In celebration of 35th Anniversary of the Air Force 1, Nike has collaborated with Virgil Abloh, Don C, Roc-A-Fella, Acronym and Travis Scott in celebration of the shoe’s defining colorway, white on white.
The Swoosh selected collaborators who are impacting future generations across culture. Their brief was filtered through the white on white lens. The design brief was to remain classic and recognizable to the Air Force 1 while connecting to each collaborator’s life personally and the fields they represent.
On to the next one, Kareem “Biggs” Burke is called upon to celebrate Roc heritage through the iconic AIR FORCE 1.
Biggs is a pioneer in his own right. While not one of the voices that projected the excellence embodied by Roc-a-Fella Records, he played a leading role in their rise to success.
Q: Take us back to the beginning, how did you all come together Jay, Dame, Emory, and yourself even before the Roc-A-Fella?
Kareem Burke: Dame and myself we came together first because we’re both from Harlem, so we had a crew called the Best Out, and the Best Out threw parties all around Harlem. When Dame got into the music business, he met Jay first. They both were wearing Air Force 1s and that brought them together. I end up meeting Emory, and we connected with a common interest in sneakers and outfits. The movement started from there and it just worked that way. We had a formula, it’s like a basketball team. We each had our roles and played out positions and we knew we would win that way.
Q: What was just the motivation behind creating Roc-A-Fella and coming together?
Kareem Burke: The motivation was just getting out of one circumstance and going to another. Being from the hood, if you didn’t play sports, there wasn’t a lot of ways to get out. Originally, music wasn’t something I thought about. I always had a love and passion for music but wasn’t what I thought about as a business then.
Whether it was doing these parties, whether it was on the road managing Jay or thinking about other opportunities that I could bring to the table, my motivation was to push culture and to get our families out of certain circumstances that they were in. That’s what I am passionate about.
Q: What were some of the biggest challenges early on?
Kareem Burke: In the beginning, it was putting together the first album. When Biggie came on, that solidified it for Reasonable Doubt. I think the biggest challenge was we sold over half a million records and didn’t make any money. You would think that would have deflated our dreams, but it just made us work harder. We knew we had something and then we ended up getting another deal.
Q: What was your motivation in these challenging moments?
Kareem Burke: Prior to Roc-A-Fella launching, we went to Atlanta. We went into these places, bought out the bars and Jay jumped on stage and performed. People wanted to know who we were and we didn’t even drop an album yet. We were creating a lifestyle and a movement at that time. By the time we dropped a record, people know who Jay was and the motivation was to see us. Seeing the reaction that it had in the streets and culture was the motivation.
Q: Everything that you’ve learned early on or you’ve accomplished, how does that help you today with your business?
Kareem Burke: One of the biggest things I learned was the cross-marketing aspect. Reasonable Doubt pushed us into the music sphere and then a clothing line. After that, we had Roc Sports and social networks. Everything just became part of the lifestyle, and anything we did, we made sure it tied through all our businesses.
Q: What was the feeling you had when Nike approached you to bring the shoe back?
Kareem Burke: It was great timing with the 35th anniversary of Air Force 1 because we just finished celebrating our 20 years of Roc-A-Fella. Getting back into space with Air Force 1s was true to Roc-A-Fella. If you think about Roc-A-Fella, you think about the logo. If you think about sneakers, you think about Air Force 1s. To have our logo on the Air Force 1, is very special to us.
Q: What does it mean to have your logo on the Air Force 1?
Kareem Burke: The Roc-A-Fella logo, it means something to all of us, we wear it on our heart. It’s more than just a symbol, it’s about the belief system behind it. It’s loyalty, integrity, relationships, friendships, it’s the brotherhood behind the logo that is represented.
Q: Tell us more about the work you put in with like Air Force 1s and how you relate to this idea of the hustle?
Kareem Burke: I really remember in seventh grade I went to junior high school in Harlem and I remember the high tops when they started coming out with colors and the straps. Every day after school, I would go by the store and they would be lined up, color after color. It was like a work of art. It wasn’t even just a sneaker, it was like I was looking at a canvas with art on it. You just wanted to wear the strap.
Q: Tell us about the shoes connection to NYC, and Harlem specifically.
Kareem Burke: Harlem for us was a place where a lot of trends came out of. We’ve seen that people all around the world followed what happened in Harlem and that was important for us to be part of that culture and lifestyle. Growing up in Harlem, I was always seeing what older kids did and how they dressed. We started to put together outfits a little differently, and Air Force 1s were a big part of that. It’s always been a shoe that’s attractive with heritage and authenticity.
Q: What exactly was it that was authentic to you?
Kareem Burke: Seeing all the people that have worn Air Force 1s over the years and what it meant to them. It meant something different to everyone. It was something, in the beginning, we couldn’t afford to get and once you got it and wore it, it was that special feeling – almost like that first bottle of champagne. The white on white just became synonymous with everything that we did because it just went with every outfit.
Q: Can you speak a little bit on just how iconic the Roc-A-Fella Air Force 1s have gotten over the years?
Kareem Burke: People always ask if we knew we were going to have success when we started. Even though we are dreamers, we had no idea Reasonable Doubt was going to sell when it sold. It was a great feeling for us to collaborate with Nike. When it happened, and kids were buying our shoes, it was exciting to be a part of.
Q: If you could give anyone advice to someone who’s between the age of 15 and 20 years old, on what you’ve learned throughout your time on Air Force 1, what it’s taught you, what would that piece of advice be?
Kareem Burke: The most important thing that I’ve learned over this time is to respect the relationships that we’ve built. It isn’t just about business anymore, it’s about love.
The AF100 Collection retails through SNKRS and key Nike retailers at the following dates:
Air Force 1 ’07 Roc-A-Fella: November 30
HAVE YOU READ: AF100 Interview: with VIRGIL ABLOH for ‘Air Force 1 ’07 Off-White’
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