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Fittted Caps and Philly Kicks with 215shooter
121 Plays5 months ago
This week I welcome 215shooter to the podcast, we talk about running into each other at Renarts. How early he was on fitted and hats and hat trends. Collecting kicks in Philly and working at shops. His time at DTLR and how he got his position. The creation of Niche Talk and how it evolved from his content. What and who are his current inspirations and much much more!
Where to find Jerome:
YouTube: @215shooter
IG: https://www.instagram.com/215shooter/
Twitter: https://x.com/_215shooter_
Niche Talk: @TheNicheTalk
Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-niche-talk/id1683690145
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Download Solesafe: https://solesafe.co/ Use Promo Code: PPOQA5
Music by Gordon Bombay: https://thegordonbombay.bandcamp.com/... something and tell him we sent ya!)
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Transcript
Introduction to Jerome and his passions
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey, 215 Shooter. Welcome to the podcast. Thanks for having me, bro. Nah, man. It's a big honor. I mean, look, we could talk about how many times I messaged you to try to get you on this podcast. It was a lot of time. Here we are. We finally meet again, bro. Nah, yeah. I mean, look.
00:00:16
Speaker
Shout out to Mikey for doing that capsule with the ladies in, I don't know if they're in like a collective or anything like that, but that was like our first meeting of act. Like I ran into y'all, it was like, yo, it was good, I'm Haas. And then, and it's funny because every time I go to Renard's, I always, I feel like I dress like a bum every single time I've gone there. So it's like, it's a lot for me to go up and talk to people because I've always either like coming out the gym or like going to the gym. And it's like,
00:00:44
Speaker
And it's like on the way. So I'm like, let me just pass by. And then this event was happening. And I was just like, after playing basketball. And I pull up, and you're there. I'm like, damn. And now I got to introduce myself. And I hope I don't smell crazy. Like, yeah. Listen, it's part of life, bro. We got to do what we got to do. Not yet. But for people who aren't familiar with you, how about you introduce yourself? So what's good, everybody? My name is Jerome, AKA 215 Shooter.
00:01:10
Speaker
photographer, videographer, content creator, based out of Philadelphia. And the passion that connected us is the love for sneakers and hats and fashion, you feel me? Well, look, I'm starting to get into hats. I'm not all the way in, but we'll be starting. We all start somewhere, you feel me?
Collaborations and Inspirations
00:01:29
Speaker
Now, yeah, I mean, speaking of hats, you recently did that My Hero Academia drop with the people at Kix. What was it? Kix Closet? Got it. Kix Closet and our boy Jimmy Jordan. Yeah. And it was fire.
00:01:45
Speaker
You know, I'm a big anime person. And when I saw that collection, I was just like, this is dope. I wish you made a Mets hat. So get me in the part two. Let me get that. Let me get that Mets colorway. Listen, bro, like I remember when we first met at the girls drop. And I remember you was like, oh, like, you know, it's a lot of dope stuff I see. But you know, if it's if it ain't a Mets, it ain't going on. It ain't going on. Yeah, I mean, I had Mikey on and we talked about it because
00:02:13
Speaker
For me, I'm still part of that. If I'm wearing a sports hat, I have to be rooting for that team. Because I don't want people pulling up to me and be like, oh, yeah, you a race man? I'll be like, nah, man, I'm sorry. I hate that. I hate that. I know exactly what you mean, bro.
00:02:31
Speaker
especially because it's like, and I go to a lot of baseball games. So it's like, I pull up and then, and if I'm wearing, just because I'm like, yo, I got the Jersey, I got the different color Jersey. I got the only one hat to go with it. Or like, if I'm like wearing that and then add like a sports bar and they'd be like, yo, man, yo, they, they played well last night, right? The Tampa, Tampa, Tampa Bay Rays, right? And I'm like, nah, man, I'm a Mets fan. Like,
First Sneaker Purchase and Early Influences
00:02:57
Speaker
But you're here to answer the question that I ask everybody each week. And that question is, what's your first kicks with that first pair of sneakers you absolutely need to have? So for me, it was always, you know, you reach a certain age where you can afford things on your own. So it was always like coming up on shoes with my parents and stuff. But you know, the things that we can afford, which was always nothing too crazy. Yeah. But then I got old enough where I'm like, you know what, I can buy my own stuff.
00:03:26
Speaker
I'm about to be 39 next month. So I'm part of the millennial generation. And for me, it was the bread for it. Like the ads, you know, Spike and just being a huge Jordan fan and, you know, the black and red, does that combo just.
00:03:43
Speaker
was the chef's kiss. And I was like, yo, how can I get this shoe? And at that time, the 99 rendition was out. The OGs, the 89s. And so technically, the first retro was the 99s. And I had to have them. And that was the first shoe period that I bought with my own hard-earned money. What was that first job for you to get that? I was a bagger at the market. Wow. How'd you get that job? Just walking in. My pot was like, yo, listen, if you want to be able to do things,
00:04:14
Speaker
live to let you know that, that freedom of doing what you want to do is like, you know, you got to step up and earn it to be able to do what
The Evolution of Hat Collecting
00:04:23
Speaker
you want to do. Like that gives you the right to do what you want to do by earning it. You feel me? And I'm just like, okay, cool. So started going around to local markets and everything. You know, at first it was like,
00:04:32
Speaker
I'm not sure if you remember those signs, but at one point you didn't have to work at the market. No, yeah. You could just bag up with people. You hope they gave you a tip. Yeah, you get the little plastic cup on there and then you just put it right there. And then people were just like... And you bag up and that was it. But at the time they were expanding to like, yo, we actually have people that work at the store that's just doing bagging. And I'm a younger guy.
00:04:57
Speaker
And they like, okay, well, yeah, you know, you hired. So I'm like, all right, bet. You know, as a, you know, as a growing adult, you really got no responsibilities and bills and shit like that. You feel me? So all the money that I was making was just going to shoes and hats at the time. That's obvious. You just collect the hats back then too.
00:05:18
Speaker
It wasn't like it was now. Right. It was like back then, like was it the 5950? Like, yes. But back then it wasn't very side patch heavy. It was all pretty much as we call it now, like the plain jade. Yeah. So for me, it was always.
00:05:33
Speaker
Phillies, Phillies, Phillies, and then I would have a few Yankees because a lot of my family lived in New York. So I was down there like in a summertime with aunts and uncles and stuff. So it was Phillies and Yankees. And then as I got older, that developed into like favorite players like Ken Griffey. So I started collecting Mariners and then Kyle Ripken Jr. So I started collecting Baltimore's hats and then
00:05:52
Speaker
You know, time goes on, you know, things evolve, fashion evolves and change. So at some point I actually got out of like the fitted hats. Like I kept a few within it, you know, turned into like the Michelin S era, you know, to throwback jerseys and the warmup jackets and all that good stuff. And then, uh, it went from that to, you know, got a little older. Started having my daughter, my son, and got into the dad hat era. You know, so it was like, everything is always like constantly changing and now full circle. Here I am back.
00:06:22
Speaker
to where I started with the fitted head, you know what I mean? Well, I mean, you got some stake in the game. It's not like, you know, you just were like, I'm just gonna, like, you were just following the trends. You was in it before that. And then it kind of just revolved back around, you know, I feel like that's totally different. Yeah, and it's like, I always tell people, like, I'd be a liar if I say I stayed true to it the entire time. That's not me, like,
00:06:46
Speaker
I'm always going to keep it to me. So I'm like, you know, like I was in it before it was a thing, which a lot of people were. And then, you know, I can honestly say I got out of it and I switched to, you know, the new era. I'm at the Mitchell and that snapback and all that stuff. And because that was a wave at the time. Yeah. Yeah.
Sneakerheads to Hat Enthusiasts: A Cultural Shift
00:07:01
Speaker
You know, pandemic happened was that late 19, early 2020. I was like early 2020, February, March, March 20. So I literally just started collecting again. I want to say September of 2019. Mm hmm.
00:07:16
Speaker
I kind of stumbled into the leaves on a lunch break. And I was like, oh, you know what? I should get a new Phillies. And after that, it was like fucking down a rabbit hole, bro. I mean, it's crazy because I didn't really understand it. And to be honest, I kind of still don't understand it. But now I'm starting to be a little too adjacent to it. So now I'm seeing what's going on. And I'm like, all right, you know, I'm still out this mindset of like, oh, that's a dope colorway.
