“They told me to just do it, I listened to what that swoosh said.” – Macklemore
Nike and Brand Jordan have a special place in the hearts of Oregonians.
We showcased a giant, golden Jumpman Logo in downtown Portland while the Blazers were playing the Bulls in the NBA Finals.
We’ve received discounts at Nike Outlet and the employee store since the beginning of this sneaker phenomenon.
Nike was our first lesson in globalization.
For the majority of my life I have religiously worn Nike shoes and it’s hard for me to explain how much I enjoy watching the video for the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis song “Wings”. I’m watching it for probably the 10th time as I write this.
I’ve never read anything that better describes the culture of Brand Jordan and would love to hear what the folks over at Nike think about the song and video.
“Wings” actually started as a spoken-word piece written by Macklemore and performed at a poetry slam. Ryan Lewis produced the beat specifically for the song with the understanding that they would be making a video out of it. They were able to raise over $20,000 via Kickstarter to fund the project and have been releasing occasional making of videos on director Zia Mohajerjasbi’s website www.loveandshoestrings.com.
The scene that had the most significant impact for me was the kid sitting by himself at the bus stop, dribbling his basketball. That was me! I was that kid in my Jordan’s, riding the bus to The Hoop to play basketball all day in the summer with whoever else showed up.
The video was a trip down memory lane that I want to keep taking. I’m literally addicted to watching it. Some of the happiest memories of my life were playing basketball in the summer, and this video brought them back. Life was good when I was young. I had no bills or responsibilities. All I had to do was be better than other people at basketball. I was good at doing that and to add insult to injury I beat people while also wearing doper kicks.
I’ve never had any sort of collection. My shoes generally ended up getting worn down to the soles. During basketball season they would be worn ONLY in the gym. I’d carry them in a bag and change into them when we were safely inside. During the summer I’d have them on all day playing and doing drills in the backyard.
I did hold on to my first pair of Jordan’s though. I’m pretty sure they’re somewhere around my house–most likely the attic or my dad’s house. While in high school I had them displayed in my room. One of my girlfriends told me, “Thats funny that you have a shoe sitting on your shelf.” I almost lost control of myself. Not only were the shoes super fresh, but they were my first pair of Jordans! I didn’t see how she couldn’t understand the importance.
My dad told me more than once that buying my shoes was an investment. Some parents put aside college money for their kids. My dad bought me dope shoes and assumed I’d get a scholarship–fortunately I did.
Thank you Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Zia Mohajerjasbi! And Dad!