Lyrikill is the Illest

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Jordan Retro Class of 2001

Like many a proclaimed "Sneaker Head" (Ugh) I am (or at least have been) an avid supporter of the Jordan Retro releases. I seriously probably could have purchased and paid for a luxury SUV with my 7-8 year Jordan Brand monthly payment plan.

So I was asking myself why it seems like I can afford to buy any Jordan retro now as opposed to being a senior in college in 2001 when I began to cop. Was it that I was making much less money then??? Well yeah, thats part of it, but the other part is that so many great retros were coming out in 2001-02, that I seriously contemplated scapping college and moving into street pharmacueticals to scoop all these great kicks. Maybe I could just pumped on campus, eh?

These days, Jordan Brand direspects us by trying to make us belive that these uninspired colorways and themes are worth the 100 plus they are asking on the black and silver box. Just to let you know I'm not just "hating" or on a "bring back the good ole days" kick, I'm going to post the cream of the Class of '01. I dare anyone to show me a year with better retros...

Cool Grey I's...run you about $500 now

White 11's...so sweet

The foundation of the Retro new colorways...Cool Grey 11s...finding a DS pair is next to impossible

My personal fav of all time, OG III colorway, with the Nike on the back

BRED 1 Black Toes One of the best Jordans made...run you bout $400-450 now

White/Navy 1's were a classic retro as well

True Blue IIIs...facing off against a 2009 retro

BRED 11's that everybody went nuts for in the Dec CDP

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

My Take On Play Cloths...

I'm taking a new approach to creating an authentic blog where I will personally give my opinion on issues concerning hip-hop, sneakers, fashion, and southern culture.

My Take On Play Cloths...

I don't have to prove to anybody that I am an authentic sneaker and streetwear connoiseur. That does not mean that I go to the Gucci store and pick the sneakers with the highest price tag or I cop every Jordan that comes out or I go to the local boutique and ask what's hot. If that's how you get down, that your perogative, but you are a true hypebeast. I don't rock skinny jeans (I'm 6'3" 250 plus) and refuse to buy anything on hype alone. Therefore, I feel the need to say this about Play Cloths...its all hype.

No disrespect to the Clipse...they are one of my favorite hip-hop groups and I respect their trendsetting in the area of "fly." However, I am very much so against rapper-created fashion. My belief is that the streets influence the rap game, not vice versa. Staples in the urban fashion game (such as Timberland, Nike, Carhartt, etc.) became staples based on the streets embracing them and rap being the voice of the streets. I personally don't care what the Clipse wear because I am a grown man with my own sense of taste. When the hip-hop world embraced Bape and BBC it helped that popular rappers wore items from the lines, but the rappers wore the items because of the quality of the lines and their rising popularity. Nobody wears Bapes because they think Nigo can rap.

In the end, the current state of hip-hop is all hype, so I cannot hate the Clipse at all for capitalizing from it--its the American way. I cop from many of the shops where Play Cloths is sold and it seems to have a considerable impact in the urban apparrel market. Nevertheless, I am not a fan of the brand beyond the fact that one of my favorite groups own and wear it. The colors and designs are not very edgy or artistic. It is very label/logo oriented, of which I am not a big fan. I am not in any way knocking anyone who makes, sells or buys Play Cloths. I can only hope that some of the new lines push the envelop of creative urban fashion and that the next able "Til the Casket Drops" is as dope as "Hell hat No Fury."

To see the current line, hit www.playcloths.com or your local boutique. Mines is www.sneakerpolitics.com