00:07:45
Speaker
Let me cop, not like, Oh, give me the story behind it. Give me, I'm always just like, there's a dope colorway. Cool. Let me just get it. It goes with something. And it's a Mets hat. Let me cop suck. Let me cop. But like, I mean, as you were saying, like, you know, in the beginning, it was just straight, like they were still doing it. And I talked about it on this, on this podcast before, but like, they used to do like the little, the little team logos on the side. And then like Liz was experimenting and new era was experimenting with like different stuff when
00:08:13
Speaker
when Yankee hats were going crazy back in the day. And so it makes sense for you to be like, yeah, I'm a cop. And then when Mitchell and Ness started doing like, their hats were always really cool in terms of just like, they pulled in that nostalgia feeling when you looked at it. And I mean, that's their whole brand. It's just nostalgia regardless. So it made sense. And then, yeah, I mean, but I also still feel like because you were in it,
00:08:41
Speaker
before, because you were in the fitted hat cap era before it was like an actual thing before. Like, I mean, I went kind of viral for my take on Jay-Z and Fred Durst on my boys Rob Hayes podcast. And so because, well, according to him, because Fred Durst made the Yankee fitted pop in that, that, that, you know, that era of like lids is just great. Like to be in that era of lids was like,
00:09:10
Speaker
Unbelievable, like all the hats, that was like when the hats were like 20, I think it was like 25, 30 bucks and now they're like, people still think that hats cost that much now. And it's like, nah, it hasn't been like that for a minute. Yeah, at the bare minimum, you're looking at like 50, 55 depending. Shoot, I paid 75 for a hat once and I was like, never again. Listen, even on sale, it still costs more than what they did for retail back in the day, bro.
00:09:37
Speaker
But yeah, back to the breads, that moment of putting in your hard-earned work, hard-earned money from your engaged working, where did that come from? Was your parents always instilling that hard work? Did you put that in the school and then it translated into work? Or where does that come from? It was just life.
00:10:05
Speaker
We all have our negatives and positives growing up and everything. So for me, it was a double standard of, yo, when things didn't happen the way I wanted it to, it was put to me as like, well, this happened because you didn't work hard enough. You didn't apply yourself enough. So as I started paying attention, I'm just like, okay, well, in order for me to get these things and want to do these things,
00:10:28
Speaker
I'm reading the room of what my parents are telling me, like, yo, if you want it, it's real simple. Go get it. Like, go get it by any means. To a certain extent, you know, we say by any means, we don't literally mean by any means. You know what I mean? But it's like, for a certain extent, it's like, yo, do whatever you got to do to obtain it. And that's why I always tell people now when they like, oh, you know, like,
00:10:48
Speaker
I want to start a podcast. Or I want to do this, I want to do that. I'm like, yo, let me stop you. Don't say I want to do anything. Say when. When I start my podcast. When I do this, when I do that. I'm like, because you're going to do what you can to make it happen, right? I'm like, all right, cool. Keep that energy until it happens. What is it? Because I'm a huge procrastinator. It took me two years to start this podcast. So what was the moment where you were like, I'm not going to be procrastinating on something that I want to do?
00:11:19
Speaker
Honestly, I want to say when I caught my first break in photography, I was a cable technician at Comcast. I was to do climbing the ladders, fucking rain, snow, hell. That's wild. And I was just doing photography on the side for the fun of it. And everybody saw my potential, but me. And that was the wake up call. Like having like your boss is like, I'm great at my job. Having your boss just tell you like,
00:11:46
Speaker
Yo, like, you don't need to be here, bro. Like, why are you here? Like, I see what you do. Like, you're great at it. Like, why are you here? It was because, you know, procrastinating. Like, oh, you know, yeah, I could go reach out to this company or I could be shooting this and that, but I'm, you know, I'm not going to, or I say I will. And you know how they go. You say I'm going to do it and then a day goes by. And that's, you know, it's a month and don't get me wrong. I'm not perfect. I still have my times, you know, like the,
00:12:13
Speaker
the podcast I do with my homie. I didn't talk about that for so long to the point, I was going to do it solo to the point I had to hit him up like, yo, bro, like you want to do this young because I can tell you right now, if I don't have somebody that's going to stay on me about like getting this done, it's not going to happen.
Overcoming Creative Hurdles
00:12:29
Speaker
Yeah. Out of him, that's the reason that it happened today. You feel me? Nah, yeah. Well, shout out to Neesh Talk. Hopefully I get to be on an episode one of these days. But the idea of
00:12:42
Speaker
I don't know, like being the procrastination out of ourselves is definitely the hardest part, especially when people, I was thinking about this, I was gonna tweet this out, but I ended up just keeping it close to the chest where I was gonna say, I don't know what's more disappointing, seeing the potential in somebody or seeing people see the potential in you and not fulfilling it. And I wanted to post that because,
00:13:09
Speaker
Because it's so easy to look at your friends or people that are around you and be like, yo, man, they could do so much better, blah, blah, blah. But then you don't realize they can also be saying the same thing to you or have been saying the same thing to you. So which one is more disappointing? And I feel like they do go hand in hand, but I feel like when you don't realize the potential in yourself, it's tough to be like, I'm going to start moving forward. And then it's also, why are you so hard on everybody out there?
00:13:37
Speaker
where everybody around you in your circle, but then you're not so hard on yourself. And I've like, that's one thing about me because like, I'll tell you straight up in college, I was like that. I was straight up like, Mr. Big Idea never act on anything, never act on anything. I was just talking to one of my best friends recently. And I was telling him this, basically what I just said, but like in real time action of like,
00:14:01
Speaker
I kept being like, yo, we should do this, we should do this, we should do this. And then nothing, I would do nothing about it. I would just go back to working, stocking candy for fucking six years, right? And it's like, I could have just, I could have actually, you know, learn how to draw and do all this stuff and become really good at graphic design, like actually do all this stuff.
00:14:21
Speaker
And I was more disappointed that my friends weren't doing what I thought they had the potential to do. But they also were probably disappointed in me because they were seeing the potential in me and did not see that I should have been acting on my own thing. And it took me until starting this podcast to realize that of like, I took the chance and
00:14:44
Speaker
Now that I've taken the chance on myself and I've invested my money into this, I'm noticing that it is harder, but it's much more fulfilling. And I think that barrier of people not understanding that
00:14:57
Speaker
if you put in the effort to do something that you want to do is actually more fulfilling than you actually like you like without I want to because I have to obviously we don't know if it's going to pay or not but like that's why I'm trying to like skirt around it but but it's more fulfilling in terms of just you yourself feel and see what you're capable of doing
00:15:17
Speaker
and i think that's like the biggest difference and i think people are too afraid of taking that leap to see because everybody everybody doesn't matter who it can be you know the most successful person in the world to the least successful person in the world they're afraid of failure and once you become
00:15:33
Speaker
you know, either accepting a failure before it even happens or you're just just paralyzed by it. You're not going to be moving forward into something that you really should be wanting to do or giving a try at, you know. Yeah, bro. Everything you just did is spot on. Like I'm sitting here, I'm I'm seeking it in as you're talking about it. And I like to say failure is the biggest thing that's unintentionally embraced by people that they don't realize.
00:16:04
Speaker
Cause that fear, like you, if you sell somebody like, yo, you're not going to do this because you know, you, you know, somewhere in your mind, you think you might fail and it may not work. They're not going to say, yeah, you're right. That's why I didn't, I didn't do it. You know, want to be other excuses, want to be, Oh, you know, I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and I got home too late for working. I was tired. And it's like, we as the people.
00:16:25
Speaker
have so much potential and we all have our own unique talents. If only we understood and knew that we could technically exploit those talents for our own game, everybody would be up. But that's when the fear comes in because, yeah, there's a possibility that, you know, you can start your podcast, I can start my podcast, yours blow up and you pop in and then mine fall off after three months and now, you know, what's up?
00:16:53
Speaker
You know what I'm saying? That's a possibility, but we look at that and be like, Oh, well that since that could possibly happen, I'm just not going to do it. I'm not going to, you know, I don't want to do it. Yeah. And that's the problem because it's always the what ifs and there's what is to everything. There's you can go this way or that way. But if you never try it, you will never have the opportunity to get to the upside of it. Yeah. I'm curious because like you are a hundred percent like
00:17:20
Speaker
From, I've seen your growth. I don't know if we could talk about your time at DTLR, but like, okay. So, cause I was about to be like, damn, I'm going to have to bleep that. But, but, but you know, I, that's when I started following you. A shout out to Francis, Francis London. He, he put me onto you. Yeah. Shout out to Francis. I got still gotta do it. I owe him an episode from like 2020, but we still got to do an episode.
