(images : Jamel Shabazz)
Seeing and hearing about PUMA STATES -or Clydes (as my artist friends) and them joints (as my bball, bboy/girl & skater holmes) used to call 'em- making a S/S 14 comeback and searching for early imagery + the fact that this whole campaign will reach its peak at the WORLD B BOY CLASSIC event in Eindhoven, threw me back to when I was 15 years old and was scouted to teach classes at the biggest dance studio in my home town.
In a nice effort to make me feel at home amongst the ballerina's, cardio-buffs and modern dancers, the studio owners gave me 350 euro to host an introductory day, which they told me would be called "The 1st Belgian Hip Hop Convention".
My adolescent self gave serious side-eye and went : "y'all for real going to call it that? Ok, then."
So in order to keep it all the way real, I proceeded to spend the entire budget on getting the Brussels ZULU NATION chapter ("What do you mean, you have never heard of Afrika Bambaataa?" Teenage me to my panicked financial backers), to come give an hour long talk about the roots of hip hop in my 99,9% caucasian town.
It was a sold out event.
(Above image : Zulu Nation founder Afrika Bambaataa.
He did not bless my small town with a visit in the 90s, but his big city delegates did.)
But back to the Spring/Summer 2014 re-issue of the PUMA STATES.
To celebrate the journey of this iconic sneaker, PUMA is curating different exhibitions in Belgium and Holland.
As of today, April 23rd, you can visit expo's at Panthers (Brussels en Ghent), SneakerDistrict (Amsterdam), Lock & Load (Utrecht) and Epic (Breda).
On June 14, those 5 expo's will become one at the World B Boy Classic in Eindhoven.
STAY TUNED because KNOTORYUS will be giving away tickets for this event.
But for now, go visit the expo's celebrating the culture and cop a pair.
Ain't no half steppin in these joints.
More PUMA here
