OT - The decline of And1 and streetball culture

[TankCommander]

confirmed to being someone who knows nothing of the genre

Hip Hop at the moment is at its strongest in terms of quality and diversity

lmao hip-hop today is at its worst ever. You are probably young so I will forgive you for saying that.

If look at how hip-hop evolved in say just the 6 year period between 1992-1998 it is amazing. The way it progressed, and all the different artists that came out at that time, in all different genres with so many different styles is incredible in retrospect. Look at hip-hop in just the past 6 years and very little has changed.

The fact that today's hip-hop relies on 40 year old versions of Jay-Z and Eminem to "save hip-hop" is a testament to how bad it is today and how good it was in the '90s. The "heavy-hitters" of today can't hold a flame to those of the 90's.

Outkast, Nas, Biggie, Pac, Mos Def, Eminem, Dre, The Pharcyde, The Wu & a million other stars >>>>>>>>>>>>>Drake, Macklemore, J. Cole, Wale, Mac Miller, Kendrick (just jacks Andre 3000's style/flow but is still very solid), Lil' Wayne, A$AP etc.

Lauryn Hill & Missy Elliot are better MC's that almost every major rapper today.

Edit: Proof hip-hop and rap today is atrocious? Psy's Gangnam Style being #1 on Billboard Hot 100 Rap.

not trying to derail this thread but again you seem like one of those "real hip hop " youtube commentators that barely even listen to modern rap and base most things towards the radio.

From new genres like cloud rap to revised industrial rap (the rise of death crips, yeezus, and etc.)

Born sinner was a great album from Cole and his mixtapes were great
pre-MMG wale was great (mixtape about nothing is still one of the best rap mixtapes ever) and even his MMG **** is still dope.
GKMC is a great album
Drake is probably one of the most versatile dudes in terms of sound (with NWTS is bringing a more post-dubsteb sound with song like the motion) and if you like rnb and rap he is great for you.
Mac Miller just released a great album
With certainty I can guess you have never actually listened to or actually know most of these artists.

Yeezus is probably my favourite rap album of the year just because how it mixes so many different genres (industrial, electronic, dancehall, and etc.). These are the type of rap albums being made today and thats what makes it so different from the 90s and early 2000s, the constant evolution and now intermingling with the other music genres.

Again I enjoy 90s boom bap and jazz rap as much as the next but you can be a fan of rap not see the great amount of diversity in today's music scene.

Also Jay has just released another boring, uninspired album and Eminem hasn't made a decent album since 2009 and a good one since 2002. Both are only portrayed as saviours by people who do not follow the actual hip hop scene.

And people who claim rap needs "saviours" are people who confirmed for not following the scene.

[AllMyNeilOlshey]

One big reason why the brand fell off was they sold out. Now you can find their gear at freaking Wal-marts! No offense to Wal-mart shoppers here but once a clothing brand goes there, it's popularity dies.

Who cares about popularity. If I designed clothes my dream location for them to be sold in would be Walmart. Billions of dollars in Revenue.

[weouthere]

It died when LeBron got in the league. Coincidence? I think not

[weouthere]

It's the Rise of the Hipster taking over popular culture and the NBA. So AND1 saw a decline in sales, however skinny jeans and non-prescription glasses sales have increased exponentially. Swings and roundabouts. Sunrise and sunset. Malcolm Gladwell should write a piece on it.

This is nonsense. It has nothing to do with rise of hipster nothing.

Popular players stopped doing the tapes. Started doing their own thing., the moves became repetitive... We had seem them all. So it just became less interesting and then LeBron came around. People who say LeBron didn't embrace and1 aren't paying attention, and1 Is actually his generation and was popular when he was in high school, but LeBron in the league, among other players had the moves of those and1 players but on the big stage.

It just got stale, trust me. No hipster movement stopped it. It was less interesting. There were a lot of rifts between the popular guys like hot sauce who got his own tour and a bunch of nonsense. Players got old and tired.. And it ended.

[weouthere]

How exactly did the NBA dress code kill And1? Still waiting for an explanation.

