Fresh Pair — starring legendary sonic architect Just Blaze and sneaker-customizer-to-the-GOATs, Katty Customs –is back in the studio, mixing up their sneaker magic for hip-hop’s finest. In the chair this time is Harlem rapper and actor Dave East, who took to his custom sneaker like a kid on Christmas.
East is known for his widely varied career — including a legendary run of mixtapes that is longer than most rapper’s whole careers, all released before his debut album — and impeccable sense of style, so Katty and Just had quite a challenge for themselves going into this one. Luckily, the team knocked it out of the park, gifting East a sneaker inspired by Nike’s game-changing multi-layered “What The Dunk?”
Like the What The Dunk, this custom sneaker features a wild-teetering-toward-chaotic mix of panels and colors. But unlike the original, this one tells the deeply personal story of Dave East. From panel to panel, East’s story unfolds like a comic book, touching on his b-ball origins, fallen friends, and entrepreneurial pursuits. We’ll hold off on divulging too many details here, but if you’re looking for a teaser here it is: East talks briefly about his project with Snoop, his relationship with the late Nipsey Hussle, his decision to portray Method Man in Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and which of his albums is the most personal to him.
Check out the latest episode of Fresh Pair above.