It might be a generational thing. That and, of course, Rashone Bryant (aka @afrikan_caesar) is an intelligent, prolific, down-to-earth cat that has cultivated an ever-evolving idea around his love of sneakers early on. Quick to realize no one has the attention span to read anymore, he experimented with content via podcasts in 2014 and ran with it - and with his solid crew he's taken a journey that's currently on the verge of making The Sneaker Box Radio Show podcast a full-time gig.
Isn't that what it's all about? It is for us. Doing cool things with good friends.
But moreso, I really admire and respect the fact that he sees the much bigger picture and he connects what he does with his roots. The long game is by nature a strong game, focusing on the micro but always seeing the macro. He passes the depth of character test in our book.
"I wanted to put Detroit on the map. You hear about LA all the time. You hear about NY all the time. I wanted to showcase African Americans in a positive light other than the buffoonery you see on VH1 or whatever, right."
In our hour long chat, we talk about Caesar's involvement with Sneaker Bar Detroit, how this led to The Sneaker Box Radio Show and linking up w/ ANTIDŌT ambassador and friend, @JumpmanBostic and the rest of the current crew (@guru_knows, @francis313, @geenokicks).
We also rap about how analytics can sometimes completely miss the mark, why Caesar feels we're a "home-cooked meal" and his definition of a hypebeast.
With over a half million downloads on iTunes alone now and heavy rotation at all DTLR/Villa brick-and-mortar locations via the DTLR Villa Radio Station, Caesar and the crew are on their way. But, what's most important to recognize is that they didn't set out to do this for the fame and fortune - not that there's anything wrong with fame and fortune. We just suspect that so long as it stays real, they'll be doing this for awhile in some form and fashion. Because, moreso than the money, if you can somehow keep loving what you do and honing your craft, as we always say, the process is the goal.. and it'll never be just about the money.
We happen to really click with Caesar and his crew. At least we feel that way. We probably don't even have to have the common thread of sneakers and basketball, really. There's a certain, common thread and laid back vibe that knows no boundaries and automatically aligns when the values are the same. Again, it might just be a generational thing. At least partly.
Peep the unedited, hour long audio file chat here and make sure to not just hear what they're saying, but listen to current and past The Sneaker Box Radio Show episodes here.