If your brand of basketball needs a loud ass dude with a microphone running courtside to keep fans engaged.....

And1 was a fad, it came and went.

Lol exactly, people love to make things up and sheep follow

[EGarrett]

I'm personally still waiting for the headbands to die off.

[VC-INJURY]

not trying to derail this thread but again you seem like one of those "real hip hop " youtube commentators that barely even listen to modern rap and base most things towards the radio.

From new genres like cloud rap to revised industrial rap (the rise of death crips, yeezus, and etc.)

Born sinner was a great album from Cole and his mixtapes were great
pre-MMG wale was great (mixtape about nothing is still one of the best rap mixtapes ever) and even his MMG **** is still dope.
GKMC is a great album
Drake is probably one of the most versatile dudes in terms of sound (with NWTS is bringing a more post-dubsteb sound with song like the motion) and if you like rnb and rap he is great for you.
Mac Miller just released a great album
With certainty I can guess you have never actually listened to or actually know most of these artists.

Yeezus is probably my favourite rap album of the year just because how it mixes so many different genres (industrial, electronic, dancehall, and etc.). These are the type of rap albums being made today and thats what makes it so different from the 90s and early 2000s, the constant evolution and now intermingling with the other music genres.

Again I enjoy 90s boom bap and jazz rap as much as the next but you can be a fan of rap not see the great amount of diversity in today's music scene.

Also Jay has just released another boring, uninspired album and Eminem hasn't made a decent album since 2009 and a good one since 2002. Both are only portrayed as saviours by people who do not follow the actual hip hop scene.

And people who claim rap needs "saviours" are people who confirmed for not following the scene.

You just proved rap is no longer rap.

Kanye is a great producer but horrible MC. The fact that you think Drake is one of the best hip-hop artists is a testament to how fake it has become - a rich kid who grew up on a television show is about as far away from hip-hop as you can get.

But like others have said, the decline of AND1 culture is gone because of the tie between basketball and hip-hop has died. Guys like KD, Westbrook, Amare, Bron, Wade etc all dress like hipsters now which killed it.

A prime AI would make every single hipster superstar in today's game his bi*ch

[Donald Kaufman]

This is nonsense. It has nothing to do with rise of hipster nothing.

Popular players stopped doing the tapes. Started doing their own thing., the moves became repetitive... We had seem them all. So it just became less interesting and then LeBron came around. People who say LeBron didn't embrace and1 aren't paying attention, and1 Is actually his generation and was popular when he was in high school, but LeBron in the league, among other players had the moves of those and1 players but on the big stage.

It just got stale, trust me. No hipster movement stopped it. It was less interesting. There were a lot of rifts between the popular guys like hot sauce who got his own tour and a bunch of nonsense. Players got old and tired.. And it ended.

Forget Gladwell. Maybe you should write a piece, seeing as how you're such an expert on culture and such.

[Donald Kaufman]

Lol exactly, people love to make things up and sheep follow

I'm guessing your favorite band is RATM and you own a Che Guevara t-shirt.

[Langdon Alger]

I had these shoes in baby-blue, back in highschool (2001-2002 not sure about the exact year). They were freakin head turners. The ladies loved them as well. I got a lot of play out of them (not actual basketball play), looked great with jeans. Wish I could find the picture with them in baby-blue.

Gotta rock them with some sweet-ass jorts. Pussy magnet.

For real though, fashion during that era was atrocious.

Hey man, don't hate the player, hate the game...or atleast that's what we said back in those days. Oh Gosh, it all seems so terrible now. But back then, it was off the chain (another phrase we overused back then).

I had a pair of those, too. Completely useless for playing ball. Try to make a lateral move and you end up shoeless. Of course, the lack the laces should've been a dead giveaway, but I'm not that bright.

Yeah, playing ball in them was a definite no. First of all they were just too nice for everyday basketball (didn't want to mess them up). Also, cost a pretty penny as well (not too much, but still hefty). I always bought cheap payless/walmart (Shaq brand or similar) basketball shoes for everyday play. I threw them out and bought new ones every few months, without regret.

