The next Air Jordan colorway features a recurring Atlanta Hawks theme to this season’s model. This style with 60 other Jordan’s that are going to drop soon, will be a worldwide release in late October. The beautiful colorful kicks retail at for $150.00.

Why a sneaker blog?

I love sneakers. That is what it really comes down to. I have been buying and appreciating sneakers for decades and I felt that I could create a site for people who shared my passion. When I first started KATC over two years ago, there was really nothing like it. There were plenty of sites that dabbled in sneakers but nothing that was dedicated to sneakers and sneaker culture and dedicated to bringing the reader an in-depth look at not only the physical sneaker, but the people, places, and events behind the products as well.

Did you ever imagine the site would blow up? Was that the plan, or did it just happen?

I still don’t feel like KATC has blown up. I feel like there is a lot more that I could do and I have a lot more planned. My original plan was to take KATC to the top and to make it a mainstay in sneaker culture. I feel that I’ve done that, but I have a lot more to go.

Are you making a living off the blog?

For the most part, yes. KATC has opened other moneymaking opportunities for me, but KATC is still my main source of income.

What were you doing before?

I worked in interactive advertising as a media planner, and then I worked at an urban marketing and advertising agency as a senior account exec planning campaigns for a lot of Fortune 500 companies.

What’s the most rewarding part?

The most rewarding part is the love I get. When readers see me out they always come up to me to thank me and show me love. I get tons of emails telling us that we’re best site and thanking us for our hard work. That makes everything worth it.

How do you swoop the other sites?

No comment. Ask them.

What’s been the most popular post?

There’ve been a lot. Top posts were probably the real Dontrelle Willis Nike Dunk High and the Aqua Air Jordan 8.

What are your five favorite shoes?

Air Jordan 8, Nike Dunk, Nike Huarache Runner, Adidas Shelltoe High, Reebok Pump.

What’s your holy grail?

I wouldn’t personally say “holy grail,” but I’d like to get my hands on a pair of Kobe Bryant PE Air Jordan 8s.

Most overrated.

I wouldn’t say that there are many overrated silhouettes, but there are plenty of overrated colorways and collabs. It would take me a while to actually come up with the five worst—there are too many.

What attracts you to a particular shoe?

Most of my attraction is based on memory. I’ve been buying sneakers for years and I mostly buy what I loved when I was younger. I haven’t been really aesthetically attracted to a new silhouette in a long time. Outside of that, when it does come to a new silhouette, it’s all about performance and technology to me. I still play basketball so I’m always lookin’ for some new hoop kix.

The market seems to go for simple, classic, retro shoes at the moment. Do you think that’s just nostalgia, or was design better before?

I personally feel that design was better before. Back then brands were creating trends. I feel like brands are following trends nowadays, probably because they’re much more aware of them.

Do you own a pair of flip-flops?

Never.

Esoteric took some time off from rapping over 7L’s beats and making Japan-infused albums like Esoteric vs Japan to tell us what he was wearing when he said “I do” and why you might wish you were his dog—or housekeeping at a hotel. I bet you a fresh pair of kicks that you’ll be surprised at what type of footwear he calls comfortable. Find him at myspace.com/7lesoteric.

First pair that made you say, “Wow, I need those.”
The first pair of Air Jordans.

Favorite pair?
Jordan IVs.

Best box/packaging?
The Pushead Dunks probably.

Your favorite sneaker lyric by you?
“Exclusive Nikes ain’t exclusive, if they’re found on the feet of every doofus.”

Your favorite sneaker lyric by someone else?
“Her ass is gonna read these Nikes.” Geto Boys.

Thing you hate about sneakers?
The false sense of arrogance it gives people. Going on eBay and being the first to “Buy It Now” or waiting in line for kicks doesn’t make you cool, it makes you desperate to be down.

Thing you love about sneakers?
The nostalgic angle used in making them, like when Nigo blew up Bape by putting a fairly creative spin on Air Force 1s.

