Rapper Emilio Rojas may call California his home now, but the footwear style is still very much New York.
Although the Rochester, N.Y., native wears sneakerhead favorites, such as classic Air Jordans and the latest and greatest Nike has to offer, he also likes to break out a pair of Timberland 6-inch boots on occasion.
While on the road promoting his latest single, “Communicate,” Rojas discussed his love for Air Jordans and how many pairs of sneakers he packs on tour.
PAIRS OWNED: “Right now I have 50, but it used to be in the 300s.”
CLOSET BALANCE: “It’s mostly sneakers, two pairs of Chelsea boots, two pairs of [Timberlands] and some sandals.”
WHEN I’M NOT IN SNEAKERS: “Plain old socks or ‘chancletas’ [flip-flops].”
GO-TO BRANDS: “Nike and Timberland. I like Common Projects as well.”
STANDOUT SHOES: “I am a classics head, and my favorite pair right now, the ones I’ve been rocking every day, are my ‘Shadow Gray’ [AirJordan] 1s. Super basic.”
PAIR I’LL NEVER GET RID OF: “Any Jordan 1. The ‘Bred,’ the ‘Shadows,’ the ‘Royals’ are my favorites. And the ‘Chicagos,’ the ‘Black Toes.’ Those are my five favorite sneakers.”
ALL-TIME FAVORITE SHOE: “[Air Jordan] ‘Banned’ 1s.”
RAPPER’S CLOSET I’D LIKE TO RAID: “Fat Joe. He has the illest sneakers.”
FAVORITE TREND OF TODAY: “I like the joggers [pants]. It’s a good way to show off the silhouette of a sneaker, you’ve got the jogger that rests above it. And I like the fact that runners are back, too.”
FIRST SNEAKER MEMORY: “Buying the ‘De La Soul’ [Nike] Dunks with the hologram back, the high tops. The heel piece was all holographic. It was everything I loved: hip-hop, sneaker culture [and] it had an exclusivity to it.”
MOST I’VE EVER PAID FOR A PAIR: “I paid $1,000 for the black and metallic gold patent leather [Air Jordan] 1s.”
LEAST I’VE EVER PAID: “Retail. Most sneakers that I buy I get at retail, even Jordans and the quicker releases.”
MY EVERYDAY LOOK: “Sweats and Jordan 1s and a black T-shirt or a hoodie.”
SNEAKERS I WON’T BE CAUGHT DEAD IN: “Those f**king ‘Frasier’ Balenciagas.”
TODAY’S MUST-HAVE STYLE: “I think everyone should have classics. You should have a pair of [Air Jordan] ‘Cement’ 3s. You should have a pair of ‘Bred’ [Air Jordan] 1s. You should have a nice runner like the ‘Infrared’ Air Max from ’89. Those are my favorite three, the cleanest.”
PAIR I NEED TO BUY RIGHT NOW: “I don’t need to buy s— right now. I’m good; I’m always good. I never need any of it. As long as I have one pair of sneakers, I don’t have a need for anything.”
NUMBER OF PAIRS I TAKE ON TOUR: “I take three. I take a pair of Nike Flyknit Epic React for the gym and then I take a pair of Jordan 1s — I don’t know what colorway, it depends on how I feel when I pack, and I’ll take a pair of boots — ‘Constructs’ [wheat Timberland 6-inch] or some s—, keep it real New York.”
FAVORITE SHOES TO PERFORM IN: “I perform in my socks, I always take my shoes off when I get onstage. I don’t know why; it’s a habit.”
Below, watch the career advice Saucony president Anne Cavassa shared with FN.
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