story

What's good, y'all? Thank you so much for coming through to the shop. You guys are looking super fresh. Thank you. I'm excited to talk to you guys today. I think every great story in Chicago starts with somebody that goes against the grain and goes against the rules then what's supposed to be done.

Excited to be here to talk about this, man. The AJ1 Banned. The first Banned wasn't even a Jordan. It wasn't even a Banned, it was an Air Ship Black and Red but That's a whole nother episode. Yeah, that's another story.

It's such a pivotal sneaker in culture from fashion to sport to entertainment. It's just a timeless shoe. 2026, they made a low tie version, which is making even more of a shocker because it's never been seen before. It's for you guys. It's the next chapter of the Jordan story.

Everybody from Chicago feel like they're their own superstar. And the reason why we embraced Jordan so much because he actually came and did it. He actually came and fit right in. Fit right in with what we had going on. 

You just came with the confidence, the nonchalantness about yourself, something like that. And the I don't care mentality. Yeah, I'm going to do it how I want to do it and it's going to pay off. I'm going to make it work. Instead of me finding something else to do, I'm going to make this work. 

Are y'all into Jordan 1s? Are y'all into the Jordan brand? Of course. Jordan is a timeless thing. It's something that can't die down. It's always going to be there. 

It means a lot to me that you guys still carry the torch for the sneaker. So how do you guys plan to carry the torch of the sneaker for us and help us tell the story along? 

At first, I didn't know the story behind the shoe until I was sent it. And I was reading the description like, this actually is like a big thing. So I think...

...I'm going to wear how you say I'm going to wear how I wear. I'm going to style it and people ask me, "Oh, where you get those from? Da, da, da. Oh, I was sitting here with the greats. you know. With the OGs, with the first people you know, with the uncs!

True story. So when I was in 1990, I was in a car accident. So I'd be paralyzed. I died twice.

And I remember this commercial. "Like Mike, if I can be like Mike, like Mike, like Mike," it was those Gatorade commercials kept coming on. I'm like, man, Mike is ... I thought my mind started thinking that Mike is dominant. Wow. If I could like Mike,

...somehow gave me some kind of strength to keep going. And really honestly, it was crazy that song made me really be like Mike. Changed my mentality. So I think positive then. So I stay positive when I think it's positive with me. I don't care what happens. It's going to be the lighter side of the coin.

Like Mike said, it's going to get better. You got to lose the win. So guys, this experience has been crazy, right? What would y'all take back to the classmates?

I would say to just go against the grain. It's okay to fail sometimes and then people are going to beat you up about something, but just keep going.

Don't let what others got going on determine what you got going on. I could take away longevity as well. I want to implement that into my greatness, like longevity, like Jordan. 

Let's bring it in. One, two, three, you're banned!

Talking Shop

Air Jordan 1 Low 'Banned' w/ SVRN