SPIKE LEE was a sneaker fiend even before we knew what sneaker fiends were. The character Mars Blackmon was like one the freshest bike messengers evar in his crispy Air Jordan 1’s. He even rocked the joints the NBA had banned because there wasn’t enough “white” on the shoe (true story). If you haven’t seen ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ then you don’t know about the scene where Mars refuses to take off his Jordans during sex. That is the true essence of a sneaker fiend.
SPIKE LEE goes a step further to describe the relationship between Black men and their kicks in this scene from ‘Do The Right Thing’ where Buggin’ Out has his brand new Air Jordan 4’s scuffed by a careless white wearing a Larry Bird t-shirt. Hilarity ensues.
The Mars Blackmon x Air Jordan commercials are funny even today, and they are legendary ad spots. Back in 2006 the Jordan brand collaborated with SPIKE LEE again not only for visual media promotions, but for the release of the Spiz’zike shoe which mashed up several different elements from previous Air Jordan releases.
I can see the classic 6 tongue with the 4 lacestays, along with the 5 upper ventilation and laces toggle. The shoes have elephant skin print on the toebox and heels and in some freaky cases I think they have a glow in the dark outsole. Let’s not forget the 40 Acres and A Mule logo and the Mars Blackmon icon on the achilles’ support.
Spiz’zikes are that hypebeast shit and therefore typically outside of my usual pricepoints but since I was invited to participate in a panel discussing the overall legacy of SPIKE LEE on cinema, social and sneaker culture I thought I might treat myself to a pair. Let’s be honest and recognize that a 20th anniversary for a film like ‘Do The Right Thing’ can only happen once. Keep in mind this was a film that almost wasn’t even released at all.
Where’s Mars?
Brooklyn Honors Spike Lee
The Man and the Brand: Spike Lee Panel
Spike Lee Screening Room
Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University
DeKalb Avenue @ Flatbush Ave Extension
Thursday, June 25, 2009, 7PM
Featured panelists…
Nelson George
Michaela angela Davis
Kevin Powell
Roger Guenveur Smith
Danny Simmons
Dallas Penn (hells chea!)
Moikgantsi Kgama
ahh those spiz’ikes are the legend. i don’t fux with jordan brand like that… but those joints are up there with the III’s IV’s V’s and Aqua VIII’s, transcendant.
*transcendent.
Spiz’ikes are a nice piece of art, but a little too busy for my taste. I like to keep it simple with the I and my personal Holy Grail of kicks…the Jordan IV, esp the black/red joints.
Congrats on the panel spot. I may try to take the train down for that.
Damn sun dullah you’ve just launched yourself into the true niggarazzi there with your copanelist right chea. Sounds very fresh…
@40 : We can only hope Dallas elevates to the point that he’s got a chance to embarrass Cornell West on a panel.
Dallas Penn > most of the other panelists.
I don’t know if they’re putting people up on the latest, the past and the future when it comes to kicks styles, designs, and locations to cop the hottest kicks.
My hood pedigree >>> exceeds most panelists in these type forums but that don’t mean the moderator wants to hear me speak.
If I get a chance edgewise I will bring the heat tho’.
Def’ come thru if you have the time.
Damn you Dallas… I’ll be at Niketown with EA Sports and Tiger Woods on Thursday. If some how that gets nixed I’ll troop out to Bucktown.
Diesel, don’t curse me playboy I didn’t organize this event.
If I did you know I would have put you on the panel.
No one else here is copping Jordan’s in sz 14 or knows a damn thing about Jackie Robinson
Pardon my misplaced aggression for you’re not at fault for the conflict of venues in my personal agenda. I do thank you for your belief in me bringing something to a panel discussion. I’d like to be there just to hear you mash out your thoughts and opinions when the opportunity is presented. That piece you dropped a few days back on how “Do The Right Thing” encapsulated your (and a generation’s) feelings is etherous to any high-faluting intelligensia who would pontificate on the ramfications on the diaspora and all that flim-flam chicanery…
I’m putting in a request that this event be recorded for us folk who don’t live in NY. Please?
Cue up the music…Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard!
Congrats on getting up there but… uh… that’s A LOT of people to have on a panel. At least two, and probably three TOO MANY so…
Speaking from experience, if you want to get heard you gotta claim your spot like Charles Oakley, not Dontrevius Wenters, tho’ his heart is in the right place. I dunno the moderator but it’s something of a skill to be able to run these things without ’em turning out worse than Grand Army Plaza demolition derby.
Also, no personal offense to my esteemed fellow commenter Aunt Jackie but motherfuck Jay-Z hegemony; whatever hot joints he had (and also a great video, llike “99 Problems”), one of the beauties of ‘DTRT’ is to take us back to a BK where Jay-Z doesn’t exist but Stetsasonic, Just-Ice and Big Daddy Kane do (not to mention Whodini and The Fat Boys).
Sorry I’ll miss this — and it’s true, the panel’s way too big. Make like Oak AND Mo Lucas to get yourself heard above the cacophony.
I’m in!
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