00:17:44
Speaker
And also Jeremy, shout out Jeremy. I met them both on, on Clubhouse and that's, that's, they put me both onto you and that's how I started following you. And I was seeing like, you know, you were putting in a ton of work, you know, in this sneaker space and sneaker community of just like, you know, consistently posting everyday, like super dope shots and consistently making content and
00:18:08
Speaker
It's like you learn about community and then we talk about, you know, you just said like, oh, what if my podcast blows up and yours don't? And I feel like in community, we should be helping each other. So if yours doesn't and I see yours and I'm like, yo, man, come on.
00:18:24
Speaker
you know, pull up, we can just, you know, work with each other in order to get this continue to go. Because if I consider you a peer of sorts, right, you obviously have an audience and we can work together to get this audience bigger. But I don't see that now. I don't see a lot of that now. And I don't know if that's like, I don't know if that's like the current
00:18:46
Speaker
landscape of social media where it's like everybody feels they're in competition with everybody? Or is it also just like, you know, this idea of failure? Like if I if I have to rely, if I feel like I have to rely on somebody else to make myself a little bit more, you know, out there or a little bit more in the ethos that that's considered a failure, you know, but I don't know. I think it's the first option because I literally just talked about this
00:19:16
Speaker
I'm not sure if you know, uh, Brems Bragante. So like we were literally just talking about this and I'm like, to me, it's a hundred percent. The fear of somebody possibly taking over your role in the space and that role being, if you feel like you have some sort of success, then the fear of, okay, if I go help him, it's a possibility that he could match my level or even, you know,
00:19:41
Speaker
trump me at some point. And then to me, that's when the gatekeeping and the hating and stuff started coming in because it's now like, this is something I hold true and dear and I'm good at it. And I know that already because maybe I got people telling me it or I'm getting all these brand deals or whatever the case may be. And like you say, that fear comes in like, oh, all right, well,
00:20:04
Speaker
Technically, he's a fellow podcaster, so I should be. And I say should, not even when the green is all flat out. I should be like, yo, bro, you want me to come on your pod? Yeah, cool. You know, we get a chance. I want you to come on my pod. You know, with this and that. Or, you know, like, oh, you winning this? OK, me too. Like, yo, let's work on something. That's how it should be. But instead, it's, oh, like, all right, well, it's my platform. If I bring him on here and people are like, yo, who the boy? He started popping. Now, what if a brand deal comes? And now, since we're on the same level, they choose him instead of me.
00:20:34
Speaker
And stuff like, and that's how people started thinking. That's weird though, bro. That's so weird, bro. Like, I was talking to Mikey about this too, again. Shout out to Mikey. Look, I was talking to him about this. I was telling him that, because I was thinking the same thing that you were thinking. I was just like, I find it so weird that people are afraid of taking chances, thinking that they're going to lose out on brand deals that were never there in the beginning. And I'm like, so you're going to stifle your creativeness.
00:21:03
Speaker
for no money and not and and for a chance that oh a Nike or Nike or D's gonna hit you up. You don't even know do take the chance. They might actually like it because you took the chance and you you decided to work with somebody or you decided to have somebody on your podcast or or you decided to work with somebody and the conversation becomes good and and all this content that you know
00:21:26
Speaker
you're expiring to push out and get his new audience and grow your thing will bring in these other brand deals. You don't have to necessarily think about like this one that you just wonder, the one that you're aiming for. You know, like I think it's, I think it's always, and when you think like that, it's always lost opportunities. Broke was just like basketball. You can be the greatest talent in the world.
00:21:47
Speaker
But when coaches and people look at you and you got all this talent, but the first thing they always want to know because it's a team sport is all right. Well, all that talent, do he play good with other people? And if the answer is no, that's all that's like a red flag. OK, well, you know, you can do all this, but if it comes down to like you off or you need some help or something like that, you may ask for help.
Community Support and Personal Growth
00:22:09
Speaker
You're not going to look to somebody else to let them shine. It's about you, you, you, you, you. Like you said, if it was a deal on a table,
00:22:17
Speaker
And trying to put somebody else on is going to stifle you from, you know, taking care of yourself or you're famous. That's something different. But like you say, it's all imaginary. It's make believe. And even when the stuff is on the table, like my circle will tell you, bro, I'm the type of dude, one, if I can't do something.
00:22:34
Speaker
First thing I'm doing, yeah, I can't do this, but I know four or five people that can. It's times I passed up jobs that was five, six, $7,000, and I'm hitting my homies like, yo, look, I got too much stuff going on. The brand said they'll wait, blah, blah, blah. But yo, I sent them your email, your Instagram, told them to check out your website. Here's the email, hit them up, and I told them that you'll be contacting them to try to
00:22:59
Speaker
get the job. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it don't. But I know I'm like, I tried to put you on and try to get you to do something. Even as you see, like doing things. I had a pop up in New York for the same song. They asked me like, yo, we want you to have a Q&A. And I'm like, okay, well, what if I had a Q&A with fellow creators?
00:23:24
Speaker
They said, oh, okay, cool. Like, yeah, that works too. So it was up to you. You can do it by yourself or you can do it with other people. Like, choice is yours. I'm like, okay, well, I'm gonna do it with other people because I want to put people on. Like, that makes me feel good about myself to know that I can see somebody doing something that they want to do. And I know that I help them in some way, shape or form. That makes me feel great about myself. I don't understand like how people, other people don't think that way. You feel me?
00:23:50
Speaker
you find joy in yourself being happy, which is first and foremost, of course, self happiness. But it's also like you also find joy in seeing other people get cut short and not succeeding. And that's like you say, like, to me, I'm like, yo, that's that's weird as shit, bro. Like, what? Like, how are you finding joy in other people's failure? Like, and it's not even a hater. It's not like this person did all this stuff to you, like, ah, that's what you get. It's like,
00:24:16
Speaker
It's a random dude, they did nothing to you. He on an up and up, or you see that they on an up and up. So now you're like, oh, I got to make sure this stops.
00:24:23
Speaker
That's not weird. Like, and it's funny because I took it the other way of like, cause I know, I know you're taking it from the perspective of like, you've seen it, right? But for me, it's the way I take it is, and I'm pretty sure like, you know, we're, we're basically meeting halfway, but it's like, why would you want success and be alone? Cause like, if you scorch earth just to get to the top, you're not going to have nobody to celebrate that with.
00:24:51
Speaker
What's up, y'all? So I'm jumping in this week's episode to talk about SoulSafe. It's a new mobile app that doubles as a hub for the sneaker community. You can do pretty much anything and everything that deals with sneakers from cataloging your collection or tracking the value of your collection or even getting their industry leading sneaker insurance.
00:25:19
Speaker
which protects you from basically anything like storage theft. And of course, you've heard it on here on this podcast, things like flooding. And they launched a marketplace for everyone to buy, sell and trade. That's mad dope. So what's really dope about that is that there are no fees through the end of June. But what I love most about SoulSafe is that they are building for and with the community.
00:25:48
Speaker
none of that taxing, or charging you to join, especially when you're just trying to add kicks to your collection, or even do anything. Just join the community, plug in your collection, and tap in with SoulSafe. So, if you want to help the pod, and please, I know that you do, because I know that you're listening, use my promo code, PPOQA5, or tell them my first kicks pod
00:26:16
Speaker
sent you when you sign up, there will be a dropdown or click something that will tell you how did you find or ask you, how did you find about this podcast? And there you go. But I implore you to do that because this is the start of something special and we are on the ground floor. So use my code PPOQA5 and tell them my first kick sent you because as we start building,
00:26:44
Speaker
your collection, or as we start building our collections on the app, we start building our community on the app. So make sure you put in that promo code and support the pod. But now, back to the episode.
00:27:01
Speaker
Like, and that can go with, you know, just because you, you, you like, oh, like I'm, I'm always quick to be like, yo, if you, if you can, if I can connect it to make something happen, I'm down. Like, yo, just, yo, I'm like, my boy is like, I'm telling my boy, like, oh yeah, you know, I had this doing my podcast and you know, he pushes, he pushes.
00:27:20
Speaker
He does shirt reviews and stuff like that, clothing reviews. Just hit him up, tell him you know me. If anything, he doesn't tell me and I will hit him up. I will always be like, let's get this network thing going because if we can just get this in terms of just we're circulating and we're working off each other, feeding each other, we'll all be motivated to continue pursuing what I would say, the better community that we want to see. But it's like,
00:27:50
Speaker
I think definitely this is coming back all the way to the beginning times of sneakers. I made a comment about this too, where it's just like in the beginning of just sneaker culture, everybody was just keeping it and gatekeeping.