Also, the lack of ankle support on these was dangerous. But, honestly I would definitely buy them again for casual wear. They were mad comfortable.

[bigbreakfast]

not trying to derail this thread but again you seem like one of those "real hip hop " youtube commentators that barely even listen to modern rap and base most things towards the radio.

From new genres like cloud rap to revised industrial rap (the rise of death crips, yeezus, and etc.)

Born sinner was a great album from Cole and his mixtapes were great
pre-MMG wale was great (mixtape about nothing is still one of the best rap mixtapes ever) and even his MMG **** is still dope.
GKMC is a great album
Drake is probably one of the most versatile dudes in terms of sound (with NWTS is bringing a more post-dubsteb sound with song like the motion) and if you like rnb and rap he is great for you.
Mac Miller just released a great album
With certainty I can guess you have never actually listened to or actually know most of these artists.

Yeezus is probably my favourite rap album of the year just because how it mixes so many different genres (industrial, electronic, dancehall, and etc.). These are the type of rap albums being made today and thats what makes it so different from the 90s and early 2000s, the constant evolution and now intermingling with the other music genres.

Again I enjoy 90s boom bap and jazz rap as much as the next but you can be a fan of rap not see the great amount of diversity in today's music scene.

Also Jay has just released another boring, uninspired album and Eminem hasn't made a decent album since 2009 and a good one since 2002. Both are only portrayed as saviours by people who do not follow the actual hip hop scene.

And people who claim rap needs "saviours" are people who confirmed for not following the scene.

You just proved rap is no longer rap.

Kanye is a great producer but horrible MC. The fact that you think Drake is one of the best hip-hop artists is a testament to how fake it has become - a rich kid who grew up on a television show is about as far away from hip-hop as you can get.

But like others have said, the decline of AND1 culture is gone because of the tie between basketball and hip-hop has died. Guys like KD, Westbrook, Amare, Bron, Wade etc all dress like hipsters now which killed it.

A prime AI would make every single hipster superstar in today's game his bi*ch

not a big fan of drake or kanye, but hip hop as a whole has changed into more "hipster." and really, how ppl dress doesn't define how hip hop they are. hip hop has gone through several iterations of iconic looks. and the death of and1 predated hipster fashion by several years.

again, and1 died because it was a fad. it was the same **** over and over again. basketball is loved because of the competition. and1 was more show than competition.

[Rasheeed!!!]

And1 was kind of cool when it really got popular but it got stale pretty quick. At first it seemed original but with each mixtape the moves felt more rehearsed and there was no D whatsoever. I even went to one of these shows and it was frustrating watching these guys pull off awesome moves (with the help of carry's and travels) only to blow a fundamental layup or jump shot.

The worst part probably was that everyone though they were hot sauce. You couldn't play a friendly game in the park without some douche trying to 'break ankles' instead of passing the ball. Glad those times are over.

[Stills12]

You just proved rap is no longer rap.

Kanye is a great producer but horrible MC. The fact that you think Drake is one of the best hip-hop artists is a testament to how fake it has become - a rich kid who grew up on a television show is about as far away from hip-hop as you can get.

But like others have said, the decline of AND1 culture is gone because of the tie between basketball and hip-hop has died. Guys like KD, Westbrook, Amare, Bron, Wade etc all dress like hipsters now which killed it.

A prime AI would make every single hipster superstar in today's game his bi*ch

Im sure something similar was said about 3 white Jewish guys who started off as a punk band in the 80's...

Not that im comparing Drake to Beastie Boys but the point is an artist's history doesn't make someone more hip hop than other (regardless of how tough or good they had growing up).

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I don't think forcing players to wear suits had a huge impact, but I bet there was some impact on the culture. These guys didn't start wearing plain black suits, instead they tried making suit stylish. If you see these high profile athletes looking good in suits instead of shorts and a tall tee, it impacts society.

[Warspite]

Another factor is when And1 fans played that style they lost. If it doesnt work it is broken.

