CREDITS:
Photography: thabothabiso
Product: PUMA RS-X Tracks
Location: Afrosynth Records (25 Albrecht St, Jeppestown, Johannesburg, 2043)
PUMA RS-X TRACKS – INSPIRED BY MUSIC CULTURE
Currently working on his upcoming EP, emerging rapper Theo Roosevelt takes us through the trials and tribulations of his musical journey and talks about how his creative process influences life.
To go with his story Theo laced up the ‘Gray Violet / Charcoal Gray’ PUMA RS-X Tracks – and how do the kicks relate to the music culture? PUMA has been doing well in blending an active lifestyle with musical creativity since the beginning of time as music and sneakers have always been a combination.
This time around, PUMA is honouring the power of the art that is ‘MUSIC’ – the RS-X Tracks is an obvious testament to this relationship between sneakers and music as PUMA has taken its creative process to the new level, embedding and combining activeness into music from creation to performance.
Evolution is exactly what the RS-X is about and that’s why the popular model was chosen as the base for this story.
Name: Theo Roosevelt
City: Johannesburg (Soweto)
Interests: Music, Design and Gaming, Fashion, Sneakers, Vintage Furniture
Style: PUMA RS-X TRACKS
Tell us about your music journey and how did it all start?
started music but just writing in 2010, following year I started recording, started off as being part of a dance crew and mimicking , I then started mimicking lyrics and I kinda found it easy saying things in my mouth, like I’d rap a Twista song bar to bar then I started writing and one of my friends from the dance crew went on being hurt he landed in the hospital for what had happened, so I just quickly started wanting to rap coz I felt like I had a story to tell now.
Who were some of your favourite rappers growing up?
Uhm favourite rapper growing up should be surely Jay-Z, Mase, Busta and I really had a thang for Missy Elliot and Timberland at that time I think Timbo is one the best producers of all time, we actually use to Krump and dance off Timberland beats we’d find on YouTube.
How would you describe your music and fashion style?
It’s raw, it’s authentic, it’s original, I don’t even own a mirror like most dudes do but I barely come out the crib looking bummy, same with my music it’s raw as fuck, base and hard beats and I just tell sad real stories to it, like checkpoint, checkpoint shows the dirtiest things going on in our country but we don’t need to hide em coz they true, so I speak truth on my s***t the whole time, and I can rap about being Kwa Mai Mai after a long night at the club and to being at San Deck later on in the day, and that would be the truth.
“I speak the truth on my s***t the whole time, and I can rap about being Kwa Mai Mai after a long night at the club and to being at San Deck later on in the day, and that would be the truth.”
How do you set yourself apart from other musicians?
I honestly try to stay humble at all times, know thy self, greet all the rappers in the club or anything like that, I’m planning on departing myself from most cats by simply being pure at heart, I hope that’s the right way to answer coz cats would have said shit on this question, and I’m planning on working smart this time around not hard!!
Can you share your creative process behind your songs?
Yeah absolutely, smoke and drink, no girls in the studio what so ever until I’m done standing next to the mic, but I too usually prefer writing I’m not so into freestyling from the top, I just get my flow right, get my lyrics right and hop on.
Any upcoming projects we can look forward to? Tell us about your upcoming project, the creative process like for this one, and what are your hopes for it?
Yeah my EP on the way lol, not sure how many tracks and the title yet but I’m recording and close to wrapping up, it’ll be more like drill meaning base and hard lyrics as always, probably one feature who’s a close well-known rapper but won’t mention his name but he’s gonna be on my EP, no crazy features, I want people to know me for the artist I really am and for the author I really am too lol, not too high hope but to blow me the fuck up so we can show ourselves, I feel like this year those that ain’t got it but who are in the scene will be brutally fucked over by those who can really do this thing yeah.
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How do you stay focused on that when other aspects of fame and success can sometimes dilute the authenticity and message of the music?
Fame is gone I personally don’t think there’s fame no more, social media killed fame about 3 years ago, so I try hard to not focus on what the next rapper is doing or saying, I’m no detective but I don’t wanna know what the next person is doing, same reason why horses have blinders on the race, it’s mainly coz one horse can’t see the next horse ride coz it’ll be disturbed, so I try my utter best to focus on me and my brand and still get the message across.
You live in Joburg, the city that never sleeps. What are some of your favourite spots in the city?
Yeah from Soweto to be exact, Uhm My Place firstly lol , Uhm then I’d probably be in Braam on a Thursday afternoon like Great Dane, Friday the club most probably Sumo, Saturday’s I’d probably be around Sandton that’s where my friend and producer lives so the studio is at the crib so we probably braai on Saturdays then make music, or maybe even sometimes we at Randburg at 420 Cafe then get jolof too around there, Sunday’s definitely the hood Sunday afternoon like car wash vibes then later the club again like icon.
What excites you about the current state of fashion and what doesn’t?
The fact that everything is in the circle and reselling is at its highest peak excites me, mainly coz I got valuable shit so I can always resell and make money, I think it’s dope coz money is involved now and that’s my catch
In this digital age where almost everything is just a click away – how has the digital world/internet helped you build your music career?
The digital age has honestly helped me, it helped me start my record label Slash record label/slash creative agency – So I had to sign a distribution deal so that my sh**t can be on all the platforms with just one click away. I’m making money out of it, I just have to work on getting more streams & reach, it helped me build my career and to get my music out there on platforms like Spotify, Vevo and apple music.
How has the Internet changed the way people consume music? Do you still believe in buying music (CDs, Vinyls)…considering there’s a bunch of streaming services? ?
The internet actually changed a lot of things, just like me – you wouldn’t find my music at Musica /Reliable (if those still even exist) so its actually good because people just go streaming platforms, just like if you want to listen to Theo Roosevelt you just search my name and check my music you don’t have to walk into the music store. I think it changed a lot of things and people are making quick cash out of it and I think it’s for the better. But people, don’t actually don’t buy CDs, Vinyls anymore unless our a collector, I believe in people buying Vinyl to collect but still, people are now into streaming.
Ranking the PUMA RS-X Tracks
Looks: 7/10
Comfort: 8/10
Construction + Design: 8/10
Fit: 8/10
Inspired by the evolution of music in this digital age, the latest addition to the PUMA RS-X range features aggressive, future-retro design elements that aptly play to the reinvention of music culture.
The shoe is built with a mesh and textile upper, RS-X Tracks is decked with stylish leather overlays. Fitted with the OG RS technology on the midsole, the sneaker is embossed with a textile heel piece and moulded sockliner with specific RS PUMA branding.
Look out for the PUMA RS-X Tracks sneaker to release on Friday, 29 March 2019 in Mens + Womens colourways at:
- PUMA stores
- Sportscene
- X-Trend
- Side Step
- Superbalist
- The Office
- and independent retailers.
The retail price is set at R1999.
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