00:28:05
Speaker
all everything to themselves and I feel like when it comes to this I feel like we're seeing another iteration of like especially in the sneaker space and I keep saying it I've been saying it for for like three or four years I'm saying because sneaker and sneaker culture was built on gatekeeping
00:28:23
Speaker
that now when we see content or we see people who should be working together, their first mindset is like, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. I'm trying to get on. I get on, then everybody else can get on. And it's like, it's like, but
00:28:38
Speaker
Why? Why can't we all get on at the same time? You know? Yeah, bro. It's like, so I got like a quick story and it's kind of like what you are punching on. Like my job at DTLR, like first of all, like the universe don't miss, bro.
00:28:54
Speaker
My job at DCLR, I was at Comcast. I left to pursue my photography career. I was working at like a high-end boutique store in Philly called like Boyd's. And they would like, they sell like Balmain, Balenciaga and all that stuff like this. They hooked you up or it was like? I dig in it. I got a, it was an employee discount, but I always say they're a month.
00:29:17
Speaker
So long story short, I was there for the month. And first of all, my homie was there, Louis, that you met. He was there working, he was working three jobs at the time. That was one of his jobs. And at one point he was like, yo, I can't do this anymore. So he left. And he was like, all right, well, do you know anybody? He was like, yo, my boy is like really dope. And, you know, he's looking for a new gig, which was me. I go in there, right?
00:29:41
Speaker
So then the art director at DTLR I knew was a homie of mine like, yo, we're hiring, you know, you should apply. He was like, you know, just a heads up also to Louis to apply as well. So we both go apply for the same job. That's my best friend. You feel me? Yeah. And, you know, we go through the process and stuff like that. So then ultimately he ended up getting the job over me and
00:30:06
Speaker
You know, a lot of people that can make or break friendships and all types of shit. For sure. Me, I'm like, oh, I bet I still got a job. I just was trying to get this. I'm happy for you, bro. Like, yo, like, you know, I'm helping them on my lunch break, do shit and stuff like that. And any questions that you may not know, we up, you feel me? But because of the way the universe works, boom. A month later, they like, yo, we hiring for social media coordinator. And we also know that you like really good with social media. Like, did you come over for that?
00:30:36
Speaker
Now I'm in. You feel me? Yeah. And then eventually Lewis, he left and then I assumed his role plus a social media role. And then I started like, you know, getting promoted and working my way up from there. So it was like, that's like a prime example of not being selfish and also being happy for people when it's not your turn or your time. And it's like, fast forward now.
00:30:59
Speaker
Now look at me, you feel me? I'm not at the top of the food chain type time, but I'm well off and I'm happy with what I'm doing in life, you feel me? And this all stems from me not being selfish and being happy for my brother for getting something that he wanted to do. And was it at my expense? Like, yeah, but it wasn't anything malicious on that type time. It was like,
00:31:21
Speaker
You were the better man at the time. You won. You got the position. You my bro. I'm happy for you. I support you. And my time will come. And boom, my time game. But also, I mean, I think it's the way you took it. Because you were still happy for Louis for getting the job, right? So you were still showing up. So they could see that and be like, oh, he still won't be here. So then you're basically next in line. You know how when you apply for a job and they'll be like, we'll keep your resume on hand?
00:31:50
Speaker
They didn't do that to you. They were like, we got you next. Like, you put the quarter up. You had the quarter up already. He was ready to go. He was, whoever's Capcom, ready to go. And people realized that.
00:32:01
Speaker
these companies and these brands and stuff, they have people that their job is to observe. So they see people commenting on your page and asking the simplest question. And it's like, well, my God, they see you being a dick. And they see you having a certain attitude on your page or carrying yourself a certain way.
00:32:24
Speaker
you wonder why you're not getting these deals and other people are. And it's like, sometimes you got to take a step back and look in the mirror. It's like, all right, well, what am I doing different than what they are? Because sometimes, you know, you really do have the better, you know, talent level, whatever the case may be. And you do have the follower count to match it and all this other stuff. And it goes on and on. And that's why I like I love social media. But on the flip side, I also hate it. Yeah. Like social media has created this
00:32:52
Speaker
Imagine it's a world to people to me, bro. Like always tell people, if you take social media away today, right now, just going, who are you? What do you do? I mean, I'm gonna tell you, I'm gonna tell you right now. And barely people have an answer to that. And yeah, that's, that's the reality. That's the hardest people don't want to accept. And it's like, yes, I understand. Like we adapt with the times and you know, social media has become a thing that's very,
00:33:20
Speaker
Good, you know, monetary source and everything. But on the same note is like build yourself up, build connections. All these brands get off an Instagram tomorrow. Like, who are you? Right. Can you go tell Nike, like, hey, you know, I'm a photographer or, you know, can you go to the radio station and buy, you know, I'm a podcaster. You know, I would love to host a show and say that most people know. Like once that's going, that's it. That's their life done.
00:33:46
Speaker
No, yeah, I mean, the social landscape, I've always been super hypercritical about it because I was, I've always taken the step back of like, I'm a just, I cater my timeline. I look at everything, you know, if I get inspiration, I get inspiration. And then once I started having to create content, that's when I was like, this is not fun. And I, people are probably so tired of me talking, cause I talk about this like crazy on this podcast and with people that, that content create as well. And.
00:34:16
Speaker
And this previous episode that just dropped this week, the week that we recorded this, I also said that I don't care about being online, which is 100% true.
00:34:28
Speaker
I also don't think people online are real. Like it's until you show me you're a real person, like you pull up to me and be like, Hey, I'm blah, blah, blah. Then I'll be like, Oh, okay. Cause to me, if I treat everybody as like their bots online, then I don't have to do in constant back and forth or I don't take anything that anybody says seriously. Right. Unless you're being constructive and be like, yo, cause like, I'll give you an example. I posted an episode and somebody was just like, yo man, I wish.
00:34:55
Speaker
because I was doing, I do everything myself. I edit this whole thing myself. So somebody was like, yo, I wish I could hear the guest better. And I was like, my bad, I got you. That was the response. Like that, give me that. Like I need to know how to fix stuff. Cause I'm not, I'm not fully listening or I can listen to it on my, my computer, but it sounds totally off when I upload it to YouTube. I won't know that until, you know, somebody tells me, but that I'll listen to. But if somebody's like, yo man, you know, you're, you're takes the trash. I'll be like, okay,
00:35:24
Speaker
I just hit him with the okay like I'll just get it like and then just keep it moving so I mean I don't know cuz you get thousands of comments and I mean the the one video that comes to mind is when you talked about the hack community and that video went absolutely bananas because
Embracing 'Hypebeast' and Evolving Culture
00:35:41
Speaker
I find it interesting because a lot of the old head sneaker heads moved over to hats, and I feel like they're trying to keep it in that, like, nah, we've got to gatekeep this, this is for us. And I don't know, can you talk a little bit about that reception on that clip? To me, it did what it was supposed to do. I have a thing where sometimes I'm like, yo, you know what?
00:36:10
Speaker
I got time today. Let's go stir the pot. You know what I mean? But when I stir the pot, it's a mixture of something that I know is going to trigger people. But the reason behind it is I know it's going to trigger them because it's true. That's the biggest trigger of people to me is when it's something true and it's a hard pill to swallow and nobody wants to talk about it.
00:36:33
Speaker
So of course there were two sides of it. It was the people that jumped on like, Oh, thanks for seeing it, bro. Like I was thinking about, I didn't want to say it for the reasons of the negative side, which was to people at all. Like, what do you mean? It's toxic. And you know, what do you mean is this? And I'm like, the fact that you're saying it tells me everything I need to know, because every, like the other 75, 80 people are telling you what I'm saying is true to some degree. And they had their own experiences and you're still denying it. And then I'm looking at it like,
00:37:02
Speaker
Well, you also probably one of the people I'm talking about, you know? And it's like, we all have our own personalities and things that we hold dear and things that we do, you feel me? And that whole take was just like, yo, as a person that to me is new in the community, like I didn't feel like I'm like, I don't need to tell anybody that.
00:37:21
Speaker
I've been on fitted hats since then. I don't need to tell anybody like, Oh yeah, I am like, bro, I'm about to like, I'm pushing 40. Like I've been around. You feel me? I'm like, I'm not going to go down that road because at the end of the day, there's new people in the space. There's people that, you know, Trump me as far as how long they've been in the game and doing things. So it was like,
00:37:38
Speaker
Do you enjoy what you're doing? The same thing with sneakers, you know, people get, keep all the new kids. And I'm always iffy about it because, you know, they develop the term hype beast. And my argument always was while I'm from the older generation of collectors. If you want to call somebody a hype beast because they only collect, you know, like the more expensive sneakers and stuff like that. I'm like, Oh, that's not my taste.
