Photo courtesy of www.nme.com

Chill’n and rocking their shell toes are members of the iconic rap group RUN DMC

Have you noticed that many students at Sierra Linda high School are beginning to wear the Adidas Superstars as part of their back to school fashion?

The history about the famous shoe came from the world of Hip-Hop. In 1986 Run-D.M.C, an American hip hop group from Hollis Queens, New York, wore the shoe and made a song about them called ‘My Adidas”. The song sold millions of copies and made the shoe synonymous with the B-Boy style

According to an interview with RUN DMC  on www.businessoffashion.com  ” They wore the Adidas shell toe ‘Superstars’ on their feet unlaced with the tongues pushed up, allegedly in impersonation of the ‘prison style’ worn by inmates. ”

The group RUN DMC was founded in 1981 by DJ Jason “Jam Master Jay”, and MC,s Darryl “DMC” McDaniel’s, and Joseph “Run” Simmons. The group was widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture. DJ Jam Master J was murdered in 2002, but the other two remaining members still tour and host several TV shows.

DMC and RUN at a recent concert. The members have a life long contract with Adidas

The shell toes are coming back into trend and I was able to talk to some students about the shoes

What or who influenced you to wear the Superstar Adidas?

Sophomore Abraham Contreras said, “ What influenced me to wear Adidas is that’s what’s the trend in rap which influences me.”

Sophomore Nathan Ortiz said, ” What influenced me to wear  Adidas is that it’s stylish and also very comfortable for athletes.”

“I m a old school Hip Hop B-Boy. The Shell Toe gave use a sense of arrival. We knew kids were copying our style. Hard to believe 30 years later Hip Hop culture still influences fashion. I just want the kids today to understand and appreciate it.” said Mr. Larry Ross, journalism teacher and 80’s BBoy.  “Jordan’s came later and never connected to the true Hip Hop culture.