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Following the premiere of The Last Dance, the main protagonist Michael Jordan warned fans they may not like him following its release. Whilst that is debatable, what the series did bring to light was the overwhelming influence the player had on not only basketball but a new Americana and the concept of capitalism. His fame gave birth to the Air Jordan in collaboration with Nike and in turn begun a new sneaker revolution.
The hype surrounding the basketball sneakers at the time was palpable but unbeknown to most, it turns out there was a dark side to the evolving business of sneakers. VICE TV has announced its latest VICE VERSA documentary which will be centred around the global phenomenon of Nike’s Air Jordan. Produced by Break Em Films, the film dubbed One Man and His Shoes takes a deep-dive into the social, cultural and racial significance of Jordan’s collaboration.
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It looks into the hugely successful marketing strategy that Nike implemented for the Air Jordan and the influence the ’80s and ’90s underground hip hop scene had on the humble kicks. Interviews featured will include Jordan’s former agent David Falk, former NBA commissioner David Stern, scout Sonny Vaccaro, original designer Peter Moore, sports journalist Jemele Hill, Nike marketing and advertising executives, and journalists who reported at the time.
Greed and a dark obsession of consumerism in America at the time sparked a murder over a pair of Air Jordans and the forthcoming documentary will highlight a candid conversation with Dazie Williams, following the court trial of the men who killed her son.
Tune into the trailer below and check out the anticipated production on VICE TV from May 25.