00:38:04
Speaker
But I'm like, I'm also not going to call them a hype beast and try to play them for that. Because I'm like, when you collect sports cards, sports cards, I'm like, do you go for the rare cards? Do you hope you get them in a pack or do you just collect the regular bullshit?
00:38:19
Speaker
I mean, that's a perfect analogy, bro. It's not the same, bro. I'm like, how is it not the same? I'm like, well, if you see somebody that collect cards, you see somebody that collect Priuses and Accords, or you see people, they collect all classic cards and, you know, a certain thing, right? Oh, but that's not the same. I'm like, but it is. You don't want to accept it, but it is. It's funny because I talk about collecting and the way, like, people don't understand that collecting is a gene. Like, it's like,
00:38:49
Speaker
Whenever you fall in love with something, you're just buying hordes of it after that part. Like you're just like, yo, I mean, recently I'm trying to, I got, I got back into magic cards. Of course I want all the rare stuff. I want all the stuff that's going in a pinch. I can sell off and get money for it. But, you know, I find it funny because when, when we were growing up.
00:39:09
Speaker
It was like, Oh, you're a nerd. Oh, you're a nerd. And now it's like, Oh, you only like, you only like rare. You only like the hype be stuff. Oh, and it's just like, so there is no winning in this. Like you're, you're, you just can't love it to love it. And, and you know, if you spend a little bit extra cash now you like, Oh, Oh, you only wear the high, the hype shit. You're just like, it's like, I don't know who, who are these invisible?
00:39:36
Speaker
leaders that we need to be proving ourselves to. Yeah, bro, it's crazy. I remember, like, before I started, like, showcasing my collection, it was always just, like, on foot, so you would see what I had. But before I started, like, this plane and stuff, saying, oh, you hype these, bro, and this and that, I'm like, first of all, I'm not about to sit here and show you my shacks and my new balances and my Irish ends. And, oh, you know, the non-hyped side. I'm like, I might be going to do that to satisfy you. But I'm like, OK, cool, let's argue.
00:40:03
Speaker
Oh, you only, you only like this and like that. I'm like, okay. Yeah. I like this and that. Okay. Now what? Oh, well, um, exactly. Exactly. My fucking point. There isn't, you just wanted to see it, to see it. And now I'm not acknowledging you and accepting the, you know, the negative part of it. Now you don't have anything to say. So like, even like the new kids, like, yes, we all engage in like jokes and stuff like that. When I'm all in all, I'm like, you do this, you buy that you're enjoying it. That's all that matters.
00:40:32
Speaker
Like I know it may sound like off, but we see it all the time. First of all, there's people that hate Nike as a company, people that hate Jordan's. It's old heads that only wear Reeboks and, you know, the OG flat johns, you know, the classics and that only wear like pumas and pro kids and K-Swiss and stuff like that. It's like, are they not sneaker heads and collectors? Because they don't have, you know, they don't wear Jordan's and that's not your taste in shoes.
00:41:00
Speaker
I'm like, that's not the case. But when we start talking about that, then they kind of be dismissive. And it's like, oh, well, they only buying off whites and Dior's and this and that. I'm like, OK. It's their money. If that's what you buy and it makes them happy, then OK. What the fuck? Yo, it's so funny you're bringing this up, because I've been trying to think about, because I want to make a video on this, of just the idea of OG sneakerheads.
00:41:30
Speaker
Like where all this came from because I've always found it interesting when I first started collecting and I was on the forums right. It was, it was a lot of that you have to prove yourself all you need to have the starter kit you got to have your infrared 90s you got to have at least a Jordan from one through five you got to have.
00:41:47
Speaker
you have to have a bread colorway you got like it was all this whole list you have to hit in order for you to become a sneakerhead or to be called a sneakerhead by the OGs in the game or whatever they've been collecting for years and it's funny because whenever I debate or whenever I post this clip of
00:42:05
Speaker
the bread fours versus bringing it back to this, the bread fours versus black cement, right? People call it bread fours. And I know I wanna say it is mainly an inner city thing. I think it's strictly like East Coast, like we call it bread fours. And then from then it just went crazy after that. But then you have old head sneaker has responded. I had that one clip go crazy with,
00:42:32
Speaker
with my guys AD sneaks and JSM. And they were like, it's a bread four. I'm like, it's a bread four. Oh, no, no, no, it's an F4. And it was like,
00:42:42
Speaker
It went crazy because people are siding with just the name of it. I'm just like, it's just a shoe. What does it mean to you? Like that's all that means. Like this whole podcast is about what sneakers mean to you. And I feel like that is such a lost art in here because everybody's so used to seeing everybody talk about this is what's the new stuff and this is what's coming out and why you should buy it. Oh, you know,
00:43:06
Speaker
Oh, I should buy this and then they're never there's never or it's like, oh, this is what the brand tell me what the story is about. But it's never like, yo, I really like this shoe. I walked into the store. I wanted to get it. This is this is why I want it. Or even if it's like a retro, it'd be like, yo,
00:43:22
Speaker
the reimagined Brit Force. I remember back in the day I was a kid, it was my first shoot, I need to get the new one out. Like give me stuff like that again because that was, I feel like that's what all the forums were always about and I feel like it's lost but I don't know when it went away and I don't know why it went away because if you look at the landscape of, even if you just go to a store and you talk to people at the store, it's always like yo you getting the
00:43:50
Speaker
you get in the Futuras and then you try to ask them and be like, do you even know who Futura is? And be like, nah, but the shoe is dope. And you'd be like.
00:43:57
Speaker
All right, but did you want to do some research? Because I met Future. I've got a book signed by him. I love his art. And it's dope on a sneaker. I feel like the inquisitiveness and the idea of learning all about the sneaker before wanting to buy it is absolutely just out of here. There's no way. And it also belongs with that term, hype piece, because it
00:44:24
Speaker
At the same time, in the beginning, hype beast was like this derogatory term. And I feel like now people own, like at a certain point, people owned up to him be like, yeah, man, I'm a hype beast. I can't wait. Like, I can't wait for the new, you know, off whites. And it's like.
00:44:38
Speaker
Yes, I, I got called the old head recently, but like, yes, I believe in gatekeeping, but I believe in gatekeeping when it's like, somebody's been in here, they bought their way in, but they don't want to, they don't want to, you know, do the research and learn about the sneakers and, and be part of the culture. It's always like, I'm just going to be in because it's cool. And then I'm jump out when it's not. And then that's it. But I feel like that all, I don't know if I went on like a tangent. I appreciate what you're saying because
00:45:08
Speaker
For one, with the brands themselves, like storytelling and just the explanation of what something comes from has almost been non-existent. And the net trickles down to us as the people that want to be connoisseurs or collectors or casuals, whatever the case may be. It's levels to everything. Of course.
00:45:28
Speaker
There are like a lot of people that's like, oh, you know, I like Jordans, you know, like the one and two to three or whatever the case may be. Or, you know, these are fired. These are trash. And it's like, OK, cool. That's all opinionated. But like you said, it's like, OK, well, there are some people that want to tell you, oh, well, you know, like you just said, like the Brits. When I came up, when I initially bought them,
00:45:49
Speaker
I was calling them black cements, black cement for us, white cement for us. Cause yeah, what to say on the box. Right. Exactly. But as time went on, I can honestly say I adapted the term bread for us. Now, if you ask me, I'm 99.9, Mr. I'll never probably say seen it. Yeah. I've come accustomed to it. You know what I mean? Yeah.
00:46:12
Speaker
when people talk about like hype beats and like you just say like that was derogatory term at one point the word sneakerhead was as well yeah true and a lot of people don't understand and like accept it and i'm just like once i break it down i'm like anything with the word head at the end in that manner gotta make sure i be clear to people was always derogatory and like oh like what do you mean i'm like you know
00:46:40
Speaker
Crackhead, this and that, but you know, that was the whole, that was the jab. Basehead. It was like, we embrace it now because the culture has changed. Yeah. But that's why like, honestly, I hate when people call me a sneakerhead. I'm like, no, I'm like, I'm not a sneakerhead, bro. I'm like, I just, I'm a dude that loves shoes.
