Have you ever asked yourself why people are willing to stand in line for hours when the new Jordans drop? Or how your 11 year old son have the nerve to ask for a pair of sneakers that cost $160? Sneakers are so popular today that it has become its own subculture – Sneaker Culture and those who participate are called Sneaker Heads. What was Dr. J wearing in 1977, which any respectful sneaker head (not a title that describes me at all) would know it was the iconic converse basketball sneaker. Fast forward to 1984 and Nike makes the 
first pair of Jordans exclusively for Micheal Jordon. Sneaker deals and athletes became the standard. From Iverson and Reebok to LeBron James and Nikes. These lucrative deals are sometimes more then player’s sport contracts.
Sneaker deals and athletes makes perfectly good sense. Sneakers aka gym shoes aka tennis shoes are required by almost every athlete from the peewee softball player to the 40 something man who plays pickup games at the Y. At some point hip hop co-ops the sneaker culture and the term sneaker head becomes a thing.
The same year Jordan was climbing the peek of sneaker stardom, a little group call Run DMC was making their way on the music scene. With their signature style that included a brim hat, gold chain, leather jacket, jeans and hard shell Adidas without laces – B-Boy style was introduced to the masses. It is not hard to believe even though they single handedly reintroduced the Addias brand to American teens with their it “My Adidas”, was given the first sneaker deal in 1986. 
The relationship with sneakers and hip hop was sealed, last week Adidas payed homage to hip hop pioneers Bestie Boys. It is rumored that Kanye West will make over a billion dollars from his Yeezy line with Adidas. Nike gave a deal to comedian Keven Heart and earlier this year popular basketball trainer, Chris Brickley, inked a deal with Puma.
Are you a sneaker head or a casual sneaker wearer?
That’s what’s popping this Wednesday. Speaking about Kanye West, try Cayenne Western at Pop Culture!
Deliberately dope 