When it comes to hip hop and its influence on culture and lifestyle, the story of how Run DMC got – the first for a rap group – $1million endorsement deal from Adidas which eventually included their own line is legendary. In the book, The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip Hop, Dan Charnas talks of how Lyor Cohen convinced Angelo Anastasio, Adidas US marketing executive, to come see Run DMC perform at Madison Square Garden during their Raising Hell tour. One of their great hits was the homage to the shell-toe, My Adidas (for the young ones reading this)

Charnas writes, “The marketing executive watched from the stage as Run asked thirty thousand fans to thrust their Adidas into the air. Anastasio looked at the ocean of Adidas and found himself crying.”

The sneaker, takkie or whatever else you call it has been part of urban youth culture for years and the above story is one that fully shows how deeply entrenched it is in lifestyle, particularly in relation to hip hop.

STR.CRD is an experience that draws from the relationship between fashion, music, sneakers, graffiti, skate and dance. Launched in Cape Town in 2010, the 2011 edition took place in the Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg and featured artists, bloggers, cultural icons, top sneaker brands, graffiti artists and basketball players in a true festival of creativity. STR.CRD 2012 edition builds on last year’s event and promises to be a veritable feast of the different areas.

Taking place from September 27^th – 30^th, it will include:

• the invite only HGH.STR Fashion Event,
• pop-up stores from a range of local, underground and international brands
• a food market,
• STR.SESSIONS where local and international brands and creatives will share best practice,
• STR.MUSIC with artists like Jesse Boykins III (US) and Just A Band (Kenya)
• STR.BBALL tournament

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