00:46:58
Speaker
That's it. Don't call me a connoisseur. Whatever you think I am, cool, but I might want to label myself as such. I'm going to label myself as, I'm just a dude in Philly that loves shoes. That's it. No more, no less. You feel me? But for the listeners, that's a little piece of history. At one point, being called a sneakerhead,
00:47:16
Speaker
was people poking fun at you because you liked sneakers. And to them, that was weird. You only need one or two pairs of shoes. Like, why do you need all those shoes? That's, you know, same thing, like collecting cards. Like you said, like, oh, you're a nerd. You like anime. Oh, like, you know, like all stuff like that. But as we see, everything always comes full circle.
00:47:35
Speaker
that one community that was, you know, looked upon, oh, you a nerd and this and that and that. Now everybody and they mom love anime and is influencing fashion and everything under the sun. Yeah, it's it's crazy because I always remember like the kids making fun of me because I was like, yo, man, I got I can't hang out. I got two namis about to drop. And now all of a sudden what? Everybody's watching Cowboy Bebop. You know, like it was just like
00:48:04
Speaker
This it's funny because I've always in my head I or and people have accredited me to this but I've always been ahead of a lot of things right so like I've always spent the time to be like oh if I like something I want to find the best version of it right and that's where like this tunnel vision of like when I got into sneakers and starting this podcast and all this stuff I'm always just like
Generational Ties in Sneaker Passion
00:48:29
Speaker
hyper fixated on one thing or like the one story and I like I got to drill it into my head or I think about a shoe and I'm just like, yo, this random ass shoe just came into my head. But it's it's funny because when I when I hear and hear other people talk about sneakers and I've spoken to so many people about sneakers, it's like
00:48:49
Speaker
that love and passion is always what keeps it together, right? Because like, and it's fun, it's not funny, but it's like, it's really cool when you see it manifest in somebody who just started collecting. And they get to learn about the everything or some of it what we've gone through in terms of to where we get it now, because it wasn't like that.
00:49:11
Speaker
sneakers were never this accessible and now it's like super easy to get what you want but before nobody knows about the seven hours on eBay every day trying to get that one special pair you know like and then you spending like or spending hours of trying to figure out if this shoe is going to come out and wear like now it's all super easy but
00:49:36
Speaker
I'm doing this to segue into a question. But have you ever been like, what was like a quest that you've ever been on to get a pair of kicks? Like, were you were you able to, you know, easily cop with something that you wanted or did you, you know, like, was there a trek you have to go on in order to get a pair? Oh, man. So
00:50:02
Speaker
I want to feel like my biggest sneaker journey was probably Columbia 11s. Okay. It's funny you're saying this because it's the shoe that I hate. It's the one story everybody asks me why I don't like 11s. I always tell this story about my Columbia 11s, so you go ahead. It's crazy because I don't like Columbia 11s in their true form.
00:50:29
Speaker
I like them when they're aged and oxidized because that, uh, that patent leather gets like that yellowish look to it with the soul. Like I, and you could say like, I love to me, yellowing, it adds character to the shoes. Like I don't get any of my older shoes de-oxidized or anything like that, but it was definitely, it was Columbia lemons. I remember.
00:50:53
Speaker
talking to like a few people one night talk about like, you know, I'm looking for them. I need them for my collection. And, you know, at the time, people were like run down or, you know, you know, I go, you see them, but it's like, oh, that's not my size. And I'm like, yeah, I'm like, don't nobody got my size for sale? Like, you know, and also prices was different then.
00:51:11
Speaker
If the prices that was around then were available now, I'd probably have thousands of shoes. Yeah, me too, bro. Yeah, I remember talking to this one dude. I forget his username all night talking. He's just like, yo, you and Philly, right, bro? I'm like, yeah, I'm in Philly. And this is time when Facebook was also around, yo, send this dude a message on Philly, on Facebook. It's one of my homies. He's in Philly. He has a bunch of shit he getting rid of. Boom, I hit the dude up.
00:51:41
Speaker
You know how people will seem like they bullshitting? Yeah. Oh, you know, yeah, bro. Like, you know, I'll hit you up and send you like a list of everything I have. And he kept saying it and then nothing. And I'm like, all right, let's do this bullshit. And I'm like, whatever. And then one day I just get a random message like. So like, what did you want? And I'm like, what is he talking about? So I look up and I'm like, oh, shit, he sent me the message with the list days ago, but I never saw it.
00:52:10
Speaker
So I'm just like, oh, you know, this shoe, that shoe, this shoe, that shoe, this shoe. And he's like, oh, well, I sent this list of other people as well. That shoe's going. This one's going. That one's going. So I'm looking through the list, right? And I get to like the Columbia 11s and it's like dead stock, VNDS times two, like, you know, all that stuff in the sizing. And I'm just like, I know I wear a nine, nine and a half and 11s.
00:52:32
Speaker
And I'm just like, bro, you didn't put no sizes on any of this. So he's like, Oh, well the day stock fairs are nine and the two use fairs are nine and a half. And I'm like, okay, cool. The prices are good. He's like, yo, let's, let's link up so you can check them out.
00:52:48
Speaker
We link up, he pops his trunk and you know, the true salesman that he was, he made sure that he had other stuff in here as well to kind of like hopefully peak my interest while I was looking, right? So you could tell this is how long ago it was, like he pops his trunk, like at the time it was in Philly, it was a market called Path Market. So Path Market, we in the parking lot, he pops the trunk. I'm looking and I'm like, first of all, the first thing I spotted was
00:53:13
Speaker
He had a pair of bread for us. 99's, soul was going. He's like, oh, you know, they got to get re-glued and stuff like that. But, excuse me, but everything's here. Bro, when I tell you, the pairs were like so oxidized and they looked just so good. And it's like, set the mood, it's like, it's sunny as shit outside. It's hot, summertime, trunks popped. I'm looking at the shoes and I'm just like, how much for the dead stock pair? So he's like, yo, dead stock pair 350.
00:53:43
Speaker
And at the time that was like kind of a lot, but not really depending on, you know, how well off you were. So I'm like, all right, yo, cool. I'm gonna take the dead stock pair. And then I always used to like to double up on pairs and stuff like that. So I'm just like, I'm like, yo, the two nine and a half use pairs, like, can I see them? So I'm looking at like, damn, like these look good as shit too. So he goes like, yo, I'll tell you what, if you take this dead stock pair and you take the two use,
00:54:13
Speaker
I'll give you everything for seven. Okay. And I'm just like, I got 700, but I don't. Not for sneakers at least, you feel me? So I'm like, yo, do me this favor. I'm like, if I buy the DSI period right now, if I can come back and buy the other two sometime later today or tomorrow, would you still give me the same price?
00:54:38
Speaker
He like, yeah, but you got to drive to me. You know, like me not meeting up in public, you got to come to me. I'm like, all right, cool bet, bro. I went home so fucking fast. I'm on night talk like, yo, I'm getting rid of all my like doubles and shit that I was going to wear. I'm like, yo, like I got these, I got discount on pack, blah, blah, blah. Like you want to sell? Boom. All in Philly meeting up with people like, yo, hitting back that night and it was like too late. He's like, yo, like I got to link up with you in the morning. But just so you know, somebody offered more money for him.
00:55:08
Speaker
and they might be picking him up tomorrow. I'm just like, you got to be fucking kidding me. But long story short, he ended up honoring his word because morning came. He was like, yo, I'm going to just be straight up with you. He was an older dude at the time. He was going to be straight up with you. Just like I told the other dude at one of them. It's whoever gets here first.
00:55:28
Speaker
And I'm just like, do I really want to go for a drive and then just be salty? You feel me? I thought I was going to say, like, I was hoping, I hope you had a car because if you had the bike over there, I would have been crazy. All in all, he gives me the address where he wants me to meet him at. And lucky me, he literally lived like eight, nine minutes from my house. Nice. And I'm just like, bro, I know exactly where you are. I'll be there in like six, seven minutes. Pulled up the map quest. Bro.
00:55:58
Speaker
And it was like, I flew over there, picked up the shoes, and then he ended up being like my connect for certain shoes that I couldn't get or like older stuff that I, like you say, like that I wanted as a child that, you know, we just couldn't afford. And I'm like, you know, I'm gonna get it now. And I didn't got things from like, what was it? Oreo, the OG Oreo 4s. And they were like, before they somehow became not as a field party.
00:56:25
Speaker
No, so the OGs. Oh, OK. I think at the time, they were like the Jordan 4LS. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember. The white, it's the white and black one, right? Not the black and gray. Black and gray. There we go. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was in the soul for the Oreos. Brody got duels from them. 99 white cements. Got my OG infrareds from them. Like, the list goes on. So it was dope to see how just that instance
00:56:52
Speaker
made a lasting relationship. And he's the reason that I now have some rare pairs in my collection. So it was like, it's dope, bro. Oh, that's dope. I'm curious of like, so I don't know much about the Philly sneaker scene. So like, where and what does in, I guess, is like the heart and soul of the culture when you were growing up of collecting sneakers back in the day.