[Invictus]

I always thought the dress code played a huge role in the decline (I'm not saying it's necessarily bad thing). Back in the 90s you had guys like iverson and kobe and tmac, jason williams, etc. all going for baggy/over-sized "gangsta" look. With the dress code guys were forced to wear suits...

...but then that compelled the next generation of superstar players to experiment with their wardrobe. A suit doesn't mean a black jacket and black pants like in the corporate world...players started wearing clothing that was a lot more fitted than what the iversons and marburys used to wear. This in turn I think started bleeding over into what they wore away from the arena. Compare what Westbrook, Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler and other players wear now vs. what players were wearing 15 years ago...and this is away from the court. It's almost like the players are starting to think that with all their millions, they began shying away from a look that traditionally had its origins in being poor/ in the "ghetto" (the baggy jeans look stemming from where the younger brother inherited the jeans from his older brother so the parents didn't have to buy a new pair) and embracing looks that embodied an awareness of trends. I mean there are NBA players who go to fashion shows in Paris...you didn't have that in the 90s and during And1's prime.

[tha_rock220]

People got tired of it. Iverson, Francis, Williams, etc were fun to watch, but they never won anything. The guys who you played with when you were younger who liked that kind of stuff were fans of those players.

I hated And1. I never had anything beyond a basic handle.

[litex]

The fact that you think Drake is one of the best hip-hop artists is a testament to how fake it has become - a rich kid who grew up on a television show is about as far away from hip-hop as you can get.

I'm not a Drake fan, but anyone who thinks the poverty level of your upbringing is correlated to the quality of your music is an idiot.

[weouthere]

This is nonsense. It has nothing to do with rise of hipster nothing.

Popular players stopped doing the tapes. Started doing their own thing., the moves became repetitive... We had seem them all. So it just became less interesting and then LeBron came around. People who say LeBron didn't embrace and1 aren't paying attention, and1 Is actually his generation and was popular when he was in high school, but LeBron in the league, among other players had the moves of those and1 players but on the big stage.

It just got stale, trust me. No hipster movement stopped it. It was less interesting. There were a lot of rifts between the popular guys like hot sauce who got his own tour and a bunch of nonsense. Players got old and tired.. And it ended.

Forget Gladwell. Maybe you should write a piece, seeing as how you're such an expert on culture and such.

Just don't see the correlation as real to the and1 movement, I was a teen during the and1 thing and I was a huge fan and I'm talking did all the moves, had all the dvds, watched them when they got the espn shows. I mean absolutely loved them. Then my interested just died down and so did others.

Alot of those teams broke up, rifts with hot sauce and Ao and guys getting their own tours and branching off from And1
. It's not a clothing thing, it's a fad that fell off.

Hipster movement came way after btw

[Dominator83]

This is nonsense. It has nothing to do with rise of hipster nothing.

Popular players stopped doing the tapes. Started doing their own thing., the moves became repetitive... We had seem them all. So it just became less interesting and then LeBron came around. People who say LeBron didn't embrace and1 aren't paying attention, and1 Is actually his generation and was popular when he was in high school, but LeBron in the league, among other players had the moves of those and1 players but on the big stage.

It just got stale, trust me. No hipster movement stopped it. It was less interesting. There were a lot of rifts between the popular guys like hot sauce who got his own tour and a bunch of nonsense. Players got old and tired.. And it ended.

Forget Gladwell. Maybe you should write a piece, seeing as how you're such an expert on culture and such.

Just don't see the correlation as real to the and1 movement, I was a teen during the and1 thing and I was a huge fan and I'm talking did all the moves, had all the dvds, watched them when they got the espn shows. I mean absolutely loved them. Then my interested just died down and so did others.

Alot of those teams broke up, rifts with hot sauce and Ao and guys getting their own tours and branching off from And1
. It's not a clothing thing, it's a fad that fell off.

Hipster movement came way after btw

Its a little bit of both. Yea the teams sorts self imploding had a little bit to do with it, but also keep in mind that theres not a whole lot of clothing brands that have a ton of staying power. When I was growing up in the 90s, besides And1 there was Fubu, Boss, paco, Perry Ellis, Ludz, etc. Most of them had big peaks and then just sorta died off