case. You just now starting to get into it the last couple of years, three, four years. That's cool too, bro. But living that truth, don't live in. Be genuine about it. Yeah, like don't, but yeah, you know, cause when I was younger and there are, and 23, oh stop, stop. Yeah.
00:56:19
Speaker
doing it for no reason to stop. And you got to watch the people that delete all of the old shit. And then all they got is shit from 2020. You just got Instagram. Stop. Stop up stop it. Stop it. stop it and I mean, look, be the i mean we talk about like how the current state of sneaker culture is, and I feel like, yeah, you're we're we're part of this era where we were the ones... like I always say, like sometimes I'll be like, okay, I have to G-check them and see what's good. And if you're part of this, if you're really, really, really part of this, if not, just say that you're not. like yeah
00:56:57
Speaker
Or if you're creating content with this idea of like, hey, I'm gonna perceive myself as somebody that's been part of this, then when somebody who has been part of this talks to you, then you're gonna get fucking wrecked immediately. You're gonna be like, oh shit, I'm gonna hurt it. So that's the thing though, people are scared to do that second part. They're scared to have that conversation and be like. They don't wanna have a conversation. They're scared to be like. And if they do, I would love to be at that table.
00:57:25
Speaker
I mean, I would love to be at that table. But granted, there's a difference to
Staying Authentic in Sneaker Culture
00:57:32
Speaker
it as well. like There's a difference of having followers and having a following. right yeah like They have a bunch of followers. The following is not it's not all authentic. It's not real. it's not And I was just telling my boys in my group chat, I'm like, yo, you know,
00:57:50
Speaker
To me, I feel like I'm the black sheep to like a lot of these companies because I've always done it my way. I've never became a character. I've never did anything I was uncomfortable with. I've never did anything like, damn bro, this ain't me. but Even when people give me things, I remember James used to send me shit and I let them know, yo, you know,
00:58:17
Speaker
Like certain shit just don't send me like let me know yeah just send and I'll let you know so you don't have to waste You know tape box buddy yeah friday Because like I'm not posting and wearing everything I'm sorry, like that's just not who I am. I don't care What it is. Like if I don't like it, I don't like it right and my following is gonna recognize like Yeah, this is not him. What the hell is this? Like, yeah so you're not going to get the response that you think you're going to get. Like don't send me no under all my training shoes. Like I don't get you with the South Korea and that's no disrespect. on um I'm just saying in general, like, yeah I remember they sent me to call it Tim's and champion Tim's. I'm like, yo, I,
00:59:07
Speaker
I got a trick for you. I'm bringing these to the champs and I'm exchanging and I'm gonna post that whatever I exchange it for. Shout out the champs. Shout out the champs. Shout out the champs. They're not gonna get me doing that. They're not. And I feel like...
00:59:23
Speaker
These guys just don't like these content creators. Just don't say no to anything. Nah. Yeah, I've been having anyone to send it's like, oh, yeah, no, i'm go do I just got this new amazing show relax. yeah relax The most comfy shoe. No, and I feel like i've I've been the black sheep to a lot of these companies because I just I'm not with it, bro. Like I'm not. And I feel like I've been authentic to myself for all this time since I was a kid. So I'm not changing that for free product. I buy it. It's worse. Come to worse. Like I have to buy it. up I'm already buying it before it's going to change now. know So
01:00:02
Speaker
yeah A lot of people don't believe in that, but we're at we're at the end of the podcast and I have ah another last question to ask you and it deals with
Advice to Younger Self on Sneaker Love
01:00:09
Speaker
visualization. I want you to think back to when you were about to get, ah you well, you said you didn't get them, the penny threes. but dig it You got them. All right, so I want you to dig in.
01:00:19
Speaker
you say That's what you said before we started recording. So I want you to think back to when you were about to open that box with the penny threes in it. Now you're you travel back in time behind yourself. What would you tell your younger self as you open that box? then I would tell my younger self.
01:00:40
Speaker
ah
01:00:44
Speaker
continue to like what you like, no matter if it's hyped or not. Just like what you like, honestly. um Me liking the Penny Threes was also me seeing my bigger brother my big brother having them and
01:01:04
Speaker
you know, once I realized that they came out and kids, like you know, I wanted to be like my brother. So, um, but I also liked that the fact it was identical to the men's pair. And for me to even see that, that young was something different. Like, cause I had the Dunkins when it was a soft positive, but I understood it was different. Yeah, exactly. Like, yeah. I said it was different. Like, it was dope to have, but I understood it was different. And to see the phones, I mean, the Penny threes, I was just like, oh, cool. But even seeing, I remember seeing the phone positive in 97.
01:01:44
Speaker
One of them shit's like, my old block is like a block full of bloods and niggas is running around with royal blue sneakers. I was just like, wow, confused. Like, hold on, what? So these gonna pass? Like, these gonna, yeah. So it was just, yeah, man. I've seen a lot of shit. I've seen a lot of trends come and go.
01:02:09
Speaker
And, you know, I've felt victim to some trends, to a degree, and not all.
01:02:18
Speaker
But now I just I just want the OG shit, bro. i don't We get in there. I don't even want the hype. I don't even want collab shit. Yeah. So any brands and stores, you know, just send me OG shit. I'll take some OG shit that nobody wants. Yeah, facts. People don't really want those. But let everybody know where to find you.
01:02:40
Speaker
Uh, you can find me on Instagram. Tmall got kicks with two S's. Um, I don't really be on Twitter or X. I mean, I have a Twitter account. X accounts, the same thing. Um, I'm not using Facebook this is for like people that's grandparents and old uncles. Um, yeah, I don't do Tik TOK. I'm too old for it.
01:03:09
Speaker
Yeah, Instagram. You can find me on Instagram and I got my website, right? stylemytmarknyc.com. Um, yeah. So normally drop every Friday, try to drop something, uh, pyro hats.
01:03:26
Speaker
And it's all fire. It's all fire. Appreciate you. Thank you. Of course. And you know where to find me. I am who is hot on all social media. Follow the podcast on my first kicks pot. If you were listening to this, I'm going to need you to go on YouTube, watch me and T Mark to have this conversation in person, youtube dot.com slash my first kicks, I guess. And, uh, you know, where we say every week, where your kicks got to wear them in 2006. Yeah, sir. wearing Got to wear to 2015. I was like, I was like, let me wear some old shit. Classic color.