00:57:20
Speaker
Because I mean, down here we had Soho and a lot of it. And I mean, I'm pretty sure you also, because you just talk about Nike Talk. But yeah, that's where the community congregated Nike Talk. And for me, it was nikesb.org. But what was it like in the streets of Philly and sneaker culture in those streets?
Sneaker Culture in Philadelphia
00:57:45
Speaker
It was like if you wanted your drawings and stuff like that, it was still very much the nostalgia of East Bay, getting the magazine, going through it, and like, yo, you know, I want this, this is coming out and stuff like that. And then as time got a little more current,
00:58:04
Speaker
We still always, you know, would flock to, we call like in here, we call it like center city or downtown Philly, down there to like, you know, the foot lockers and stuff like that. It's the hardest city. Most of us would just, you know, get on our bike and just ride down. And then you started getting a little older. That's when, you know, we started getting like the, the kick shoe essay and all this stuff like that. So that's, that was more of the.
00:58:30
Speaker
camping out in line era, which I look back now and I'm just like, yo, what was I really thinking? I mean, I know how dangerous Philly is now, but was it dangerous back then like that? Not really. There was instances where maybe I get home from a camp out, or I just decide I'm passing on a shoe I don't want it, and maybe a friend is like, yo, man,
00:58:53
Speaker
bull that, you know, he jumped first in line and him and the dude started arguing and then, you know, they started rumbling and this and that and that or, you know, very rare situations. But, oh, you know, this happened. You know, bull pulled out a gun on the other bull and this and that. And it was just like, I'm like, see, I'm like, this is why I'm starting to not want to go out because I put that shit. I just want my shoes like go home and look fresh. You feel me? But yeah, like now we also had like mom and pop shops that were like a
00:59:21
Speaker
on like the boulevards or it's like one spot that used to be on like Grey's Ferry here in Philly and stuff like that. You go there and you would find like your older Nikes and stuff like that. They were kind of like phasing out. But if you were like true into the game, it was like a goldmine. Right. Yeah. You know me. And then even in current times, as a lot of those stores were starting to phase out and unfortunately, you know, clothes because of financials and stuff like that, they were 100 percent the spots that you would go to and be like, hey, you know, how you doing? You know, like, look,
00:59:51
Speaker
I know you got a bunch of shit here. Do you mind if I look in the stock room? I know you're about to be closing soon. You're listening to that and you will go and find some dope ass shoes for the low because they're not a part of the culture as far as reselling and stuff like this. All they know is...
01:00:06
Speaker
This shoe at the time was retailing for $79.99 and they had it in the back for six, seven years. And you say you'll take it for $30, $40. They like, okay, cool. You can take the whole bucket shelf if you want to. But now currently we have like laps on a hammer, which is here in Philly. And prior to that, it was laps on a hammer and, uh,
01:00:32
Speaker
came and think of it. They were at most at one point, but they were a Yubik. Yubik, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yubik to Atmos, and then they shut that down. And then predating all of that, we had Abacus. Oh, snap. Yeah, yeah, I remember Abacus. Abacus was very big. They're now in P's and Q's, here in Philly on South Street. But it was dope, because my homie Phil handled the sneakers in the store in Chinatown. So it was like, you're in a Facebook marketplace.
01:01:01
Speaker
He would come in like, oh, you know, we got this, you know, two pairs of Zen Yeezys that just came in and blah, blah, blah. You know, I'm treating them for some South Beach, LeBron's and first person get down here or, you know, make a deal with me through DMS. We can get it done. And it was like, yo, Phil, I'm on my way, bro. You know, get down there, you know, making trades and buying and stuff. And it was that was like the innocence of it all. And I was like the most exhilarating point. Part of all of that was it was so innocent. It was just people.
01:01:31
Speaker
they liked the same things. And because of that, you found a common connection and bond. And that made people like, you know, brothers, you know, and then even like the ladies in the community, you know, like brothers and sisters. And it's like, a lot of that is missing nowadays. It's like, where's the genuine aspect of things? Like what happened to the whole just helping somebody because you're a good person and you see they need help, you know, like,
01:02:00
Speaker
I don't know, but we can go on and on about that. Cause it's like, it really bothers me because like the way I was raised, starting to get into a point where, you know, people look at me like in a certain way because I have a certain follower count on Instagram or I might've had this brand deal or whatever. And I'm just like, yo, like fuck the numbers. I'm a dude. I'm just a regular ass dude. And I like the same things that you probably like. And yeah, I mean, so it's weird, man.
01:02:30
Speaker
Even with like, so last night I'll talk, I'll talk, I'll talk about it. I posted on it. I posted about it on Twitter. So I might as well just talk about it. I could talk about it with you right now.
Networking and Sneaker Culture Dynamics
01:02:39
Speaker
So last night I went to an event at extra butter and you know,
01:02:47
Speaker
Me, it's a networking event, right? Shout out to Jameson, like he put on this, you know, the store I got this hat from, Leaders, Leaders Quality, that's his brand. And he did like a little event, right? And it was supposed to be like a, you know, everybody gets together, you know, we doing stuff together, we learning, we networking, whatever, and he's selling merch and stuff. So this one dude takes a video and I'm like, I give him his flowers. I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, yo, man, I saw you working, you know? And I saw the video and I'm like, yo, this is fire, right?
01:03:16
Speaker
So I look at the video, I say it's fire and the dude he's took the video of, I know him. So I talked to him. I'm like, yo, man, you know, track cause I've been trying to get him on the podcast. So, you know, do my little, you know, what's good, uh, introducing in real life. Cause he knew me only online. So whatever, whatever. And then this dude interrupts me.
01:03:38
Speaker
right? As I'm trying to help him because he's like, yo, I need you to pick a song for the video. Pick your favorite song. So I'm looking at I'm like, I'm like, yo, my man. I'm like, no, you're my man. Yo, bro, you know, let me help you with the song. What's the song? What's a recent song you've been feeling like or thinking about? And he he's like, the dude who took the video turns to me and goes, yo, man, I know you're networking, but can I can I have him for, you know, a couple minutes? I was like, but I'm trying to help you. Like, why are you being so weird with me?
01:04:08
Speaker
right when I'm trying to make this like a collaborative effort like you don't know who I am and this is obviously a networking thing but like we all can help each other and I'm trying to help you get what you looking for I wasn't I wasn't trying to be like yo nah I'm talking to him right now you can't talk to him like I've never seen I've never and I feel like
01:04:27
Speaker
It's interesting because that's never happened to me. I've always been super inviting. I have a inviting face, I would say. So I'm super easy to talk to. And then for me to get that response was very weird. It kind of messed up the rest of my night. But I also feel like now, when you go to stores,
01:04:47
Speaker
And you know, unless you unless you part of the, you know, you know, the people is mad weird now. And I don't know if that's like coming out of pandemic. We got to kind of got to give it grace of like, you know, this is how people talk to each other now. Or is it just not sometimes the people are in this space are just weird and
01:05:05
Speaker
It's on you to be like, all right, let me take a step back before I'm about to bark on this. You know when you feel like the heat on the back of your neck is about to come out? Because you bought the bark on somebody? That was me last night, bro. You feel the perspiration just, you're like, yo, I need to take a step back before it's gonna happen. Yeah, man. I don't think it's that. I think you're right. I think it's just us realizing that
01:05:35
Speaker
A lot of people in this space are just weird. And honestly, I think it has to do with the pandemic because a lot of us were forced to be non-social and, you know, take that step back. And now that we're back reintroducing to the world and it's like, hey, you know, everybody go back mingle because you've been separated from it for so long.
01:05:57
Speaker
Now you kind of like peeping all the stuff you would probably usually overlook and just give a pass. And you're like, like, nah, like, nah, actually that's not cool. Like, why are you talking to me like that, my guy? Like, I'm doing something. I'm trying to help you out. Let me do what I'm doing. Or at least if you wanted to break this up, come at me a different way, respectfully, so I can be like, oh, you know what? Oh, it's cool. I got it. Like, you know, you can go ahead and handle it. Like you said, like, he came off in a manner. Now you tight. You're like, yo, like, what the?
01:06:27
Speaker
Like, bro, I might have to put the hands on you, bro. Yo, I had to step away from that. I turned my back to him. I was just like, all right, man, you want a different type of time. But it's funny, because obviously, this is sneaker.
