6 Background: What is Sneaker culture?
While many people associate hip hop culture with music and art it also has a significant influence on the fashion industry. Hip-hop and athletics have played a major role in influencing sneaker culture starting in the early 1980s. Sneaker culture, aka “Shoe game”, is an influential and extensive cultural focus amongst the PEERS community. Sneaker culture refers to footwear, specifically sneakers, and its impacts on fashion, athletics, and musical trends.
In 1985 Nike released its first pair of Nike Air Jordans 1, commonly referred to as “J’s amongst the PEERs community 11. These sneakers were inspired by and designed for Michael Jordan, a famous NBA athlete. These sneakers are a staple in the hip-hop community and have been referenced by different artists and many have their own custom sneaker lines. These sneakers have been later referenced by many different musical artists. For example, in a 2018 release, the “23 song” produced by Mike WILL Made-It and performed by Juicy J, Miley Cyrus, and Wiz Khalifa references these sneakers, “J’s on my feet (We trippin’!) J’s on my feet, J’s on my feet, So get like me” 12.
