Shelflife x Nike Air Max Day
To celebrate Air Max Day this year, we will be throwing a special friends and family event at a secret location in Cape Town. The party is RSVP only with 50 +1s slots (100 total) open to the public. If you want to attend this coming Saturday 26 March for a fire line up the country’s best DJs, industry talks, live streaming and more Air Max heat, enter the RSVP application link below. Entry is completely free.
In the spirit of Air Max Day and #AirIsLife, we linked up with 7 friends of Shelflife to ask them about their Air Max love and which songs they added to the Shelflife x Nike Air Max Day playlist.
Kid Fonque
Label boss, Radio host, producer, DJ, dad and sneaker lover - Kid Fonque has been a constant feature in our ecosystem for more than a decade.
One of the hardest working men in the game. Often imitated, never replicated, the kid is SL peoples.
What are those Air Max you chose and why?
When I was growing up the cool kick to wear was always skate shoes. I had a pair but it never felt right as I was not a skater.
I discovered Air Max 90's through the music I was following in the early 2000's, they ticked all the boxes of what I represented... street, cool, hard to find in SA at the time.
I went onto eBay and ordered my first pair of 90's in straight blue and I rinsed them. About 6 months later I discovered the Air Max 1, slimmer, slicker and looked great on a big dude like myself. My life changed and my love for AM1 was solidified. Its been almost 20 years of love for AM1's for me and they still hold a sweet spot.
What are you grail Maxes?
The University Blue or Red 1’s are my grails, make any outfit look dope and classic like me.
What are your 5 tracks for the Shelflife Nike Air Max Day playlist on Spotify?
Kid Fonque - Air Max
Kid Fonque X Jonny Miller - Tshinela ft Fernando & Khensy (Fka Mash Re-Glitch)
El Payo - Frequency
Hypaphonik - Just Breathe
A Tribe Called Quest - Can I Kick It
KDollahz
Your favourtie DJ’s favourite DJ, and actually your favourite persons favourite person - Kalo is a repository of culture and music.
His passion for cultural archives is rivalled only by the ability to stay current and stay ahead of the game - K$ is proper topshelf.
What are those Air Max you chose and why?
The OG 180 Ultramarine/Solar Red has always been one I admired from a distance after adding it to my collection when I was around 21. It was one that almost had too much prestige to just soema be thrown into a rotation. Nowadays, I’ve thrown that caution to the wind. After being reunited with my collection that was sitting at home in Cape Town, I rediscovered the magic and comfort of the OG statement piece, and it’s become one of my go-tos over the past 6 months. Can’t beat a classic. Wear your air mos, babes.
What are you grail Maxes?
The OG Air Slant - Low or high top, I smaak both. All I can say is wow, what a sneaker. I’ve always loved that silhouette and the simplicity of the colourways it was released in. Definitely a double-up that I need to check off the bucket list in the near future.
What are your 5 tracks for Shelflife Nike Air Max Day playlist on Spotify?
Ain’t Nobody Better (Groove Corporation Remix) – Inner City, Groove Corporation
One Look – Kym Sims
Let The Beat Hit ‘Em (LL w/Love RC Mix) – Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
So In Love (Vibes & Wishdokta Remix) – DJ Seduction
La La La Hey Hey (OHB Extended Mix) – The Outhere Brothers
Vez Fullstop
Vez is what we call a ‘lifer.
A SL family member, JHB store manager, graphic artist, hustler, creative and friend - he forms part of the soul of SL.
That ou also dresses like it's a sport, and if you know him you know he wins first prize everytime.
What are those Air Max you chose and why?
Nike Air Max 1 DLX Atmos
The original release of these dropped probably in 2006 or so. In 2018 Nike and Atmos rereleased these with abit of an updated colourway (toe box black instead of white). This was my opportunity to finally cop them luckily for me they didn’t sell out at all stores and I managed to get a pair at retail.
What are you grail Maxes?
My grail pair is the Atmos x Nike Airmax 1 Safari - the 2016 release.
What are your 5 tracks for Shelflife Nike Air Max Day playlist on Spotify?
Cat Stevens - Was Dog a Donut
Redman - I'll Be Dat
Conway the Machine - Night Drive
Faze O - Riding High
Keifer - Tubesocks
Anthony English
The word OG gets thrown around alot these days, but English is a true streetwear, culture, film and music aficionado.
English has been SL friends and family since day one and his collection is absolutely unrivalled.
What are those Air Max you chose and why?
At the time I chose the Atmos because of it’s affiliation with New York, and I felt like there had not been anything that exciting that was being released, or maybe more about the fact that I found a lot of the styles of sneakers being released quite boring. Quite possibly where I am at now regarding sneaker releases.
What are you grail Maxes?
If anything, it’s not a grail, but I really like the new Concepts Air Max 1 “Heavy”, it is something different for a change.
What are your 5 tracks for Shelflife Nike Air Max Day playlist on Spotify?
Joy Division - Love Will Tear US Apart
The Roots - Proceed
Stone Roses - I wanna Be Adored
Orchestral Manouvers in the Dark - So In Love
Spacemen 3 - Come Down Softly to My Soul
Kezia
The first lady of Shelflife.
Although Kez stays mostly behind the controls of the machine of the CPT Store, almost everyone knows her love for pop-culture and kicks.
What are those Air Max you chose and why?
I could have gone with one of my more colourful options, but I chose the OG air max 1s because over everything, classic will always remain classics for years to come. It’s also an extremely special pair because this one is the 30th anniversary release.
What are you grail Maxes?
I don’t necessarily have grails per say. I am attracted to interesting silhouettes and bold colours, so if a sneaker speaks to me, then I know we are meant to be. I do however have a few air max silhouettes that I myself have slept on. The air max 180s are one of my favourites and really underrated in my opinion. Aside from the OG ultramarines that will always have my heart, my absolute favourite version of the 180s is the pink CDG collab. Why? I think the answer is pretty obvious for anyone who knows me, it’s pink DUH!
What are your 5 tracks for Shelflife Nike Air Max Day playlist on Spotify?
Lil' Kim - The Jump Off
Missy Elliot ft Ludacris - Gossip Folks
Tweet ft Missy Elliot - Oops (Oh My)
Kelis - Good Stuff
Beenie Man & Mya - Girls Dem Sugar
Scott The Girl
We first met Zama way back when as a sneaker lover, DJ and music head. She later went on to start the all women running crew The Pack. Scott The Girl continues to naturally inject the lifestyle we all love into all of her endevours and hobbies cos she really lives it.
What are those Air Max you chose and why?
The reason I chose the silver bullets is because this was a shoe I wanted in my collection for the longest time. I'd probably go as far as that being my favourite Nike sneaker, when they were re-released in 2017 I had to make a plan to get a pair. I was lucky to play at #10yearsofshelf and was given a pair on the night, all my sneaker dreams had come true.
What are you grail Maxes?
My grail Airmax would be a more recent pick up which is the Nike Airmax 1 Patta - Waves Noise Aqua, coming across a Nike x Patta collab is near impossible these days and will cost you an arm and leg, so getting a pair was a big deal to me as I'd always wanted pairs in the past. This specific colourway has been great for the summer; it's been on rotation the whole time.
What are your 5 tracks for Shelflife Nike Air Max Day playlist on Spotify?
Hypaphonik - Lutar
Sonido - Let's Ride
SGJazz - Fork in Rhodes
China Charmeleon - Falling
Tea White - Pellucid Skies