The Sneakers That North America's Best B-Boys Wear Right Now

Here are the sneakers worn by the B-boys in the Red Bull BC One competition.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Much of sneaker culture as we know it was born out of New York City's hip-hop scene in the 1980s. Breakdancers, more commonly referred to as B-boys, helped popularize sneakers such as the adidas Superstar and Puma Suede. These models became part of the B-boy's uniform and served a functional purpose for the dancers, but they also let the world know how fresh someone was. A lot has changed in regards to sneakers and hip-hop since the days of Wild Style and Beat Street, but people still get down and they still keep their feet laced, especially for the Red Bull BC One competition, which recently took place in Orlando, Fla.

More than a handful of B-boys competed against each other to take home top honors in the North American leg of this global battle, and they had to bring their best sneakers along, too.

"I’m a big sneakerhead. I have somewhere between 125 and 150 pairs of shoes. My favorite shoes to break in are Air Max 90s or Air Max 1s," B-boy Moy says. "But I’ve recently gotten into adidas recently. In the last two years adidas has really stepped up their game with the Tubulars.” 

He's not the only one who's looking for style when it comes to his footwear choice. "“I picked these because they’re very stylish shoes," B-boy Zeku says in reference to why he dances in Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. "They’re not really comfortable, but they make me feel fresh.”

Take a look at what the B-boys sported.

Vans Authentics

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Worn by: Illz

Nike Blazer

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Worn by: Frankie

Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star

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Worn by: Zeku

Air Jordan VII

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Worn by: DQ

Nike SB Dunk Hi

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Worn by: Victor

Undefeated x adidas Los Angeles

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Worn by: Moy

Nike Air Huarache

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Worn by: Rion

Nike Air Max 1

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Worn by: Keebz

Nike Free 5.0

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Worn by: Starvin Sa-Ewl

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