DJ Clark Kent has created a dizzying array of work over the span of his career ranging from mixes to tracks with artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z. The hip hop DJ and producer joins hosts Jian DeLeon and Noah Thomas on this week’s episode of ‘The Dropcast’ to talk sports, kicks, and music as he weighs sneaker against sneaker and artists against each other.
Sports fans have been raving about ESPN’s The Last Dance, a documentary that follows Michael Jordan and the Bulls through unseen footage from their 1997-98 championship season (2:53). Clark sees it as an opportunity to identify the greatest of all time once and for all, as younger sports fans finally witness Jordan in action. The legendary basketball player’s impact on the court extends into his influence in driving up the resale price of the Air Jordan 1.5 since the premiere of the documentary.
The quick hits turn to some new school kicks recently unveiled by ASICS and Kiko Kostadinov as the GEL-Aurania (7:33). Although Clark isn’t raving about them, he speaks to the essentiality of every sneaker and how the importance is measured through their connection to the consumer. A product that has done exactly that is the Supreme x Takashi Murakami box logo tee, which was released to support Covid-19 efforts (11:35). It’s inevitable for any Supreme piece to go through resale, and the cast are curious as to how that will work for a charity product. While the collab has the potential to draw out heavy support for a crucial cause, Clark believes that a prominent brand shouldn’t take advantage of its customer base.
Stussy x Nike’s Air Zoom Spiridon Caged has been one of the most hyped sneaker collabs, and their first iteration seems to remain largely uncontested despite news of a second silhouette (15:46). Clark pulls out on the conversation about laceless sneakers and clogs while Jian and Noah talk it out.
People have been looking forward to Instagram lives and specifically music battles as everyone including artists are stuck in quarantine. Noah fills everyone in on Babyface and Teddy Riley’s Instagram battle, which viewers called a major fail after the artists called it quits due to sound problems (17:10). The second time was a charm, with four million users tuning in to the session. If Clark were to put a score to it, he would hand the victory to Babyface. As a producer himself, Clark sees these battles as a rare opportunity for viewers to be educated on the discography of fellow producers and writers. That, in turn, draws in curious listeners who crave more of their work. Rather than pitting together masterminds who work behind the scenes, Clark would personally like to see two rappers battle it out, ego to ego (21:03).
As another big name who has since permeated the world of social media, Drake pulled a victory for breaking a TikTok record with “Toosie Slide,” and his luxurious bed which costs as much as a house has garnered just as much attention (24:51). Clark doesn’t hate on either, and simply attributes Drake’s purchase to the tendency for rappers to make sure their wealth is known. His real question is, does the bed spoon you?
Clark’s isolation rotation doesn’t exist, and that’s in part due to a revelation he’s had while in quarantine (29:30). As he was opening dozens upon dozens of sneaker boxes, Clark decided to hold a charity auction for plenty of brand new kicks but keep a few that are near and dear in his possession (32:25).
This episode’s Question of the Week (QOTW) asked “What celeb has the best sneaker collection?” (34:12). Before the cast dives into the voicemails, Clark names a handful of his top sneakerheads and the quality he looks for in doing so. If you’ve been paying attention, it comes as no surprise that Clark copped a third pair of Sergio Tacchini sneakers along with the Air Fear of God 1 Triple Black, a full box of Fresh Prince of Bel Air gear with a dozen different sweatshirts and T-shirts, a Compound x New York Knicks cap, and the Supreme Murakami tee in “What’d You Cop?” (42:54). He’s also been busy gifting, packing away 400 boxes of sneakers to send off.
Tune in to new episodes of Highsnobiety’s sister podcast ‘Vibe Check’ where Jian checks in with actress Lena Waithe about her new show on sneaker culture as well as writer Karley Sciortino who speaks on relationships while social distancing.
Relevant Links
Twitter Is Absolutely in Love With ESPN’s ‘The Last Dance’
ASICS & Kiko Kostadinov Unveil Their Latest Hybrid Sneaker
Add the “Incredible Hulk” Colorway to Your Air Jordan 1 Rotation
Supreme x Takashi Murakami Unveil New Box Logo Tee
Supreme’s My Bloody Valentine Collab Is Absolute Fire
Stüssy’s New Air Zoom Spiridon Caged 2 Surfaces in Another Colorway
Babyface & Teddy Riley’s Instagram Battle Was a Major Fail & Fans Are Screaming