3.2 Kick Social Identity

3.2 Kicks as Social Identity

Sneakers need to be taken seriously and considered as “markers of identity.” They preserve a cultural as well as social resonance, which helps to “interrogate sneaker culture as an open-ended critique of identity construction under globalized capital” (Miner 73). Trainers and the cultural groups that resemble them and give signification, are ideal to review “collective identity and consumptive economic transformation in an expanding capitalist marketplace.” According to Prof. Miner, sneakers have a strong “historical connection to male consumptive practices, […] its investigation likewise helps to delineate contemporary masculine identity in a society based on consumption” (74). During the 1980s, the world of

In 1986 Run DMC (a hip hop group from Queens, consisting of Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell) released the song “My Adidas,” which was the third song on their album Raising Hell. Due to the rise of rap music in the 1980s, the song, along with the whole album developed to a success and landed at number one in the Billboard charts. The song “My Adidas” was obviously an attempt of commercializing the shoe company Adidas. One important factor appeared during the hype of the song. Hip hop culture has developed to a profitable “source of influence in market economics” (Miner 75). Run DMC refused to cloth on stage different that on the streets and part of that was the Superstar (v.s. fig. 4) they wore in a special way; without the laces. The song is about the presentation of Adidas footwear, especially the Superstar, Run DMC wore. The rap group did not simply intend to commercialize the kicks, but tried to speak about hard work and their devotion for

Standing on stage, Run DMC asked the crowd to take off one shoe and hold it up in the air. Adidas sneakers everywhere and especially Superstars; the ones worn by the rap group. From this particularly moment on, sneaker culture was not able to be separated from hip hop culture anymore. Many collaborations of rap artists and shoe companies take place in the 21st century. So, Kayne West released the “Yeezy Boost” in collaboration with Adidas and the “Air Yeezy” with Nike. The shoes were quickly sold out and are available for at least the double price on