Resellers and Accessibility in Sneaker Culture
01:06:40
Speaker
It's basically a sneaker store. I should go to a sneaker store. It has a ton of fashion and stuff like that. But at the same time, at its heart, it's still a sneaker store.
01:06:51
Speaker
You know, sneaker releases, they are always crazy in terms of just like, you can build community, but sometimes it's like, you know, you got, it's like, it's really hard now to know when, because before I think what really, uh, and you know, this is before I hit you with my last question, but I think what's really, and I don't know if you've seen this in Philly, but, but I'm pretty sure you know about the, when it was just nothing, but all lines were resellers.
01:07:15
Speaker
right? At one point, it was just like reseller resellers. And then now it's kind of like we're going into this mix of like, Oh, it's people that want to be here for these sneakers now. And we're starting to get into this, this weird era of like, now it's 50 50. Now it's people that need to pay a bill with this pair and people that really want it. And I don't know
01:07:39
Speaker
If that, I don't know how long that's going to happen and where one's going to dominate the other again, but it's definitely a good time to like start talking to people on lines again, because at one point you couldn't, you know? Yeah, bro. It's a, it's a slippery, sloppy, like it's just, some people will embrace it and accept it. And some people are like in denial of it.
01:08:06
Speaker
but the community and the culture is very much slowly but surely trickling back to when we, the people that truly want a pair to wear and, or we wanted it because of the story or the history that, you know, we have with the shoe and stuff like that. Like we're getting back to that. I love it. Me too.
01:08:34
Speaker
People were be, you know, somebody had made a, one of the pages, it was like complex or sneaker news kicks on fire. One of them had made like a post about, and it wasn't their take, it was they just was reposting someone else's take. And that person was talking about the sneaker community being dead now. And the next slide was talking about going into like a footlocker and seeing like dunks sitting. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. All that stuff like that. And when I read it, I'm like,
01:09:04
Speaker
Well, what's the problem with that? Exactly. Isn't that what we wanted? Like, if you want it, buy it. If you don't want it, don't buy it. And that's what we're getting back to. Because especially during the pandemic and, you know, last dance came out and, bro, it was... Everybody was a reseller. Grandmoms, aunties. Oh, like everybody was reselling. You feel me? And it's like, I never...
01:09:32
Speaker
So I don't have a problem with resellers because it's like, I'm not going to tell you how to make your money. Right. Yeah. You feel me? And at the end of the day, I don't own this product. I don't have a special connection with it or anything like that. It's like, well, I like to have it a hundred percent. Will I try to get it? Yes. Well, I pay over retail for it. Depending on the price is a possibility.
01:09:55
Speaker
But will I ever be like, yo, you know, you this and you that? Because like, no, like it is what it is. Yeah, for real. But on that same note, it's like, yo, if I can go into, like right now, for example, the- Ultramarines. The Ultramarines, like the Jordan 1 Shadow, Lowe's. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If this was the pandemic, they'd have been gone, day one, and they'd been reselling for maybe like $400 or $500. The fact that I can go into my local sneaker store right now,
01:10:25
Speaker
and they're still sitting on the shelf. And in all honesty, if I wait long enough, I probably can apply discount code to it sooner than later. You feel me? To me, that's beautiful. Because now, that's telling us the people that really want it bought it already and they're waiting until they can save a few bucks like the normal folks.
01:10:49
Speaker
And the resellers are staying away because there's no money to be made. Right. And of course, I know somebody got on me about this before, oh, well, you know, I'm still reselling. I'm like, OK, well, that's because you're bulk reselling. Right, yeah. Obviously, if you buy 150 pairs, 300 pairs, like, OK, cool. Duh. Like, you want to monopolize off of making 5, 10 bucks off of each pair. And of course, that's going to equal maybe $2,000, $3,000.
01:11:17
Speaker
It's like, all right, no burning. But the average person isn't bulk buying. The average person was just, let me buy this bread one or 170 and it's reselling for 600. I'm going to buy it and I'm going to go to the reseller as soon as I buy it and make my profit and be done. Right.
01:11:34
Speaker
Now it's, oh well, the people that's buying these shoes are the people that wants to wear them. So I'm loving it, bro. It's Air Maxes that was blowing out, and I'm just like, oh, this still sitting on Nike? Oh, wait, it's on clearance? Oh, I need two or three pairs.
Nostalgia and the Joy of Finding Classics
01:11:53
Speaker
Yeah, man. Even recently, the KD Weatherman. I know they was just sitting. I'm like, this was when they first came out, things was going, reselling for almost $1,000. I'm enjoying it. And I'm just like, nerfs are coming out again. I hope they come with a special package. I don't think that's going to happen. I think it's just going to be regulated. I mean, maybe you can get a special package. But I know I'm not going to get no special package. Listen, all I know is when they drop,
01:12:21
Speaker
I need him. Yeah. I'm going to enjoy him. And I don't care what you know. That that's the one because I'm not I wasn't a big fan of the weathermans. That's why I ain't cop. But that's that's one of the issues. I look, I posted that I'm going to get a pair of A's next because I've been balling every week. I've been balling. So I'm like, I want to play. I want to play ball in a pair of A's. But the nerf, the nerf Katie's that's on. I'm playing ball in those. I want I've been wanting to play ball in those for a minute. So, yeah. Yeah, bro.
01:12:47
Speaker
And speaking of like basketball, I love that the basketball era is returning. Like, I love it. Like, especially like the retros. First, what was it? When did they start? I think the pennies, like around that time, the pennies came back, the Barclays came back, and then they retrolled the Barclays again later on. I'm just like, yo. I mean, we getting the resurgence. Nike's like, all right, the back, the retro bag is not working right now. Let's go deeper in it, though.
01:13:18
Speaker
Thanks, bro. I'm loving it, bro. They're like, let's grab Dion. Let's grab them all. Yeah, bro. Them Dion's just coming back. I'm just like, eat those. And when I saw those, the first thing I thought about was the speed serves. I'm like, damn, it'd be nice if they released the Miami and San Francisco colorways. And then I started going down the rabbit hole. I'm just like, damn.
01:13:43
Speaker
I'm like, I need these. I want these real bad, man. And of course, the masses don't really know what they are or care about them anymore. So I'll just be like, cool, I'm going to let them drop. Let them rock. And just like. Rock, let them rock. And I'm going to hit up one of the homies like, yo, bro. I know these is on the shelf right now, but slide me a little 50% off on that. Yeah, but your discount work on clearance, right? All right, yeah. So let me get two of these, Joe. Oh, man. Yo.
01:14:13
Speaker
Thank you so much for jumping on. But before we bounce on this, I want to definitely ask you a question. I don't know why I said say. I ask you one last question. It deals with a little bit of visualization. I want you to think back to when you was a young little 215 sniper at that time.
01:14:32
Speaker
And he's about to get those bread floors and the boxes in your hand. But now you're, you travel back in time behind yourself, your younger self. What would you tell your younger self as they open that box? I would tell my younger self that when they're, when they're starting to crumble, just let them be. Damn, they crumbled on you. Bruh, I wore them to the sneaker con. No, I'm sorry. Uh, it was not sneaker con.
01:15:02
Speaker
It was called Soul Exchange. Soul Exchange, damn. Soul Exchange was fire though. They used to have the music acts that go, oh man. Yeah, Soul Exchange was fire. Word them to the Soul Exchange Philly. I knew I shouldn't have, but I'm like, ah, you know what? I need to wear a special pair. Just let people know, I'm still him. Halfway through the show.
01:15:27
Speaker
I'm looking, I'm like, oh, no, they still, they lasted and lasted and lasted. They made it through the show. I made it home. I'm walking up my steps and it's like three steps of landing and then four steps. I made it to the front porch and I go to take a step and then I like kind of fell flat footed. And I'm like, what the fuck? And I look, my soul was still on the previous step.
01:15:54
Speaker
Don't even explode. They're just like, nah, we're done. You made it home. We're good. They say you made it home. Now was our time to die. End of watch. They were like, all right. The night is over. And I was like, wow. And I'm like, it was a wake up call. I'm like, I'm glad this did not happen at the show.
01:16:12
Speaker
Because then you'd have to spend money. I don't know what prices are at Soul Exchange at that time. But you'd have to buy a new pair of kicks there. And then, yeah, I don't know. I don't know if you had the bread at the time. But that would be crazy. I never had the bread. I never want to spend it. So. Yo, thank you so much for jumping on. And for everybody out there, you know what we say each week, wear your kicks. Peace.