My consigliere (really, every good Don has one) advised that we refrain from sharing the fact that we buy multiples of certain shoes. That pretty much spoils this whole idea I had of posting my doubles, along with the accompanying story & reasoning. Consig says that when we talk about such things, we come off as “rich.”

The other two addicts in the Crew, Contra™ & MZ, aren’t rich to my knowledge. I am not rich by any means either. I plan to be one day.

Instead, I’m currently resourceful & what I don’t share with you is the means by which I cop shoes, mainly because it’s complicated, conflicted & probably borderline (or perhaps full blown) ignorance to some. First, all bills are paid and the savings account is fed. Secondly, nobody in the household does without. Those are rules. After those things are checked off, then it’s on to purchasing material items. The acquisitions require a myriad of hustling, credit cards, fiscal planning, flipping of older pairs that are sought after plus finding online & offline sales.

What I am is an American male & most of us have what I call a kick. That thing most consider a hobby but I believe it to be a little more consuming than a casual affair. It can be women, cars, cigars, drugs, food, whatever. But it’s that thing that you’re most knowledgeable about and spend the majority of your free time & leftover brain space devoted to. Since I don’t drink or get high & I’m with the love of my life, my only kicks are clothing, mainly shoes, and cigarettes. I don’t spend money on anything else besides those things. Recession be damned, even if I was homeless I’d still prolly be the flyest bum. My relationship with shoes stretches back to 4th grade when I was still a wee Gotty™ and even though it’s waned in periods, the love has never been lost.

And for the record, I buy a lot of things in doubles. CD’s. Candy. Shirts. Socks. Pilot G2 Pro pens (blue!). My OCD’s make me nervous & fearful that after I’ve search for the perfect item that I might ruin it & not have one. So I was buying in twos way before Nelly made it cool.

Anyways, this post is about the Nike Hyperize from the White Men Can’t Jump pack. Design of the shoe is an updated version of the Hyperdunk (dope shoe! Don’t sleep), the magnificently bold, retro (but now current I guess) colors and the shoe details, the illest of which being the tongue which features Billy’s “I’m in the fucking zone” quote. Never imagined Nike to put a curse, even an edited one, on a shoe.

Images via Marquee Sole obviously, where you can purchase these now.