Am I a Head?

Ronaldo sports his medal with the original Mercurial R9 cleats hanging from his neck

CURRENT LOCATION:  My basement

"Sometimes people" ask me if I'm a shoe head...  I don't know if I'm a shoe head, but I do know I collect shoes.  I don't follow it or anything; I don't care how much they are or if they're rare or not...  To me, it's all about the look.  Back to the music comparison, it's like a beat.  I've paid $100 for beats that are sick and $4000 for beats that don't bring the heat -- there's no formula.  You just gotta do you.

I showed one of my boys the shoes I got and he was like, "How do you know they're dope if you don't know anything about them except what kinda Nike they are and their color?" -- So I decided to do some research.

SimplySneakers.com and NiceKicks.com (official article click here) filled me in:

"The Nike Dunk Low Mercurial brings the colors of the original Mercurial, which inaugurated a new era in real shoes for soccer in 1998, and lines that evoke the sole and traces of leather and comes to stores in June [2008].  The shoes will sell for about $125.  Like the top tiered soccer cleats, these Dunks also feature Zoom Air. "

It sounds like these original Mercurial R9 cleats were a part of the soccer great Ronaldo's bringing of a new generation to the game of soccer:  one filled with "game striking fear" and "off-the-field antics".  I have chosen to wear the shoes I was given yesterday at my first show one week from today to symbolize the way in which I plan to start a new era and movement in music.

Get ready to "fall into my drumline"

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

Brand NEW Kicks

NIKE Dunk Low Supreme - Thanks to Jon Stein

CURRENT LOCATION: In the Kitchen... No, not cooking -- unless we're talking Ramen Noodles.

"With the brand new kicks never ever outta style, got her flashing me a pair like Girls Gon' Wild". I forgot how hard it is to shop.. in normal stores at least. I've been in at least 10 department stores in the past two days gearing up and everything is the same in each store. I just don't get it. How is it cool to wear Ed Hardy if any dude or girl with $50 can grab a t-shirt and sport it?

I guess my inner-self has always strived to be different. It sounds misleading... I haven't had to try by any means -- I just don't like doing what everybody else does. To me there's something about seeing something in a store that I know nobody else will have - my uncontrollable instinct says, "Nobody is going to have that....... That's cool." and next thing ya know there are things in my closet that are bizarre or well, different.

It's also crazy how fast a brand such as Ed Hardy or now with shoes like Supras or Creative Recreation reach the tipping point. Not saying I don't dig 'em, cuz I do like all three of those brands, but how cool are they now that everybody is wearing them? I always want what's next!

Price doesn't affect my intuition either...

Over time, I've learned to trust my instinct whether it's working on a track or just buying shoes. It's either hot or it's not. Period.

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

P.S. Thanks to Paulina at AKIRA in the C-H-I for hookin' me up!

Just got back from New York -- Part 2: How'd it go?

Me and Jermaine Dupri at Columbia

CURRENT LOCATION: Back at my house in Northbrook, Illinoissssss

So I just got back from the Bulls game -- helping out my little brother Alec with our previous venture, ONtheCOURTSports. I'd like to thank Chris Paul for hookin' it up tonight.

In the previous blog post I was focused on the Enuff story and didn't get a chance to thank my people--so right now I'd like to thank Vince Lawrence of Slang Music Group and Heavy Hitter DJ Boogie Boy for taking me out to the east coast and showing me what's good. Boogie, you're a beast! Being so green, it's really an honor to be put on the scene so quickly.

I’d also like to thank everybody we met with at the labels – I would name you all, but I wouldn’t know how to place an order on it! :-/ I appreciate you taking the time to hear my team and me out. Now all I need is a chance because I know once I get a chance, whatever it is, I can smash it! Special thanks goes out to Michael Blatter for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with us at Mirrorball. And one last thanks to my dude over at HOT 97, DJ Enuff, for opening his arms with hospitality and showing us how New York gets down… I appreciate the shoutouts and all the love!

I have never been so confident in my team and surroundings then I am right now… Now, it ’s time to start doing shows. I just got booked for a couple different gigs random stuff like youth events in the C-H-I, fraternity partiesssss at IU, and ummz... opening for THE GAME. March 24th, 2009 in B-Town. Be there! Shoutout to fam Joby Wright over at BFA on the hook-up.

Boogie and Vince think that Elvis is more likely to hit the stage than I am -- I'm gonna get 'em back for all the hotel humor they gave me for not doing shows yet. 

So get ready to put your KICKS IN THE AIR! You'll know what that means in a few months, but in the meantime be sure to buy your freshest pair of NIKE’s because we’re about to get down like thatttt -- especially if you get the chance to see me perform! Speaking of, I'm going shopping for some kicks tomorrow. I guess when you have 50+ pairs of "sneakers", as my boys on the East Coast Strom and Stein would say, a few more can't hurt.

I’m pretty sure new music is on its way too! which is exciting because no matter how essential “Go Down and Show” has been to my young career, I’m excited to see what people have to say about some of this other stuff that’s been on repeat in my car for the last couple weeks.

So until next time, “get all mixed up with a Dixie cup” and get ready to meet a “Super Fly Guy".

“See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