Brok(e)in.

So I was browsing the net during my lunch break today and I stumbled upon a decent story written by, get this- Fox News! It was concerning this shoe, The JS Roundhouse Mid. A collaboration with famous designer and stylist Jeremy Scott (hence the JS in the name), the show has sparked a lot of controversy with both the designer and with the brand. Inevitably, the shoe was canceled for accusations of racism, but after reading this article, I saw a new perspective.

The article touched on something that I'm sure the majority of the racism whistle blowers noticed as well, which is the fact that shoes such as these are worn, in majority by a very specific demographic. Living in the District, I've noticed more than 70% of the young African American males that I see are sporting some sort of sneaker. Whether they be New Balance, Air Jordans, Reebok or Adidas, they are all fairly sporty, and even more flamboyant. I'll be the first to say that I love sneakers. While I haven't worn them in a while, I still have an avid appreciation for a classic pair of J's. Simultaneously, I am careful not to let something such as a shoe define me. While I'm sure most of us would like to say the same thing, it is an inevitable relationship. If someone sees me in a pair of sneakers, specifically Air Jordans, they will have the same impression.

Which is why this shoe is so powerful. While I'm not sure what Jeremy Scott or Adidas intended with this sneaker, I am sure what the message describes. It is someone literally bound to their shoes. In the days where sneakers cost upwards $1,000 (eBay Air Yeezy auction), and have been that way since their release, and when people obsess over the annual release of another pair, its clear that there is more than just an obsession with design. It becomes clear that sneakers have become a symbol. A symbol for what? I'm not sure, but I am sure that this status is clearly surrounding what it takes to be either an African American or Latino male. Aside from that, what other symbols are there for African American and Latino males? Prison. What's on the back of the JS Roundhouse Mid? Shackles. What do people wear in prison? Shackles. Where are African American and Latino males? Prison. What have we said to be a symbol for African American and Latino males? Sneakers and Prison.

If you don't see the connection yet, then shame on you.

As I said earlier; It's unclear if Adidas and Jeremy Scott meant to release this shoe as a message to the drug/prison culture as a way to make them wake up, or if they thought that they could get away with selling a shoe with shackles on them and know who was going to consume them in order to commit to some systematic race joke. Either way, this is nothing new.