Chris Elliott
Kendrick Lamar’s Pursuit of Style
It’s safe to say that at some point in your life you owned a pair of Reebok Classic Leather kicks, most likely all white or all black, but that’s beside the point. Reebok Classics hit the streets back in 1983 and have stayed relevant in the sneaker world ever since. The historic brand has had many sports stars and celebrities represent the brand, but it seems they have their biggest one right now. Kendrick never thought in a million years that he would be in the position he is in. The icons that he looked up to like Allen Iverson and Lil Wayne are still relevant in todays world and helped shape his view. Grammy award winner Kendrick Lamar is creating more than just a sneaker with Reebok; he’s trying to create change in the world.
It’s been a little over a year since Kendrick’s first Reebok sneaker dropped and started his movement to inspire and help people through his shoes. When he first dropped the Kendrick Lamar X Reebok Ventilator, people loved the clean style appeal and the message that he was portraying. If you didn’t already know, Kendrick grew up in Compton, California and dealt with gang violence his whole life. He used the Ventilators as a social commentary on the gang violence between the notorious Crips and Bloods of his hometown. He aimed to unite the streets with the cream suede shoe’s blue accents on one shoe and red accents on the other which represented the infamous colors of the gangs. By putting them together on a pair of shoes he was hoping to connect with people and push for a resolution on the long-standing conflict.
Kendrick and Reebok came together to create a partnership that would stand for something. Lamar knew going into this, Reebok has always stood for something and that they would create a product that was original and had a backstory. He wanted to go beyond having them cook up a sneaker and just slap his name on it and hope that it sells; it was more than that. Kendrick isn’t afraid to be provocative in his music and the messages that he his depicting to fans. Like any artist or celebrity influence they have a fan following, but that doesn’t always mean they will buy something that has his or her name on it. Kendrick knew this and wanted to create something that had that linking because the connection comes from people first and foremost and builds a foundation that can lead to more. Kendrick grows with every experience in life and so does his music and lifestyle influence.
