The Roc-A-Fella x Nike Air Force 1 isn't just one of the best sneakers this year, it's a true piece of footwear and hip-hop history. The sneaker saw its re-release this year, after first being a promo shoe in 1999, then receiving a limited-edition drop in 2004. To celebrate the shoe, Roc-A-Fella co-founder Kareem "Biggs" Burke got together with DJ Clark Kent, Lenny Santiago, Mike "Upscale Vandal" Camargo, and Angie Martinez, to discuss the impact of the sneaker with Tidal.
"I think what’s unbelievable is that people are buying into a movement and that’s what makes it iconic," "Biggs" says abut the shoe.
The sneaker was first made because of Jay Z's love for the Air Force 1 and the impact Roc-A-Fella Records had on the shoe across pop culture. But Clark Kent insists that the shoe's legacy isn't about the logo on the sneakers, it's about what Roc-A-Fella did in the culture. "It’s not about the logo, it’s the idea of what Roc-A-Fella did for the culture," he says.
One of the biggest legacies left by Roc-A-Fella Records in sneaker culture was only wearing your Air Force 1s once, and it's something that still holds up for a lot of people. "One hundred at a time—Roc-A-Fella started that. You had to have the freshest sneakers always," Camargo says.
Watch the conversation above. You can listen to special mixed inspired by the sneaker here.