Personal sneaker rule?
Never settle for a smaller size because the sneakers are dope. I have bought 11s in the past because it was the only size left, but I never wore them because they hurt.

Have a pair that you’ve never worn?
No, I don’t believe in keeping them on ice. That’s a slap in the face to everyone involved (me, the designer, and certainly the manufacturer).

You get to design a sneaker with one designer, who would it be?
Frank Miller.

Favorite sneaker shop?
Concepts in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Deon takes good care of that place.

Thoughts on the current sneaker culture?
I think once you attach the word “culture” to anything materialistic and make a story about it, it has already been dead for a few years.

Favorite sneaker commercial?
The Converse “Weapons Rap” with Bird, Magic, McHale, Mark Aguirre, Bernard King, and that weasel from the Pistons.

What are you wearing right now?
Those Army Pack Jordan 1s.

When you go out on tour, how many pairs do you take with you?
Four or five, but I’m famous for leaving them in the hotels, so I buy new ones on the road.

When do you not wear sneakers?
I was married in Nikes, so that about says it.

If you’re not wearing sneakers, what’s on your feet?
Gucci, Prada or Crocs. I don’t care what anyone says about Crocs—they’re mad comfy!

This Feature is also available in Vapors 49 – The Sneaks Issue

Ben Lyons knows and loves three things: movies, New York (and the Knicks) and sneakers. It was all about the Celtics this year, so maybe we’ll talk about the Knicks next year. For now, here’s his list of the finest kick flicks and the shoes that made them sneaker classics.

Hoosiers
Chuck Taylors
Hands down the most classic hoops film of all time featured the simple yet timeless style of the Chuck Taylor. Now relegated to Cali cool and hipster chic, the Converse All Star was once the symbol of America’s athletic prowess. Here’s some Hollywood Hoosier trivia: Catt Sadler, host of E!’s “The Daily 10” got her first job as a featured extra in the film.

Hoop Dreams
Nike Flight series
The Oscar-nominated documentary from director Steven James featured classic early ’90s basketball sneakers that nowadays sell for hundreds of dollars in shrink wraps on Fairfax to trendy Japanese tourists. The story of Arthur Agee and William Gates touched the hearts of millions around the world, while thousands of sneaker heads go back and watch the film, screaming at the screen because the kids dirty up their classic kicks on the blacktop with no remorse. Whatever happened to those dudes anyway?

Do the Right Thing
Air Jordans vs. Larry Birds
Nothing rips at my heart and soul more than when a brand new pair of sneakers gets that first scuff. It’s the beginning of the end, the inevitable downfall of flyness. That feeling is captured on film in the classic encounter of fresh and stale, black and white, Jordan versus Bird, in Spike Lee’s classic Brooklyn tale, Do The Right Thing. The Bird fan on the bike goes down in history as one of the great jackass clowns of all time, and those Jordans look even fresher today than they did then. Timeless… Then factor in the Mars Blackman character and Jordan’s cross-promotion with Spike, and the rest if history.
Bugs Bunny Jordans
Staying with the greatest player and shoe designer of all time, Michael Jordan got to make a weak knockoff of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? with his buddy Bill Murray and great cameos from Barkley and Larry Johnson. Although it’s somewhat disguised as a movie, in actuality it was one giant Nike commercial. And what happened to cartoon characters in pop culture? Now kids care about cheesy pop stars and reality hoes, but back then, Bugs was cool and so were those kicks. Remember the #9 Olympic editions? Out of control.

Back to the Future
Terminator high tops
Why Nike never put these on the market in a big way is a complete mystery. The futuristic high tops were so fresh you wanted to fire up the Flux Capacitor and get the Delorean up to 88 miles an hour so you could get a pair, too. Everything else in the future looked wack as shit, except those shoes. Truly iconic and ahead of their time, I think I’d rather have those than the hover board.

lyonsden.eonline.com

This Column is also available in Vapors 49 – The Sneaks Issue