1st gift from NSW

Just a week after I was telling a friend of mine how I'm always one to blog about sneakers yet I haven't even bought a single pair this whole year, I receive a call while chilling with my cousin and the screen indicates that the call is from non other than "NSW".

I was invited to the NSWZA (Nike Sports Wear South Africa) offices to help out for 2 days and they were kind enough to hook a kid up with these two fresh kicks, A limited Classic Cortez with white laces dipped in black and these fresh Air Max 90s. I think the moral of the story is "Invest your gwap in your dreams not vanity, the world will find a way to keep you looking fresh"

Sneak-Peaking the Play Griffin Session

Last year saw the rebranding of what was an ordinary energy drink that transformed its image into one that has become synonymous to South African street culture. Play Energy Drink launched its recent orange griffin logo last year through diverse marketing avenues and later established a group of veterans in South African urban street culture known as the Play Heroes.

The Play Heroes consist of ten characters that supposedly represent various sectors of South African street culture, consisting of DJ Kenzhero (A great in Hip-Hop DJ fraternity), Wandile and Wireless G (Team Thesis), Nick Kaoma (Co-Founder of Head Honcho wear), Andile Cele (founder of DOPE store and wear), DJ Akio (Founder of KOL and Collide-A-Scope records), Tshidiso Maduna and Girland Masola (Team 1808) and lastly Max Mogale (Photographer of note)

I attended the first day of the 2 day Play Griffin Session held at the Bus factory in Newtown and what I found most interesting about the event was the rather compromised attendance. The event was well commercially marketed and had 10 of the supposed street culture heroes marketing the event in their personal level. What concerns me is the fact that 10 of the supposed street heroes failed to at least lure ten thousand people to the event on that day (that’s 1000 people each) and these are meant to be our street culture heroes?!?!. I am not one to hate on fellow street cultured individuals however I feel that we should re-assess who our true street heroes are, is it the people we see on TV, Street culture veterans or the kids walking and living in the streets on a daily? Without sounding overly critical, let’s enjoy this Sneak-Peaking Play Griffin Session video clip.

What the Nike Air Yeezy 2 means to us

#AIRYEEZY2ZA has been that hash tag that’s been making great waves on SA twitter streets, The much anticipated Air Yeezy 2 finally drops internationally today 09/06/12, Kanye West’s gift to the world a day after his birthday.

The much anticipated Air Yeezy 2 is only exclusively dropping at Cape Town for the South African market at one of the most credible and cultured sneaker hubs, ShelfLife.  The Nike Air Yeezy 2 is going for a recommended price of R3, 000, 00 a pair. We would assume that the Yeezy 2s are only dropping in Cape Town this time due to the Cape arguably being the capital of SA sneaker-culture and there not being any existing cultured Nike sneaker outlet in Joho since Nike Gallery on 4^th.

The @NSWZA team  (Nike Sports Wear South Africa) have done a commendable initiative by giving the larger public an opportunity to get their hands on this exclusive kick through its online RSVP queuing system that went live yesterday 08/06/12. This scored a selected few a queuing ticket to purchase only one pair of Yeezy 2s between sizes US6 – 14 on a first come and first serve basis.

The great number of tweets, Facebook status and BBM DPs dedicated on to the Yeezy 2 drops got a lot of people dropping me BBM messages (pin 29593227) and tweets asking “What is so special about this shoe?”. I felt obliged to let all understand the essence of the hype around the drop of this exclusive sneaker:

First and foremost, it should be understood that what each sneaker-head purchases when they cop a new sneaker is not the material but the culture that the sneaker’s amazing aesthetics symbolise. This has been a  sentiment that has long been held in the sneaker-culture, from a wave of kids filling Madison square garden and holding up their Adidas sneaker when Run DMC  performed their hit song *My Adidas* a song that symbolised rebellion to social standards, to Nike Air Jordan kicks worn at every B-Ball court and ghetto streets by those who aspired to be as great as Jordan thinking they’d run faster and jump higher with those on, to exclusive finds that symbolise one’s individuality and great affiliation to a certain sub-culture or sporting code.

The Air Yeezy 2 is undoubtedly not the most aesthetically appealing exclusive drop by Nike, but is most definitely the most anticipated; this could simply and honestly be explained by the fact that they are Kanye West’s sneakers. The epitome of the hype around Yeezy 2 is well explained by a Kanye line in a track titled *Heard em say* “Things we see on screens s’not ours but these niggas from the hood, so these dreams aint far”. In essence the Nike Air Yeezy 2 is that aesthetically appealing reminder to the streets not to betray themselves and keep keeping on till they get what they deserve, these dreams are not afar, cause one of those whom we identify ourselves with proved so.

So when you see a fellow sneaker-head with any sneaker that is meaninful to them; recognise and CELEBRATE TRADITION.

Sneak-Peaking with Last Letta Zubz

Sneak-Peaking clips are officially back in session this time with my all time favorite SA based MC, Zubz the Last Letta. This clip is extra special to me simply because Zubz was the only rapper the 14 year old me could find refuge in at an intellectual and geographically relevant space. I could safely say that my primary political and artistic views were greatly influenced by this dynamic individual. My fellow Sneak-Peakers, brace yourself for another classic Sneak-Peak moment with Zubz the Last Letta.

Having Fun Documenting Str.Culture

Yaaaaah we back at it again, sharing some of the special moments we had while we were documenting Str.Culture for our latest Sneak-Peak 10 part doccie series. This time we feature an amazing performer with an even greater spirit, Mante Ribane. Kum'nandi

Having fun while documenting Street culture

Sneak-Peaking Street Culture documentary series is the biggest and most exciting project that Sneak-Peak has been working on during the last couple of months. We have documented one of the most exciting and credible characters in the Johannesburg street culture, we shared great and funny moments with them, some of these moments may not make the final cut so we decided to share them with you now.Enjoy this hilarious clip of Mesuli Splash leap of faith shot while documenting Soweto Skate Society.

Hype Mag shows love to Sneak-Peak

The biggest Hip-Hop publication in Southern Africa Hype magazine  has showed love to us by featuring us as the recommended site on its latest (Apr/May 2012) issue. I would like to firstly give thanks to YOU who takes your time, data and love to read and watch our content, always remember that no view goes un-noticed here and we mean that. I would also like to take this moment to engage in self praise by stating that "I've been outchea doing original work while most reblog commercial content". Lastly I would love to thank Hype Magazine for showing love for authentic blogging and domestic sneaker and street culture by rating Sneak-Peak as "the dopest sneaker blog" and for also recognising our great videography work. Kum'nandi